Coconut Cranberry Vegan Cookies are gluten-free, dairy-free, and low sugar so you can have a healthy alternative to your cookie cravings. The sweetness in these comes from the cranberries and coconut. So bake a batch and eat your fill with no guilt.
My husband is a diabetic, and he struggles with cravings for sweets and high carbs. I believe it is something a person without diabetes can not understand but I do try to help him by having alternatives to high carb and high sugar snacks around the house.
Why make these cookies
These Coconut Cranberry Vegan Cookies are a healthy alternative to a sugary carb-loaded cookie. They are gluten-free, dairy-free, and low sugar, so you can have a healthy alternative for your cookie cravings. The sweetness comes from the cranberries and coconut, so these are more like a shortbread cookie.
What type of flour
I use almond flour in this recipe because foods made with refined wheat are high in carbs but low in fat and fiber. This can spike blood sugar levels and then follow with a rapid drop, which can leave a person feeling tired and hungry, craving foods high in sugar.
However, almond flour is low in carbs and high in healthy fats and fiber. For this reason, almond flour's properties give it a low glycemic index, meaning it releases sugar slowly into the bloodstream to provide a sustainable energy source.
For this recipe, I used Blue Diamond Almond Flour. You can find this in most health food stores or on Amazon.
What is maple sugar?
I kept the ingredients in this Coconut Cranberry Cookies recipe as natural as possible, so I used Frost Ridge Maple Farms maple sugar. If you are looking for a healthy and delicious way to enhance your recipes, try substituting organic maple sugar into your favorite recipe instead of granulated sugar. Maple sugar only has one ingredient, the sap from maple trees that have been dried and ground into a powder. It is rich in antioxidants and minerals. It is produced in small batches in Pennsylvania.
What is a substitue for butter in baking?
I tried a new product for these cookies that I was very pleased with. Nutiva Organic Coconut Oil with Butter Flavor. It is made from non-GMO, Steam Refined, Sustainably Farmed Coconuts and truly has a buttery taste, and it's vegan.
What tpe of cranberries should you use in cookies?
I like using Reduced Sugar Dried Cranberries. Using 50% less sugar dried cranberry makes these cookies a little better for someone watching their sugar intake without sacrificing flavor.
Tips for making the cookies
How do you toast coconut?
For a slightly nuttier flavor, you can toast your coconut before mixing it into the dough.
Preheat oven to 325ºF. Place shredded coconut evenly on a large baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper.
Put the baking sheet on the middle rack and bake for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, open the oven and gently stir the coconut with a spatula. Bake until the coconut is golden brown, about 3–4 more minutes. Keep a close eye on the coconut for the last few minutes. It can go to brown quickly. Remove from oven and cool completely.
How do you store the cookies?
Want to know the secret to keeping your cookies fresh while storing? It’s a simple slice of white bread! The reason a slice of white bread works so well to keep cookies fresh is that it contains the moisture that your home-baked treats need to stay fresh. The cookies absorb this moisture from the bread, keeping them soft and supple like they just came out of the oven while the bread becomes stale and hard.
How to make the cookies ahead
If you would like warm out of the oven cookies later, I suggest freezing the dough. It will keep in the freezer for several months.
How to freeze the cookies
I suggest using a cookie scoop to form the dough into balls. Place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet, then put in the freezer for a few hours. Remove cookies from the freezer and put the dough balls into a ziplock-type freezer bag.
To bake, place frozen dough balls on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Allow cooling to room temperature before baking.
Keep your cookies in an airtight container with a slice of bread and they will remain fresh for days.
Gifting ideas for cookies
Coconut Cranberry Cookies are a great gift idea; cookies speak love! Make it extra special and easy for you by purchasing cookie gift boxes to deliver them in.
Cranberry coconut bars
If you prefer these cookies would be easy to turn into cookie bars. Follow the recipe for the dough.
Transfer dough to the lightly greased baking pan and press/smooth into an even layer. Sprinkle the top with a few extra cranberries and coconut if desired. Bake for 32-35 minutes or until lightly browned on the sides. Use a toothpick to test for doneness; if it comes out clean from the pan's center, the bars are done.
More cookie recipes
For a fun treat, try Bacon Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies. They are a sweet chewy chocolate chip cookie filled with little bites of salty pretzels and
Pistachio Cranberry Cookies have a soft, chewy dough, crunchy pistachios, mixed in with sweet dried cranberries, and a hint of almond. They are sure to become a family favorite.
These soft and chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies are the perfect warm spiced holiday cookie. They are gluten-free, low sugar, and can be made vegan, which is ideal for company or a quiet night home.
Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies are gluten-free, thick, soft, and chewy packed with sweet peanut butter flavor.
Treat your friends with homemade Cookie Mix Gift Jars. They will love making their own homemade warm and delicious cookies in a jar.
Coconut Cranberry Vegan Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups almond flour
- 1/4 small dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon maple sugar
- 1 tablespoon flax milled
- 2 tablespoons water
- 3 tablespoons butter flavored coconut oil
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- In a large bowl combine almond flour, cranberries, coconut flakes, baking powder, maple sugar, and salt.  Stir to mix all ingredients well.
- In a small bowl put flax mill and water. Stir well and let set on counter for 3 minutes.
- Melt coconut oil in the microwave, about 15 seconds in a small microwave-safe bowl. Â Combine in the bowl with flax and water, and add vanilla. Sir well.
- Add liquid ingredients to the dry and mix until a soft dough is formed. Place in freezer for 10 minutes to chill then roll dough into balls and flatten them to 1/4 inch thick. Place on parchment lined cookie sheet.
- Bake 12 minutes or just until the edges start to brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature before removing from pan.
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