Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies {With Coconut Flour}

I am always in search of healthy alternatives to my kid’s favorite foods (and mine) and cookies are at the top of the list. Although my family is not gluten free and we are lucky to have no allergies, I use lots of flour and sugar alternatives in my baking and cooking. Anything coconut is really trendy in health food right now and for good reason. Coconut is a superfood and its sugar is rich in amino acids, calcium, zinc, magnesium and is low on the glycemic index. It’s flour is a great gluten-free alternative and the oil, unlike butter, is virtually cholesterol free. There are many more health benefits but really, we love the taste too! After much trial and error, I developed this recipe with all the ingredients we love and nothing we don’t. They have become a healthy treat we make all the time and I love that my kids don’t turn their noses up at healthy food because, honestly, they don’t know any different. Here it is….

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One thing you should know about coconut flour is that it is extremely absorbent. A little goes a long way and you cannot replace it with another flour or visa versa. Trust me, I learned the hard way. It’s special. Here I used only 1/3 cup coconut flour and sifted it together with the rest of the dry ingredients: baking soda, salt and cinnamon. I like to sift the coconut flour because it can get pretty lumpy. I’ve noticed certain brands are worse than others so if you find a brand you like that’s fine enough, you can skip this part.

Next, in my Kitchen Aid mixer, I creamed the coconut sugar and coconut oil together. This is in place of the traditional creaming of white sugar and butter so I like to leave the coconut oil in it’s solid state to resemble that tradition but it won’t get as creamy as you’d think. Just blend it together for a couple minutes until it gets a little bit fluffy and turns a lighter brown color. You’ll still have brown speckles from the sugar. That’s ok.

Then add the egg, vanilla, and molasses and finally, the dry ingredients. I add a heap of old fashioned oats and plenty of chocolate chips. Before baking the cookies, it can be easier to form the balls if you refrigerate the dough for just about 20 minutes or so. That way you can get a handle on it and it will be nicer to you. Another special attribute that coconut flour has is its ability to keep its shape, so you’ll need to make the balls and then press them down a little because otherwise, they’ll end up in the same shape you formed them.

Try them with a glass of milk on the side but not for dipping. They tend to fall apart in the glass….I’m just saying. Or, my favorite, with a cup of iced coffee for breakfast! Let me know how you and your family like them!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies {With Coconut Flour)

3/4 cup coconut oil (solid, not melted)
1 cup coconut sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp molasses

1/3 cup coconut flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon

3 cups old fashioned oats
1  1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325. Sift together the coconut flour, baking soda, salt and
cinnamon. Then, cream the coconut sugar and coconut oil together until it turns
a light brown color and becomes slightly fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and blend well.
Add molasses. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the dry ingredients
mixing just until blended. Stir in oats and chocolate chips. Refrigerate the dough
for about 20 minutes, then form into 1 inch rounds and flatten slightly on the pan
with the palm of your hand.
Bake for 12-13 minutes and cool on pans. Then remove to a wire rack once cool.
Store in an airtight container or in the fridge for a day or two…if they last that
long.
This recipe makes about 2 dozen cookies.

ENJOY!