Thin & Crispy Gluten Free Coconut Cookies [Dairy Free Too] (2024)

Thegluten free coconut cookies are super simple thin and crispy drop cookies, and as addictive as potato chips. You can't stop at just one!

Why you'll love this crispy coconut cookie recipe

Quite possibly my favorite cookies ever, these thin and crispy gluten free coconut cookies are as addictive as a bag of potato chips, and so, so easy to make. In other words: dangerous!

Sometimes a cookie this thin and crispy can be rather delicate (like oatmeal lace cookies), but these coconut cookies are somehow super crispy—but also durable enough to pack into cookie gift boxes and tins.

They're drop cookies, which translates to “super easy.” And when you make them with virgin coconut oil (that's the kind of coconut oil that's solid at room temperature), they're naturally dairy-free too.

Impossibly crispy, with tons of coconut flavor, and delicate lace edges, these cookies really are something special.

Tips for nailing this coconut cookies recipe

These easy, coconut crisp cookies are made in just one bowl with some basic gluten free baking ingredients. Here are some extra tips to make sure yours turn out perfect the first time:

Use the right type of coconut flakes

You might be most familiar with shredded coconut, which tastes quite flavorless to me, and is often presweetened. When I'm baking with coconut, like these cookies and our gluten free coconut macaroons, I prefer to bake with the unsweetened wide, thin, strips of coconut that you can toast really easily and taste and smell like fresh coconut.

I buy my coconut chips from lots of different sources: nuts.com, Trader Joe's, Bob's Red Mill (an affiliate link; shop around!). I toast them in big batches, store them in glass containers at room temperature, and then sprinkle them on everything!

Portion your cookie dough with a spring-loaded ice cream scoop.

Using a spring-loaded ice cream scoop provides uniform size cookies. The ideal size scoop here is a #40 scoop (affiliate link; shop around!), named for the number of scoops there are in a quart of ice cream, using that particular scoop. A #40 scoop holds about 1.5 teaspoons in volume.

Melt the coconut oil, and then allow it to cool

If your coconut oil is still hot to the touch when you add it to the cookie dough ingredients, your cookie dough will very oily and difficult to shape. If you've made this mistake, just chill the cookie dough until it appears less shiny, and more clumpy.

How to tell when these cookies are ready

Before we put these raw cookies in the oven, we press them into flat disks, so they spread just enough to form crispy, lacy edges. When they're done, they'll be light brown in the center, and darker brown and lacy at the edges. Perfect!

How to store your crispy coconut cookies

These cookies stay perfectly crispy in a sealed glass container at room temperature for at least a week. For longer storage, you can freeze them in a sealed freezer-safe container.

When you store them in the refrigerator or freezer, they may lose some crispiness, but not a ton. If you've baked your cookies for about 10 minutes or until they're more pale in color, they'll be a little fragile on the edges.

Gluten free coconut cookies: ingredients and substitutions

Dairy free, gluten free crispy coconut cookies

When you make these crispy coconut cookies with virgin coconut oil (that’s the kind of coconut oil that’s solid at room temperature), they’re naturally dairy-free, so you don't have to tweak the recipe at all.

Egg free, gluten free crispy coconut cookies

You absolutely do need the one egg for this coconut cookie recipe or they just won’t hold together. But since it is just the one egg, I bet a chia egg (1 tablespoon ground white chia seeds + 1 tablespoon lukewarm water, mixed and allowed to gel).

Vegan, gluten free crispy coconut cookies

If you follow the instructions for making this recipe without the egg, that's all you need to change to make this recipe vegan. Just watch to ensure your sugars are vegan, too.

Crispy coconut cookie variations

Try topping these crispy cookies with a bit of melted chocolate mixed with a touch of coconut oil for shine. Or instead of topping the raw disks of dough with more coconut flakes, sprinkle with a few miniature chocolate chips.

FAQs

Can I use sweetened coconut in this flourless coconut cookies recipe?

No, this recipe must be made with the wide, flat coconut flakes that I've only seen sold unsweetened. If those sorts of coconut pieces are sweetened, they've probably been baked with additional ingredients into a separate snack, and they're not right for this recipe.

Can I use coconut flour in this crunchy coconut cookie recipe?

No, this recipe isn't designed to be made with coconut flour, and coconut flour is not a substitute for an all purpose gluten free flour.

What kind of coconut oil do I use in this recipe?

This recipe is made with the kind of coconut oil that's solid at cool room temperature. In the jar on the shelf, the oil is white. It's often called “virgin” coconut oil, but can sometimes carry a different name.

How should I melt the coconut oil for this coconut crisp cookie recipe?

I usually melt the coconut oil in the microwave, in short bursts at reduced power, until it's all liquified. You can also melt it in a double boiler, and in a pinch in a saucepan, but it will liquify very quickly so pay close attention!

Then be sure to allow it to cool until it's no longer hot to the touch before adding it the rest of the ingredients. It won't solidify that quickly.

Can I make these crispy coconut cookies without coconut oil?

Yes! You can replace the virgin coconut oil, gram for gram by weight, with Spectrum brand nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening, or even unsalted butter.

The butter will make somewhat less crispy cookies, but they're still delicious because butter is delicious. Be mindful that using butter means your cookies are no longer dairy free, in case that's important to anyone who will be eating them!

Why aren't my coconut cookies crispy?

Did you use too much gf flour? Not enough coconut oil? Did you flatten the mounds of cookie dough before baking? Did you bake them long enough? All of these issues can prevent your cookies from crisping.

How do I shape cookie dough that's too sticky?

Cookie dough that's too sticky to handle can be chilled in the refrigerator a bit to help it firm up a bit first.

How to make deliciously crispy coconut cookies