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My almond flour shortbread cookies are the most popular cookie recipe on Wholesome Yum, but people often ask me how to make coconut flour cookies if they can’t have almond flour. So after some (delicious!) testing, I’m excited to show you these buttery and rich (and nut-free!) coconut flour shortbread cookies! They have all the sweet flavor you love in this classic treat, without any white flour, sugar, or nuts.
These cookies are great for a keto diet (2.2g net carbs each!), but are also a wonderful healthy option if you just want to cut sugar and gluten. And while coconut flour recipes are notorious for coming out dry or overly crumbly (not mine, I hope?), these aren’t like that at all. Give them a try!
Why You’ll Love These Coconut Flour Cookies
- Sweet and buttery, with mild coconut flavor
- Rich shortbread texture
- 4 simple ingredients (plus salt) — no eggs, milk, or cream needed
- Only 10 minutes prep time
- Naturally gluten-free, low carb, and keto coconut flour shortbread cookies
- Delicious with a cool glass of plant-based milk, such as homemade almond milk or hemp milk!
The best coconut flour cookie recipes need a quality flour and sweetener for perfectly tender results. That’s why I used Wholesome Yum Coconut Flour as a key ingredient for this recipe, along with Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend. The sweetener is one of the key components that prevents the cookies from drying out, because the allulose in it locks in moisture.
Together, this flour and sweetener create a sweet cookie that won’t fall apart or be too dry — perfect for shortbread coconut cookies! (It’s the same combo that gives my coconut flour chocolate chip cookies and coconut flour sugar cookies the best taste and texture.)
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for cookies with coconut flour, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
For The Coconut Flour Cookies:
- Wholesome Yum Coconut Flour – This flour uses premium organic coconuts and a superfine grind to create a delicious texture in cookies and other baked goods. One thing to be aware of is that different brands of coconut flour absorb liquid differently, so using another brand may yield cookies that are too wet or too dry.
- Butter – I prefer the flavor of grass-fed butter, but use any unsalted variety you like. Coconut oil works for a dairy-free substitute, but the flavor and texture will be different. (For no coconut taste, use a refined coconut oil instead.)
- Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – Cookie recipes with coconut flour can turn out dry, but this sweetener helps lock in moisture for better texture. It’s the only sweetener I’ll use for these coconut flour cookies, and it keeps them sugar free! If you want to try a different sugar substitute, check my sweetener conversion chart. Just be aware that most other sugar alternatives will yield more dry cookies. For paleo cookies, you can use coconut sugar.
- Vanilla Extract – With so few ingredients, a high-quality vanilla really shines in this recipe.
VARIATION: Want to substitute almond flour?
If you prefer almond flour, make these almond flour shortbread cookies instead. Substituting this flour in the coconut flour version will make the cookies too wet and they won’t turn out.
For The Chocolate Dip (Optional):
- Sugar-Free Dark Chocolate Chips – If your lifestyle allows, you can also use conventional chocolate chips.
- Coconut Oil – Helps the chocolate stay glossy and stick to the cookies. I don’t recommend substituting other oils, because coconut oil is the only one that is solid at room temperature. The chocolate will melt more easily in your hands if you use another oil.
- Pecans – Optional. You can substitute any chopped, sliced, or slivered keto nuts you like. (Obviously, skip the nuts if you need to keep these coconut flour cookies nut-free.)
How To Make Coconut Flour Cookies
This section shows how to make gluten free coconut flour cookies, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Prep wet ingredients. Beat butter and Besti together in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add in vanilla extract.
- Add flour. Beat coconut flour and salt into the cookie dough.
- Scoop. Add rounded tablespoonfuls of dough onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper (or a silicone mat). A cookie scoop makes this easier. Flatten each coconut flour cookie to the desired thickness.
- Bake. Bake in a 350 degree F oven until edges are golden brown. Cool completely. (You can transfer to a wire rack to speed this up, but wait 10 minutes before moving them to the rack.)
- Make optional dip. Use a double boiler to melt chocolate and coconut oil together. (Alternatively, you can melt in the microwave in 10-15 second increments at 50% power, and stir between each increment.)
- Dip. Dip coconut flour cookies halfway into the melted chocolate, place onto a lined baking sheet, and sprinkle with nuts before chocolate sets.
- Chill. Place cookies in the refrigerator (uncovered to prevent condensation on the chocolate), until the chocolate is firm.
Tips For The Best Coconut Flour Cookies
These cookies are so simple to make, but use these tips for perfect results every time.
- Look for the right cookie dough texture. It should be crumbly and dense, but still stick when pressed together. If you use a different brand of coconut flour, you can start with a little less and adjust to get the right consistency.
- Flatten the cookies. They won’t spread during baking, so adjust the thickness to how you would like them when done.
- If dipping in chocolate, clear space in your fridge first. You’ll need to chill the dipped coconut cookies on a pan in the refrigerator, so make sure you have a shelf that can hold the pan flat.
Storage Instructions
- Store: Keep coconut flour cookies covered in a cool place (such as the pantry) for up to 1 week.
- Freeze: Wrap tightly and store in the freezer for up to 3-6 months.
More Coconut Flour Baking Recipes
It’s not just for desserts — you can make dozens of recipes with coconut flour! Try all my coconut flour recipes here, or some of these favorites:
Tools For This Recipe
- Stand Mixer – The best for making cookie dough in a flash.
- Baking Sheet – My absolute favorite for coconut flour butter cookies, and just about any other sheet pan recipe!
- Double Boiler – For perfect melted chocolate.
Coconut Flour Cookie Recipe
Coconut Flour Cookies (4 Ingredients!)
Make easy shortbread coconut flour cookies with 4 just ingredients. They are buttery, not dry (unlike some coconut flour cookie recipes)!
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them. Please turn Safari reader mode OFF to view ingredients.
Basic Coconut Flour Cookies:
Optional Chocolate Dip:
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
Coconut Flour Cookies
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
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Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat together the butter and Besti, until fluffy and light in color. Beat in the vanilla extract.
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Beat in the coconut flour and salt. (The dough will be dense and a little crumbly, but should stick when pressed together.)
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Scoop rounded tablespoonfuls of the dough onto the prepared cookie sheet. Flatten each cookie to about 1/2 inch (.8 cm) thick. (You can make them thicker or thinner to your liking. Keep in mind they will not spread or thin out during baking, so make them as thin as you want them when done.)
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Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are golden. Allow to cool completely in the pan before handling.
Optional Chocolate Dip:
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Allow coconut flour shortbread cookies to cool and firm up completely before dipping in chocolate. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper (one that will fit in your fridge).
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Melt sugar-free chocolate and coconut oil in a double boiler on the stove. (Alternatively, you can melt in the microwave in 10-15 second increments at 50% power, stirring between each increment.) Once melted, dip the cookies halfway into the chocolate and place onto the lined pan. Immediately sprinkle with chopped nuts before the chocolate sets.
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Chill in the refrigerator (uncovered to prevent condensation on the chocolate) before handling, until the chocolate is firm.
Last Step: Leave A Rating!
Share your recipe picture by tagging @wholesomeyum and hashtag it #wholesomeyum on Instagram, or in our free low carb support group, too – I’d love to see it!
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 cookie
Nutrition facts do not include optional chocolate topping.
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
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32 Comments
Amy
0Yikes…. nobody in my house will eat these. I made them exactly as written, and I added chocolate chips too. My husband said they were the worst cookie he’s ever had. My oldest son pick up one and it completely crumbled apart, the second one he spit out. The youngest child wouldn’t touch them either. Not sure what went wrong, the flavor was off for everyone.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Amy, Sorry this recipe didn’t turn out as expected. Did you use Besti Monkfruit Allulose Blend? The sweetener is one of the key components that prevents the cookies from drying out, because the allulose in it locks in moisture.
Renee
0I don’t need keto, just gf/nut free. Would I be able to swap out the Besti 1:1 with regular confectioners sugar?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Renee, I haven’t tried that but yes, it should work.
Jackie
0The recipe looks great but I can’t eat erythritol. I use monk fruit powdered extract for baking. Any way to convert this? Thanks!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jackie, Besti does not contain any erythritol. 🙂 Pure 100% monk fruit probably wouldn’t work because the wet/dry ratio would be so different.
Judi
0I tripled the recipe to make a big batch. I did not use Besti products (bad idea) and the dough is too dry. Any suggestions to save this crumbly mess?
Thanks,
Judi
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Judi, Maybe you could add some extra butter or coconut oil but I can’t say for sure if that would work.
Kr
0I see four ingredients but no measurements for them?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi, You can find those measurements in the recipe card right above where you left this comment.
Greta
0This cookie is divine! It’s a hit everytime I baking it.
Wendy
0These were such a hit at our house! Thanks for the recipe – it is a keeper.
Glenda
0Nice, crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread. We loved these cookies! They were easy to make and everyone could eat them because of being gluten free. Thanks for the recipe!
Journa Liz Ramirez
0Shortbread coconut flour cookies recipe is one of our favorite cookie recipes. They are buttery and yummy. Strongly recommended!
Sandra
0Can this cookie be rolled out flat (about 1/2 inch thick) and then be cut into long bars (about 3″ X 1 1/2 “wide ) ? I don’t plan on adding chocolate frosting, no matter what shape they are.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Sandra, I have never tried that but let me know your results if you do try it.
Mary Beth Sartorius
0Sandra, I also wondered if I couldn’t roll this into a log and wrap in wax paper. Chill in the fridge until firm and then cut circles off, the suggested thickness, then move to the cookie sheet and bake. I haven’t made these yet…but they are in my NEED to try pile…I’m currently researching Keto.
T
0Hi, It would be nice to have this receipe expressed in grams instead of cups! Thank you.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi, At the top of the recipe card you can change the measurements from US customary to metric.
April
0These were so tasty! Will definitely be making them again!
Agnes
0So buttery and delicious, especially with the chocolate dip!
Kristyn
0You have taken the classic shortbread cookie up to a whole new level!! Love the dipped end & how soft & buttery they are!
Tom Westheimer
0Excellent, added 2 tsp almond essence and they almost tasted like almond macaroons.
Debbie
0So, the Coconut Flour Shortbread Cookies recipe… The recipe nowhere states using powdered or granulated Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend. So if I use Besti brand, it doesn’t matter whether powdered or granulated? But if I use any other sweetener, it must be granulated? Thank You, Debbie
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Debbie, I recommend granulated Besti for cookies to get the best texture, but powdered Besti will work in a pinch if that’s what you have on hand.
Smiley1005
0I added a little lemon extract – I know it takes away the shortbread taste a bit but yummy. The only problem was I didn’t have any milk to drink with them!
Anna G
0Hi! I had issues with the cookies being very crumbly with this recipe for coconut flour shortbread cookies. They would not stick together enough without cracking. Do I need more butter?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Anna, Sorry to hear that! Did you use Wholesome Yum Coconut Flour? Different brands vary in density and moisture absorption, so the result can vary.
Tracy Mills
0Fabulous recipe! I’ve finally found a cookie that I LOVE! I used monkfruit and find they are a wee bit too sweet, but I will adjust next batch. I also added choc chips and pecans because that’s what I love, but they would have been good on their own! Thanks so much for this recipe!
Gina
0These cookies were delicious! I will be making these again!
Allison
0Buttery and delicious! Thanks for sharing this tasty recipe.
Florence
0These are so good! I wanted to make more baked desserts that does not have almond flour, so I tried these. I couldn’t wait to dip the slightly cooled cookies into the chocolate, just had to have them for dessert tonight. Well, you are right–it’s best to wait until the cookies are completely cooled. What I did instead was to simply pour teaspoons of chocolate onto each cookie and sprinkled the pecans. It was a bit messy, but oh, the taste was just as good. Thank you so much for yet another great recipe!