Coconut Flour Sugar Cookies (Vegan, Paleo)

These coconut flour sugar cookies are gluten free, vegan, paleo and nut free - great for those with common allergens. This easy cut-out cookie recipe is made with coconut flour and ground flax, sweetened with coconut sugar and dipped in dark chocolate.

These are the cutest little sugar cookies you ever did see!

Crispy, crunchy and absolutely amazing dipped in dark chocolate. Yes, these coconut flour sugar cookies are making my yearly Christmas baking list.

They're made with coconut flour (obviously) and a bit of ground flax, non-hydrogenated shortening (Nutiva is my favorite) and sweetened with coconut sugar.

These vegan coconut flour cookies are miniature, thin and crispy and store well in the freezer.

Recipe Highlights

Here's what you need to know:

• paleo and vegan friendly
• egg free - these coconut flour cookies are made without eggs
• dairy free - the recipe uses non-hydrogenated shorting instead of butter (but butter will work)
• refined sugar free - sweetened with coconut sugar
• nut free - made without almond flour
• crispy - roll the coconut cookie dough thin to make these cookies nice and crisp

Simply put, these are the best coconut flour shortbread cookies!

Ingredients

Here's a list of what you need to make these paleo coconut flour sugar cookies:

• coconut flour: I use Healthworks organic coconut flour
• ground flax: used to bind the dough. I make my own ground flax by grinding whole flax seeds in a coffee grinder.
• coconut sugar: to sweeten the cookies. Maple sugar or a granulated sweetener like monk fruit should work as well.
• baking powder
• xanthan gum (optional): makes the dough easier to roll and cut and helps with a crispier cookie texture.
• salt
• non-hydrogenated shortening: I use Nutiva shortening in many of my baked goods. It is made from sustainably sourced palm oils and coconut oil, is organic, paleo and vegan friendly.
• vanilla extract
• water
• dark chocolate: to dip the baked cookies

How to Make Coconut Flour Sugar Cookies

The dough for these coconut flour sugar cookies is made in one bowl and chilled in the fridge. It's then rolled between parchment paper, baked and cooled. They're finished off dipped in dark chocolate.

Here are the steps:

Make the Cookie Dough

First, make the cookie dough by combining the coconut flour, coconut sugar, ground flax, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl.

Add in the shortening, vanilla and water. First, combine with a fork or spatula, then use your hands to knead the dough.

Chill the Cookie Dough

Next, form the dough into a ball, set it in the mixing bowl and place it in your fridge for an hour to chill.

Roll the Dough and Cut Out Shapes

After chilling, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Then, remove the cookie dough from the fridge and roll it between two sheets of parchment paper to about ⅛ inch thick. Super thin cookies will come out crispier after baking. If you prefer a chewier cookie, then roll the dough to ¼ inch thick.

Cut out shapes using small cookie cutters. The dough is fragile, so I don't recommend using large or highly detailed cookie cutters. If the cookie dough is sticking to the parchment, dust it with a bit of tapioca flour.

Bake the Cookies

Place the cut out cookies on the lined baking pan, then put them in the preheated oven and bake at 350 degrees for 5-8 minutes or until browned on the bottom. Baking time will vary depending on the thickness of the dough, how large the cookies are and how cold the cookie dough is. I highly recommend cooking just a few cookies in the first batch to check the bake time.

Cool the Cookies

After baking, cool the cookies on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack.

Dip the Cookies in Dark Chocolate

After all of the cookies have been baked and cooled, melt the dark chocolate. You can use a microwave, or melt the chocolate on the stove top over low heat.

One at a time, dip the cookies halfway into the melted chocolate and place them on a lined baking sheet to set.

Pop the cookies in the fridge or freezer for the chocolate to fully set.

Storage

These cookies are best stored in the freezer, where they stay nice and crisp. However, they can be kept at room temperature for a few days or in the fridge for up to one week.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use xanthan gum?

No, the xanthan gum is an optional ingredient. It makes the dough easier to roll out and the cookies turn out crispier.

My dough isn't rolling out well. What can I do?

If the dough is too wet or too dry it won't roll out well. I recommend measuring the ingredients by weight (when given) to get exact measurements. After that, if the dough is too dry, then add a little water. If the dough is too wet, add a little coconut flour.

In addition, using xanthan gum in the cookie dough or dusting the parchment paper with tapioca flour will help when rolling out the cookies. This makes them crispier too!

Can I ice the cookies instead of dip them in chocolate?

Yes! These vegan coconut flour cookies would go perfectly with some icing or frosting instead.

More Paleo Cut-Out Cookies

Looking for more paleo cut-out cookie recipes? Check out these popular ones from the blog:

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