Think of a cookie, think of long, tiring procedures to prepare it which may eventually demoralize you to actually make it at home. Well, not any more, as I’ve got an easy and flavorful Coconut Cookies recipe for you. These tasty Coconut Cookies are healthier too as they are made with whole wheat flour, jaggery, desiccated coconut and a few more ingredients.
Table of Contents
About Coconut Cookies
This Coconut Cookies recipe is that fool proof way of preparing a batch of yummy vegan cookies that you can enjoy with your friends and family, just about any day of the year.
These literally get done within minutes, and the only time taking part is when the cookies are getting baked. So, a perfect sweet-snack for your festive occasions too.
Besides the main ingredients, whole wheat flour, desiccated coconut and jaggery, these Coconut Cookies are also aromatic and earthy because of the hints of cardamom and ginger in them. The cookies are slightly chewy from the outside, soft from within and sweet, but not overly.
A Coconut Cookies recipe that’s just about being oh-so-good! With these measurements, you can make about 12 Coconut Cookies. Double it to make more.
Also, given my love for this very versatile fruit called coconut, I’d like you to try more of my coconut recipes by following this collection of Coconut Recipes. It’s surely not going to disappoint you!
How to make Coconut Cookies
Make Cookie Dough
1. First, take 1 cup (120 grams) whole wheat flour and ¼ teaspoon baking soda in a mixing bowl.
2. With a spoon or spatula, mix very well. Also, preheat your oven to 180 degrees C/356 degrees F. The oven should be preheated 15 minutes before baking.
3. Add 4 tablespoons coconut oil. You can also add 3 tablespoons coconut oil.
4. Lightly mix the oil with the flour. Instead of coconut oil, you can also use 4 tablespoons butter or ghee.
5. Then, add ¼ cup desiccated coconut, 1 tablespoon fine sooji/semolina (optional), ½ teaspoon cardamom powder and ¼ teaspoon dried ginger powder (optional).
6. Add ½ cup (85 grams) powdered or grated jaggery.
7. Mix everything well with your fingertips.
8. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons water. Add the water in parts and start mixing with the dough. Depending on the quality of the flour and the jaggery, you may add less or more water.
The mixture should be able to come together and hold easily. I added 3 tablespoons water. You can also use coconut milk instead of water.
9. Just mix together with your hands and gather to a dough.
10. Don’t knead, lightly mix and form into a dough ball.
11. Grease a tray or pan well with 1 teaspoon coconut oil.
Shape and Bake Coconut Cookies
12. Pinch small to medium sized balls from the dough and place on the greased tray.
13. Press one cashew or almond on each cookie and slightly flatten them while pressing the cashews.
14. Don’t flatten too much. You can even skip the dry fruits and just flatten directly.
15. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven at 180 degrees C/356 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes or till the tops become light golden. The cashews on the top will also become faintly golden.
Since oven temperatures vary, it may take less or more time. So, keep a check. For convection ovens, use the preheating and baking temperature of 170 degrees C/338 degrees F.
16. Once baked, after 2 to 3 minutes, remove them from the tray and keep on a wire rack for cooling. Use a flat spatula for removing the cookies from the tray.
You may see some jaggery melted and browned at the base of some cookies. Don’t worry. Just lift the cookies with a flat spatula.
17. When cooled to room temperature, store them in an air tight jar. Serve eggless Coconut Cookies during tea time.
Expert Tips
- Desiccated coconut in this Coconut Cookies recipe can be replaced by fresh grated coconut. Roast/toast (don’t brown) to reduce moisture before using it in the recipe.
- For the fats, you can use any other odorless and flavorless oil, butter or ghee (clarified butter) instead of coconut oil.
- Instead of water, you can use coconut milk or any plant based milk in the cookie dough.
- You can skip topping the cookies with cashews or even top with almonds or your choice of nuts.
- To bake the cookies in a convection oven, preheat the oven at 170 degrees C/338 degrees F.
- After baking, cool the cookies to room temperature and then store in an airtight container or jar.
FAQs
Yes, you can make these cookies with ⅓ cup fresh coconut. Just toast or roast it till the moisture is reduced and then use it. You don’t have to brown it.
If you have an OTG, use the ‘toast mode’ in which both the top and bottom heating elements are on.
Yes, you can. Use about ⅓ to ½ cup of it. You can even use palm sugar or coconut sugar. Also please do not use white granulated sugar. Instead you can use confectioner’s sugar or powdered sugar adding as required with the sweetness you prefer in the cookies.
The hardness in the cookies might be due to overbaking. Try again by baking for a lesser time on a slightly lower temperature.
No, you cannot.
You can use fresh coconut, dry fruit powders like cashew powder, pistachio powder, almond powder or also finely chopped nuts.
Yes, you can. But it is always better to use coconut oil as it gives a unique aroma to the cookies.
More Cookie Recipe To Try!
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Coconut Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat flour – 120 grams
- ¼ cup desiccated coconut
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda or baking powder
- 4 tablespoons coconut oil – you can also use 3 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon sooji – fine variety (rava or cream of wheat), optional
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder or 4 to 5 green cardamoms – crushed in mortar-pestle
- ¼ teaspoon dry ginger powder – optional
- ½ cup jaggery powder (organic) or grated/chopped jaggery – 85 grams or add as needed. Swap jaggery with brown sugar, confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar) or coconut sugar or palm sugar adding as needed.
- 2 to 3 tablespoons water or coconut milk, add as required
Instructions
Making cookie dough
- First take the whole wheat flour and baking soda in a mixing bowl. Stir to mix evenly.
- With a spoon or spatula mix very well. Also preheat your oven to 180 degrees C/356 degrees F.
- Add coconut oil to the flour and baking soda mixture in the bowl.
- Lightly mix the oil with the flour. Instead of coconut oil, you can also use 4 tablespoons of butter or ghee.
- Next add fine-textured sooji (optional), cardamom powder and dry ginger powder (optional).
- Add the powdered or grated jaggery. Instead of jaggery you can also use brown sugar or confectioner's sugar or palm sugar or coconut sugar.
- Mix everything well with your fingertips.
- Add 2 to 3 tablespoons water. Add the water in parts and start mixing with the dough. Depending on the type of flour, you may add less or even more water. I added 3 tablespoons of water. You can also use coconut milk instead of water.
- Just mix the cookie ingredients together with your hands and gather to a dough. Don't knead. Lightly mix and form into a dough ball.
Making coconut cookies
- Pinch small to medium sized balls from the dough and place on a greased tray.
- Press one cashew-halve or almond on each cookie and slightly flatten them while pressing the cashews. Don't flatten too much. You can even skip the nuts and simply flatten directly.
- Bake the cookies in the preheated oven at 180 degrees C/356 degrees F for 20 to 25 mins till the tops become light golden. The cashews on the top will also become faintly golden.
- Since oven temperatures vary, it may takes less or more time. So do keep a check. For convection ovens use the pre heating and baking temperature of 170 degrees C/338 degrees F.
- Once baked, after 2 to 3 minutes, remove them from the tray and keep on a wire rack for cooling. Use a flat spatula for removing the cookies from the tray.
- When cooled at room temperature, store them in an air-tight jar. Serve eggless coconut cookies as a tea time cookie.
Notes
- Instead of water you can use light coconut milk (thin coconut milk) or any plant based milk.
- Opt to use grated fresh coconut if you prefer. But roast/toast for a few minutes on a skillet or pan, until the moisture is reduced. Remember not to brown the coconut.
- You can also double the recipe to make a big batch of these coconut cookies.
- For a non plant based recipe, use unsalted butter or ghee for the fat. You can also use milk instead of coconut milk.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Coconut Cookies recipe post from the blog archives first published in November 2015 has been republished and updated on 30 Jun 2022.
I tired this recipe.. and it was a total hit in my family.. I request you to post more baking recipes with wheat and jaggery combat.. Thanks a lot for such a healthy recipe
Welcome Divya. Glad to know this. I will try to add more such recipes.
If d Cookies are slightly soft then can I bake them another time to make them crunchy.?
monalisa, yes you can bake them.
Can we use brown sugar in place of jaggery.
you can use brown sugar.
Is adding baking powder or soda compulsory?Is there any replacement for that
yes it is. there is no replacement.
Hi!! Am a great fan of your recipes.
Am using Otg…can you please tell which mode should be used for baking these cookies.
thanks nikki. use the toast mode in which both the top and bottom heating elements are on.
Hi dassana, I tried most of your recipes . all are just wow. I just want to know can I use parachute coconut oil in this recipe or olive oil or sesame oil. Please let me know . Thanks once again.
chiki, do not use parachute coconut oil as it not edible and also not meant for cooking. its a cosmetic product. so there will be some other stuff in it and won’t be pure coconut oil. sesame oil can give a strong aroma which may not go well in these cookies. so you can use olive oil or any other neutral flavored oil like sunflower oil.
Hi Dassanna,
I had tried this coconut cookies recipe and had almost doubled it. It was simply superb and yummy in taste.?
My son is longing for more to hog and will hav to repeat again to make few more.I had only got one or two to taste them.?
The recipe is just perfect and very easy to follow.Thanxs for the recipe and coz of it I baked first time cookies at home.
Can u pls state some variations instead of desiccated coconut and also upload biscuits for Fasting(Vrat or Upvaas).Looking forward to it.
Once again thanxs alot and loads of good wishes for sharing ur lovely recipes and experiences too.???
thank you pretti. glad to know that your son liked the cookies. agree its an easy recipe. cookies for fasting i will try to add before the fasting season. in this recipe, instead of coconut, you can also add fresh coconut or dry fruits powder like cashew powder, pista powder or almond meal (powder). you can also add finely chopped dry fruits.
Hi add how to make pastry
pooja, which pastry are you referring to?
the cookies came out great. Thanks for a lovely recipe.
i have one query though…. can i make these cookies using maida and regular sugar….if yes then what changes need to be done in the recipe.
thanks hint. you can use maida and regular sugar. you will just need to add less water or coconut milk for binding. also add powdered sugar.
thanks
hello….i have never used coconut oil for cooking so wanted to know which coconut oil is safe for cooking…can parachute oil be used?
avoid parachute coconut oil. its a cosmetic oil meant for hair. for cooking, the oil has to be extra virgin coconut oil. in south india and goa, coconut oil is easily available for cooking in the shops. even online you will get extra virgin oil from organic brands for cooking. just search organic coconut oil and you will get the results. but do make sure the oil is extra virgin and has nothing mixed with it. it should be just pure coconut oil.
Hi dasana I have tried most of your recipes,they were very tasty,thanks for the recipes.I have a request can you please post cool cake recipe with frosting also
thanks madhuri. have taken a note of your recipe request and will try to add it.
Hii.. looks so yummy.. Very simple and easily understandable explanation..
Can these be made using vegetable oil?
will it taste good?
shruti, coconut oil gives its coconut aroma in the cookies. but you can use any other oil too.
Hi,
Thank you for your wonderful recipes. Your site is my go to place for various recipes from all over India! We’re foodies and love to try out new dishes. I started baking again seeing your recipes (had stopped after many disasters earlier) because I was confident that your recipes never fail!
I’ve a query about this recipe. Can we use fresh coconut instead of dessicated coconut? If yes what should be the amount?
nimitha, thank you much 🙂 fresh coconut can be used. but they need to be slightly roasted so that their moisture dries a bit. just roast them in a pan till they kind of become loose and dry. no need to brown them. use 1/3rd cup grated coconut. by the time you roast them, the quantity will reduce to 1/4th cup or a little more than 1/4th cup.
I do not have baking tray, can I bake on steel plate?
vibha, trays or pans meant for baking can handle high temperatures, which are essential while baking. the steel that we use for everyday serving or cooking may or may not be able to handle such a high temperature. usually steel plates cannot handle high heat that is there in an oven. so i would not suggest to use steel plate. if you plan to do more baking, then i would suggest you to buy a baking safe aluminium tray or a plate. you will be able to get them online as well as in shop in your city, which sells baking stuff.
Thanks,I have baked cookies on steel plate earlier, but now I know the results were not good due to absence of baking tray. Tray wasn’t available in local market that’s why.I use convection microwave, I need to flip cookies while baking on steel plate, otherwise it remains uncooked from the bottom. Do I need to flip cookies on baking tray also?
vibha you don’t need to flip cookies if baking on baking tray. Hope this help’s and thankyou.
Thanks a lot : )
welcome vibha