These coconut cookies are soft, chewy and lightly sweet. They only need 3 ingredients and don’t require any flour, eggs, refined sugar, dairy, butter or oil. The cookies are easy to customize and store well.
A stack of thin Coconut Cookies

These simple coconut cookies are a healthier snack or dessert. I like to make a batch at the beginning of the week and keep them in the fridge for whenever I need a quick treat.

Ingredients

  • Applesauce
  • Shredded coconut
  • Honey

Applesauce: The cookies are made with unsweetened applesauce. Applesauce adds moisture and helps keep the cookies soft. If you need a substitute for applesauce, I also have a banana version.

Shredded coconut: Make sure to use unsweetened finely shredded coconut. Finely shredded coconut binds together better. If your shredded coconut is too thick, the cookies may break apart.

Honey: A little honey is used to sweeten the cookies and to help bind the cookies.

How to Make Coconut Cookies

  • The applesauce and honey are stirred together. The coconut is then mixed in until it is completely incorporated. Your mixture should be thick enough that when you scoop it, it will hold its form (though it will not stick together like dough).Cookie dough in a glass bowl, rolled into balls and then flattened
  • Use a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the dough and release onto your prepared baking sheet. Use the back of a metal spoon to compact, flatten and shape the cookies into round disks about 1/4 inch thick.
  • Bake the cookies for about 20 minutes or until lightly golden brown.

Texture and Taste

These are soft cookies that are also a little chewy from the coconut. These are meant to be healthy simple cookies so they do not have the same sweetness or texture as traditional cookies made with flour, butter and eggs.
A bite taken from a coconut cookie

Expert Tips

  • If you want to add more flavor to the cookies, you can drizzle melted chocolate on top.
  • The cookies are a little delicate, but you should be able to pick them up and eat them like a cookie.
  • Make sure to allow the cookies to fully cool before removing them from the baking pan, otherwise they will break apart.

Golden brown coconut cookies after baking

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5 from 3 votes

3 Ingredient Coconut Cookies

These simple coconut cookies are lightly sweet, soft and chewy. They need just 3 ingredients and don't require any flour, eggs, refined sugar, dairy, butter or oil. They are easy to prepare and can be stored in the fridge for a quick snack or dessert.
Servings: 11 cookies
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (121g) unsweetened applesauce
  • 1-2 tbsp (15-30ml) honey, to taste
  • 1 cup (93g) finely shredded unsweetened coconut, see note before starting

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Add applesauce and honey to a large mixing bowl. Stir with a spatula until evenly mixed. Add in the coconut and stir until the coconut is fully incorporated. The mixture should be very thick. When you scoop it, the scoop you release should hold its form, though it will not stick together like dough. See photos for reference.
  • Use a 1.5 tbsp cookie scoop to scoop out the mixture. Release the scoops onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 1.5 inches apart. Use the back of a metal spoon to flatten, compact, and shape each scoop into a round disk that is about 1/4 inch thick (can be slightly thicker but you don't want it thinner than 1/4 inch). The cookies will not spread during baking so you want to shape the cookies to how you want the final outcome to be. If the coconut is sticking to the back of the spoon during shaping, you can clean the spoon or lightly wet it to prevent the coconut from sticking.
  • Bake the cookies for about 20-25 minutes or until they are light golden brown on the surface. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet (about 2 hours). Do not attempt to remove them until they are fully set or they will fall apart. Once fully cooled and set, the cookies should peel off the parchment paper easily. The cookies are a little delicate but you should be able to hold and eat them like a cookie. Store any uneaten cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days.

Notes

  • Coconut note: Make sure to use very finely unsweetened shredded coconut. If the shreds are too thick, they will not bind well. I used Bob's unsweetened coconut.*
  • I used Amazon Grocery applesauce.*
  • *These product links are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
  • These are meant to be simple, healthy coconut cookies. They will not have the same taste or texture as traditional coconut cookies made with flour, butter, etc. The cookies are only lightly sweet. You can add more honey or drizzle some melted chocolate on top for more sweetness.
  • The cookies will be a little more delicate if you use 1 tbsp of honey instead of 2.
Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 68kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Sodium: 2mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, NET CARBS: 3
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
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