After supper, we don’t usually have dessert, but we do like to have a little treat with a cup of peppermint tea.  However, it’s difficult to find something that isn’t filled with sugar and other carbohydrates, and therefore likely to keep us counting sheep all night.

As I was trying to come up with an idea, I had a memory of a delicious batch of coconut lime shortbread cookies that my friend Carolyn baked about a year ago. I decided to try making a grain-free, refined-sugar-free version, and although they don’t have the traditional crisp shortbread texture, they turned out quite well.  They have a soft, chewy texture, and are sweetened only with a small amount of either maple syrup or honey, and contain no starches.  If made with maple syrup and coconut oil, they will be vegan, as they don’t contain eggs.

I baked mine for about 11 minutes at 325°F, and the bottoms browned quite quickly, so it would be a good idea to check them at 9 minutes to see how they’re doing.

We tested them out last night, and I’m pleased to report that after eating one cookie each, we slept just fine.

Coconut Lime Cookies {Grain-Free}
Makes approximately 20 cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups blanched almond flour
1/2 cup finely shredded coconut
good pinch of sea salt
grated zest of one lime
2 teaspoons lime juice
1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
6 tablespoons butter or refined coconut oil, softened

Method:

Blend dry ingredients together in a large bowl, including the lime zest.  Add the lime juice to the maple syrup or honey, stir well, and then add this to the dry mixture.  Add the softened butter or coconut oil, and mix together thoroughly with a wooden spoon or stiff spatula, making sure all the butter or coconut oil is well blended.  If using coconut oil, the dough may be quite soft; if you find it difficult to shape into balls, you can chill the dough for about 20 minutes to firm it up a bit.

Using either a small cookie scoop or spoon, scoop up approximately 1 tablespoon of dough, shape into a ball, and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Lightly press down with the back of a fork or your hands to flatten slightly.  The cookies won’t spread much, so you can space them about two inches apart on the baking sheet.

Place the baking sheet on a rack set in the middle of the oven, and set timer for 9 minutes.  After 9 minutes, check to make sure the cookies aren’t browning too much.  If not, continue baking for another 2-3 minutes, until the bottoms are lightly golden.

Printable Version:

Coconut Lime Cookies {Grain-Free}

Print Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 11 minutes mins

Servings 20 cookies

Author Samantha

Ingredients

• 2 cups blanched almond flour
• ½ cup finely shredded coconut
• good pinch of sea salt
• grated zest of one lime
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• ¼ cup maple syrup or honey
• 6 tablespoons butter or refined coconut oil, softened

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Blend dry ingredients together in a large bowl, including the lime zest.   
• Add the lime juice to the maple syrup or honey, stir well, and then add this to the dry mixture.
• Add the softened butter or coconut oil, and mix together thoroughly with a wooden spoon or stiff spatula, making sure all the butter or coconut oil is well blended. 
• Using either a small cookie scoop or spoon, scoop up approximately 1 tablespoon of dough, shape into a ball, and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  If using coconut oil, the dough may be quite soft; if you find it difficult to shape into balls, you can chill the dough for about 20 minutes to firm it up a bit.
• Lightly press down with the back of a fork or your hands to flatten slightly.  The cookies won't spread much, so you can space them about two inches apart on the baking sheet.
• Place the baking sheet on a rack set in the middle of the oven, and set timer for 9 minutes.  After 9 minutes, check to make sure the cookies aren’t browning too much.  If not, continue baking for another 2-3 minutes, until the bottoms are lightly golden.