So many Paleo recipes contain nuts. But not these Paleo Sugar cookies! Although I do love nuts, I find that they are widely over-used in gluten free baking. But, there are so many great grain free, nut free alternatives. Some of my favorites being coconut flour, cassava flour and tigernut flour.
These Paleo Sugar Cookies are made with a combination of coconut flour, collagen and tapioca flour. Additionally, they are dairy free, sweetened with maple syrup and only contain eight ingredients.
So, I said these cookies are nut free, then I listed coconut as an ingredient. According to the FDA, coconut is a tree nut. Meaning, food product labels are required to call out coconut as a tree nut and potential allergen (1) But, did you know that coconut isn't actually a nut? Confusing huh?
What is Coconut?
Coconut is actually a fruit. More specifically, a drupe (2) Although the FDA classifies coconut as a tree nut, many people with tree nut allergies aren't allergic to coconut. My son is a prime example of this. He is allergic to cashews, but handles coconut just fine.
Other common foods that are often mistaken for nuts include: peanuts, nutmeg, butternut squash and water chestnuts.
Ingredients in Paleo Sugar Cookies
This unique sugar cookie recipe is made mostly of coconut flour and collagen. In addition, it is lightly sweetened with maple syrup and doesn't contain any baking powder or baking soda. The list of ingredients are as follows:
- coconut oil
- eggs
- maple syrup
- vanilla
- coconut flour
- collagen
- tapioca flour
- salt
For this recipe, the collagen is a necessary ingredient. To achieve the right taste and texture, unflavored collagen peptides are needed.
How to Make Paleo Sugar Cookies
All you need to make these cookies is one bowl, a spatula for mixing and the required ingredients.
First, melt the coconut oil. The coconut oil is measured at room temperature, but needs to be liquid to easily mix with the other ingredients.
Next, add in the remaining wet ingredients. Mix well, then add in the dry ingredients.
Now, this is the hard part, the dough needs to be chilled for at least an hour prior to baking. Roll the dough into a ball, place in the mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set in the fridge for 60 minutes.
After the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Scoop cookie dough onto a baking sheet then gently press down using a fork.
Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Note, it's important to watch the cookies as these will go from light, golden brown to burnt quickly. Every oven is different and different brands of collagen can cook differently as well.
Lastly, remove the cookies from the oven and cool on a cooling rack to room temperature.
For more nut free cookie recipes, check these out:
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Paleo Sugar Cookies
- Prep Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 22 minutes
- Yield: 15 bite sized cookies 1x
Description
These nut free, dairy free sugar cookies are perfect for a holiday gathering. They contain collagen, are sweetened with maple syrup and easy to make.
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp coconut oil (measured at room temp)
- 2 large eggs
- 3 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ¼ cup + 2 Tbsp coconut flour
- ¼ cup collagen
- 2 Tbsp tapioca flour (can sub arrowroot)
- ⅛ tsp salt
Instructions
- Measure out coconut oil and place in a microwave-safe dish. Melt in microwave (about 1 min on high).
- Combine melted coconut oil, vanilla, maple syrup and egg.
- Add in remaining ingredients. Mix well.
- Place dough in fridge and chill for 60 minutes.
- Remove dough from fridge, roll into balls and place on baking sheet. Flatten with fork if desired.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 12-15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and cool on cooling rack.
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Those look so good! We have to make them this Christmas!!!!
We should!
I agree, it is SO hard to find recipes without nuts! Thank you for sharing this, they look delicious!
It IS! Thank you for checking it out 🙂
Hey
Can I skip on the collagen or would that affect the texture ? What can I sub it with ?
Hi! The collagen is a necessary ingredient for this recipe. You can try substitutions but I cannot guarantee results.
These look so good! Can't wait to try them!
Hi, these look super good! I know someone already asked about the collagen, but do you think it's possible to sub additional coconut flour and tapioca starch?
Thanks!
You could try it, but the whole point of the recipe was to use collagen, haha. So...really not sure how substitutions would work.
Is the collagen the gelling kind or not? Thanks!
I’m guessing it’s not the gelling kind cuz then you’d probably call it gelatin instead of collagen. I’ll try it and see what happens! ????
If you click on the link it shows the exact type I used; which was Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides, not gelatin. But I think the gelatin would work as well.
I made these and followed recipe exactly and they came out like flat pancakes :/
Is there supposed to be baking powder included?
Oh no! I'm so sorry that they didn't turn out. Did you use Bob's Red Mill coconut flour and chill before baking? There isn't any baking powder in the recipe.
hi I live in india and we do not get collagen, can you suggest any subs?
would protein powder work as substitute?
I haven't tried any subs for the collagen, but protein powder may work.
I'm gonna try this out! They look yummy!