Gluten Free Cherry Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

Sweetened with low glycemic coconut palm sugar, these Gluten Free Cherry Coconut Oatmeal Cookies are a healthier option for cookie lovers!

Just because we follow a gluten-free diet shouldn't mean that we're denied cookies! These slightly chewy cherry coconut oatmeal cookies will satisfy all your cookie cravings. Made with rolled oats (use certified gluten-free if necessary), coconut palm sugar, dried cherries and shredded coconut, these cookies deliver!

Denis and I consider ourselves the luckiest grandparents in the world. All four of our grandchildren live close to us and we see them regularly. While we may be helping out their parents by having the kids come and visit for the day, we're the ones who truly benefit.

We get to play all the games we enjoyed with their parents when they were young without the stress of running a busy household. We hike along trails in parks, play on playgrounds, look for special rocks and shells on beaches, read their favourite stories, and sometimes take them shopping for things they love.

But a simple activity that they all have loved over the years is baking cookies. Measuring, pouring, stirring and sneaking chocolate chips is just as much fun, if not more, than building a fort with the couch cushions or creating a Lego village. Our youngest granddaughter loves to drag a little step stool across the kitchen floor and belly up to the kitchen island to help me.

Last week we created these gluten-free Cherry Coconut Oatmeal Cookies. She ate her share as well as the ones I had packed for her to take to her brother. This is a "two thumbs up" recipe in her view.

Helpful Tips to Make these Gluten-Free Cherry Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

• I adapted this cookie recipe from my Gluten-Free Apple Raisin Oatmeal Cookie recipe. I made the cookies smaller and changed the flavourings, adding dried cherries and coconut instead of apple chunks and raisins. They're delicious with dried cranberries too.
• This recipe uses both oat flour and rolled oats. You can easily make oat flour by grinding oats in a blender. Be sure to measure the 1/ ¼ cups of oat flour after they're ground.

Try these Cranberry Pecan White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies and these Gluten-Free Chai Spiced Snickerdoodles, too!

Here's yet another benefit of grandparenting for Denis and I. Grandparents who care for their grandchildren on an occasional basis live an average of 5 years longer than those who don't.  It's a win-win for everyone.

Gluten Free Cherry Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

Gluten Free Cherry Coconut Oatmeal Cookies. Sweetened with low glycemic coconut palm sugar, these are a healthy option for cookie lovers! 

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Course: Bars and Cookies

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 24 2 inch cookies

Calories: 112kcal

Author: Elaine

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Ingredients

• ▢ ½ cup butter
• ▢ ¾ cup coconut palm sugar or brown sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla OR almond extract
• ▢ 1 large egg at room temperature
• ▢ 1 ¼ cups oat flour, certified gluten-free, if necessary**
• ▢ 1 ½ cups rolled oats, certified gluten-free, if necessary
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ½ cup dried cherries, chopped
• ▢ ¼ cup shredded coconut

Instructions

• Heat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Cream butter and sugar together with an electric mixture until fluffy. Add vanilla and egg and beat until smooth.
• In a separate bowl, combine oat flour, oats, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and coconut.
• And to creamed mixture and beat just until combined. Stir in chopped dried cherries.
• Drop by tablespoonfuls on to parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Flatten slightly. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Let sit on baking sheet for 3-4 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. 

Notes

**Measure the oat flour after you grind the oats, not before.

Like chocolate chip cookies? Just substitute chocolate chips for the dried cherries in this recipe. 

Nutrition

Calories: 112kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 126mg | Potassium: 48mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 220IU | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 0.6mg

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