These healthy coconut oatmeal cookies are thin and crispy. They are just 4 ingredients and don’t require any flour, eggs, refined sugar, butter or oil. The cookies store well and can be enjoyed for breakfast, snack or dessert.
A stack of Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

My family loves eating crispy cookies. I love the addition of coconut to the oatmeal which adds more flavor and texture. These cookies are so easy to whip up.

Ingredients

  • Quick Oats
  • Peanut butter or almond butter
  • Unsweetened shredded coconut
  • Maple syrup

Quick oats: These cookies are made with quick oats, which are rolled oats that are processed into smaller and thinner pieces. Quick oats are not the same as instant oats. The quick oats are pulsed in a food processor until they become even small pieces, which will help the cookies crisp up better.

Peanut butter: Make sure to use natural peanut butter or almond butter with no added oils. The only ingredients should be peanuts and salt. The cookies will not crisp up if you use peanut butter or almond butter with added oils.

Unsweetened shredded coconut: I recommend using finely shredded unsweetened coconut. If your coconut shreds are not very fine, you can pulse them in the food processor along with your quick oats until they become finer.

Maple syrup: The cookies are lightly sweetened with maple syrup. Maple syrup also helps the cookies crisp up. I don’t recommend using honey. The cookies don’t crisp up as much using honey.

How to Make Crispy Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

  • The quick oats are first pulsed in a food processor until they resemble a consistency that is partial flour and partial coarse crumbs. This finer consistency will help the cookies crisp up better. I pulsed mine for about 30 seconds.Oats pulsed in a food processor
  • The oats are then poured into a large mixing bowl and combined with the shredded coconut. Then the peanut butter and maple syrup are mixed in until a thick dough forms.
  • Use a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop out the cookie dough. Roll between your palms to form a smooth round ball. Place the cookie balls onto your prepared baking sheet and flatten the cookies until they are between 1/8 to 3/16 inch thick.
  • Bake cookies for about 12 minutes or until lightly browned along the edges and surface. Allow cookies to fully cool before removing them.

Coconut Oatmeal Cookies topped with shredded coconut

Cookie Texture

These cookies have a thin and delicate crispy texture. They are not meant to be super firm crunchy cookies. The cookies are also only lightly sweet, similar to biscuit type cookies.
Thin and delicate Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

Expert Tips

  • Make sure to use peanut butter or almond butter with no added oils. The cookies will not crisp up the same if you use peanut butter or almond butter with added oils.
  • If you prefer bigger cookies, you can use a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop.
  • You can add 1-2 more tablespoons of maple syrup if you prefer a sweeter cookie.

Cookies topped with shredded coconut

More Crispy Cookie Recipes

5 from 2 votes

4 Ingredient Healthy Crispy Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

These crispy coconut oatmeal cookies are made with just 4 ingredients and don't require any flour, eggs, refined sugar, butter or oil. The cookies are easy to make and store well.
Servings: 12 cookies
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (50 g) quick oats
  • 1/4 cup (20 g) unsweetened finely shredded coconut
  • 6 tbsp (96 g) natural peanut butter (no added oils), or natural almond butter
  • 3 tbsp (1.5 fl oz/44 ml) pure maple syrup

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
  • Add quick oats to a food processor. Pulse oats until they become very small and fine and start to partially become flour consistency. See photo in post for reference. I pulsed mine on high for about 25-30 seconds. You should hear a change in the sound of the oats when they are almost ready. It will change from a lot of clanging to becoming much more quiet.
  • Transfer the oats to a large mixing bowl. Stir in shredded coconut. (Note: If you are using shredded coconut that is not finely shredded, I also recommend you add them in with the oats and pulse together so that the coconut becomes finely shredded. The shredded coconut you see in the photos on top of some of the cookies is how fine you want the coconut to be.)
  • Add in the peanut butter and maple syrup (making sure to scrape the sides of your maple syrup measuring spoon/cup to get all of the syrup to release into the mixing bowl) and stir until a thick dough forms
  • Using a 1 tbsp cookie scoop, scoop dough onto the prepared cookie sheet, spacing the dough balls about 2 inches apart. Roll each dough between your palms and then flatten the dough balls into thin round disks. You want the cookies to be fairly thin, about 1/8 inch thick and no more than 3/16 inch thick. The thinner the cookies are, the crispier they will be. The cookies do not spread much during baking, so shape them as you want the final outcome to be. I usually flatten the cookies with my palm a few times and then smooth, flatten more, and shape the edges with the back of a metal spoon to make the cookies round.
  • Bake cookies for 12-13 minutes or until the edges and surface are lightly browned. Baking time can vary depending on how thin your cookies are and your baking equipment so I do recommend to start checking a few minutes earlier than the suggested bake time. Let cookies cool completely on the baking sheet before removing them. They will crisp up further as they cool. Once cooled, they should easily come off the parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Store uneaten cookies in an airtight container for 1-2 days at room temperature and longer in the fridge or freezer.

Notes

  • These are meant to be healthier cookies so they are only lightly sweetened. The texture is similar to a delicate biscuit cookie with a thin and lightly crispy texture. If you prefer sweeter cookies you can add another 1-2 tbsp of syrup. Adding too much will prevent the cookies from crisping up.
  • Make sure your natural peanut butter or almond butter has no added oils. Some brands label their peanut butter/almond butter as natural but still contain added oils. The only ingredients should be peanuts/almonds and salt
  • I used Happy Belly Quick Oats*, Kirkland Organic Peanut Butter (Amazon | Costco)*, Whole Foods 365 Coconut Shreds*, and Maple Grove Farms pure maple syrup (Amazon | Walmart)* to make these cookies.
  • *These product links are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 84kcal, Carbohydrates: 8g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 17mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g, NET CARBS: 7
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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