December 7, 2020

Chewy Coconut Oil Sugar Cookies

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Nothing says the holidays like a batch of these soft and chewy coconut oil sugar cookies! Loaded with festive sprinkles, these easy drop style cookies are so darn delicious you absolutely will NOT miss the butter. And there’s no rolling pin or cookie cutters required. Soy free.

Two Coconut Oil Sugar Cookies with a bite taken out of one.

I’ll be the first to admit that I absolutely LOVE traditional cut out sugar cookies. 

There’s the rolling of the dough, the decorating with frosting and sprinkles. It’s a total Christmastime tradition.

But. Sometimes we just need EASY. 

And that’s exactly where these coconut oil sugar cookies come into play. 

Soft baked and mega chewy, there’s no need to bust out the rolling pin or cookie cutters for these drop style cookies.

Buttery without the actual butter, they’re also loaded up with festive sprinkles for plenty of holiday cheer.

Or, if you’re making these during another time of the year, you can do a quick roll in sugar before baking. 

Either which way, you can’t go wrong.

{PS – Looking for the traditional version? Try my cut out dairy free sugar cookies!}

Cookie dough in a mixing bowl.

How To Make Coconut Oil Sugar Cookies

So, let’s talk about how these delicious cookies go down:

Mix the dry ingredients. First up, we’ll whisk together some flour, baking soda and salt.

Beat the wet ingredients. Next, we’ll beat together some softened coconut oil and sugar until nice and fluffy, then add in an egg, egg yolk, vanilla and almond extract.

Combine then chill. The two get mixed together, we’ll fold in some optional sprinkles, then scoop the dough into balls and chill in the fridge until firm. 

Bake until just set. Finally, we’ll pop our cookies in the oven and bake until lightly golden and just set around the edges.

You can enjoy them while still nice and warm OR let them cool completely before serving.

Cookie dough balls on a white plate.

Tips & Tricks

  1. First things first. I like to use unrefined virgin coconut oil in these cookies. I personally don’t think you can taste the coconut in the final product, but if this concerns you use refined coconut oil instead.
  2. Now, along those lines, you want your coconut oil to be softened but NOT melted. When it’s chilly in the house, I pop mine in the microwave (after scooping out the correct amount) for about 5 to 10 seconds to get it to that softened state. But sometimes during the summer, I don’t need to soften it at all.
  3. When measuring out your flour, fluff it in the container then scoop into your measuring cup with a spoon and level off. Don’t dunk the cup straight into the bag as you’ll likely use too much.
  4. You can absolutely omit the almond extract however I find it really gives the cookies that bakery fresh flavor. So I highly encourage using it if you can!
  5. While I normally try to avoid my stand mixer for cookies, I’ve found that this dough just comes together better using one. A hand mixer will still work, although you may need to beat the coconut oil and sugar longer / fold in the flour mixture by hand.
  6. And finally, please don’t skip the chill time for the dough balls. I know it’s a bit of a pain but it helps the cookies bake up correctly and not flatten too much in the oven. 

A white platter filled with Dairy Free Coconut Oil Sugar Cookies.

How To Store

Counter: Let the cookies cool completely then transfer to an airtight container. They’ll keep like this for about 5 days at room temperature.

Freezer: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 months in the freezer.

Alternatively, you can freeze the cookie dough to bake off at a later time.

To do this, scoop the dough balls and chill as directed in the recipe. Once firm, add the balls to a freezer safe bag or container, then keep in the freezer until ready to enjoy.

Bake straight from the freezer, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the cook time (but keep an eye on them as you may not need to add any time at all).

A white plate filled with Chewy Coconut Oil Sugar Cookies

Additional Coconut Oil Cookies You Might Enjoy:

Did you make this recipe? Rate and review it down below! I’d love to hear from you.

Two Coconut Oil Sugar Cookies with a bite taken out of one.

Chewy Coconut Oil Sugar Cookies

Yield: about 17 to 20 cookies
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Additional Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours

Nothing says the holidays like a batch of these soft and chewy coconut oil sugar cookies! Loaded with festive sprinkles, these easy drop style cookies are so darn delicious you absolutely will NOT miss the butter. And there’s no rolling pin or cookie cutters required.

Ingredients

For the cookies:

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ cup solid-state coconut oil, softened (but not melted)
  • ¾ cup pure cane sugar (or granulated sugar)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract   
  • ½ cup rainbow sprinkles, optional*

For finishing:

  • 3 to 4 tablespoons pure cane sugar (or granulated sugar) OR additional sprinkles

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the coconut oil and sugar on medium for 2 minutes, until sort of fluffy (it won’t look quite the same as with regular butter). 
  3. Add in the egg, egg yolk, vanilla and almond extract and beat again for about 30 seconds, until well combined.
  4. With the mixer on low, add in the flour mixture and mix until combined. If using, gently fold in the sprinkles with a spatula.
  5. Line a large plate with parchment paper, then scoop about 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons of the dough and form into balls about 1 ½ inches in size. Roll in the sugar OR gently press the tops with extra sprinkles, then place on the plate (they can be touching / close together). 
  6. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill for about 1 ½ to 2 hours.**
  7. Toward the end of the chill time, preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. 
  8. Arrange the chilled dough balls on the prepared baking sheet about 2 to 3 inches apart. (If baking in batches, keep the remaining dough balls in the fridge.) 
  9. Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes, until the cookies are just set (they’ll look a little underdone in the centers but that’s okay - don’t over bake!). Let the cookies cool for about 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack.

Notes

*To keep these dairy free and / or soy free - be sure to check the ingredients on your sprinkles.

**Since the cookie dough can get a little too hard after hanging out in the fridge, I recommend forming the dough into balls first and then chilling. Makes the process much easier AND the sugar / sprinkles stick much better to the dough.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 20 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 122Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 97mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 0gSugar: 8gProtein: 2g

Nutrition data shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator and is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for a medical professional’s advice.

© Ashley / Cook Nourish Bliss
Cuisine: American / Category: Dessert
Christmas, Cookies, Dairy Free, Dessert, Freezer-Friendly, Recipes (ALL), Seasonal, Soy Free, Vegetarian
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