Chef notes
These decadent delights are light, fluffy and melt-in-your-mouth good. Each cookie is the perfect combination of a buttery snowball and a coconutty macaroon. They're soft, chewy and perfect for coconut fans. While I love to eat these cookies straight up, here's a next-level chocolate spin: After the cookies cook and cool, you can drizzle melted dark chocolate over the top, or submerge the cookie bottoms in melted chocolate and place them back on the parchment paper in the fridge to firm. National Cookie Day couldn't possibly get any better.
Technique tip: For a sweeter cookie, use sweetened coconut flakes for the outside finish. Do not use sweetened for the inside batter or it will affect the texture.
Swap option: If you're not following a gluten-free diet, feel free to use all-purpose flour.
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 5 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 cups superfine and blanched almond flour
- 2 tablespoons gluten-free baking flour
- 1½ cups unsweetened coconut flakes, divided
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
Preparation
1.Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2.In a mixing bowl, blend the softened butter with the honey until completely creamed. If your butter isn't completely softened, microwave for 15 to 30 seconds to get it nice and mushy. You can mix by hand or by using a stand mixer.
3.Add the extracts, egg and applesauce. Mix until combined. Add the almond flour, gluten-free baking flour, 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes, baking powder and salt. Stir until well-incorporated into a wet and sticky batter (if your batter feels too wet and fussy to work with, stash in the fridge for about 1 hour to firm it up).
4.Add 3/4 cup of unsweetened coconut flakes to a shallow bowl.
5.Scoop about 1 tablespoon worth, using your fingers, a measuring tablespoon or small cookie scooper, and place it directly into the coconut flakes. Roll gently to coat evenly and form it into a ball, then transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat the process with the remaining dough. (I fit about 15 cookies per baking sheet. While they won't spread all that much in the oven, you still want them spaced evenly apart on the sheet.)
6.Bake for 13-15 minutes, until the outside coconut starts to lightly brown and crisp. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for at least 20 minutes to set.
