Want to print this recipe? Click Here 👇🏼😍
These delicious bites are based on the Minimalist Baker’s Vegan Coconut “Snowball” Cookies. They take almost no time to make and are naturally sweetened with maple syrup. Not only are they a healthy treat, they are gluten free, dairy free, and have no sugar added other than the maple syrup (see notes and references list below for more details on using syrup as a sugar substitute). Great for a holiday cookie box and for friends with allergies, these cookies are practically perfect in every way!
Want to print this recipe? Click Here 👇🏼😍
Coconut “Snowballs”
Gluten-free | Dairy-free | No Sugar Added
Based on an original by The Minimalist Baker
Ingredients
3 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
1 ½ Tbsp coconut oil
3 Tbsp maple syrup
1 egg
Pinch of sea salt
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp arrowroot starch
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Add coconut flakes to a food processor. Blend for 1 minute or until the coconut flakes begin to clump. It should form a sort of dough.
Add to the blender coconut oil, syrup, salt, and vanilla. Mix for 20 seconds to combine.
Add into the dough mixture the arrowroot starch. Pulse multiple times to combine, until a wet dough forms.
Using a cookie scoop, transfer the dough to a lined baking sheet. The dough will not need much room, but be sure to leave a bit of space between each cookie. It’s important not to handle the dough more than you have to (just using the scoop to transfer the dough to the sheet would be most ideal).
Bake for 13-15 minutes. The tops of the cookies should be lightly golden and the bottoms should appear slightly golden brown (avoid burning the undersides).
Allow the cookies to cool for at least 10 minutes before transferring, or move to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Enjoy these cookies at room temperature within 4-5 days. Store covered.
Notes:
Maple Syrup
Maple syrup acts as a sugar substitute in this recipe. To learn more about the nutrient benefits of using naturally sweetened foods in place of added sugars, read the article “Sugar,Sugar, or Honey, Honey (The Truth about Sugar Substitutes)” found at https://www.anniweeks.com/post/sugar-sugar-or-honey-honey .
Is Syrup better than Sugar?
The bottom line is that syrup is still sugar so on its own it is not a “healthy choice” per say. However, used in place of added sugars or paired with whole grains, it can be beneficial in regulating blood sugar swings when compared to other sweeteners.
References
Kirkpatrick K. Is Maple Syrup Better than Sugar. Cleveland Clinic. 2017. Accessed at https://health.clevelandclinic.org/is-maple-syrup-better-for-you-than-sugar/
Lindberg S. Nutritional Facts: Pure Maple Syrup Vs. White Sugar. Livestrong. 2019. Accessed at https://www.livestrong.com/article/326813-nutritional-facts-pure-maple-syrup-vs-white-sugar/