Coconut Cookies with Peach & Pineapple (Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Recipe)

lifeofandra

Nov 13, 2020

2 min read

Updated: Sep 1

Gluten-Free Coconut Cookies with Peach and Pineapple

These tropical coconut cookies are naturally gluten-free, quick to prepare, and packed with sweet fruit fillings. Using a simple desiccated coconut base, this recipe lets you create a split batch of peach-filled and pineapple-filled cookies in just 30 minutes.

Recipe Overview

Prep time: 10 minutes
Bake time: 18–20 minutes
Total yield: 20 cookies (10 peach, 10 pineapple)
Dietary: Gluten-free, dairy-free

Ingredients:

Coconut Cookie Base
- 150g desiccated coconut
- 2 large free-range eggs
- 100g caster sugar
- 1/2 cup gluten-free plain flour
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract (or vanilla essence)
Fruit Fillings
- 40g fresh or tinned peaches, drained well and cut into 10 pieces (approx. 1 cm each)
- 40g fresh or tinned pineapple chunks, drained well and cut into 10 pieces (approx. 1 cm each)

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Preparation

Preheat your oven to 180°C / Gas Mark 4 and line a large baking tray with baking parchment. Ensure your fruit pieces are patted dry with a kitchen towel to remove excess syrup or moisture.

2. Mix the Coconut Dough

In a large bowl, combine the desiccated coconut, eggs, caster sugar, gluten-free flour, and vanilla essence. Mix thoroughly until the dough forms a uniform, sticky consistency.

3. Portion and Stuff the Cookies

Divide the mixture evenly into 20 small portions (or split the dough in half, making 10 balls per half).
Take one portion into the palm of your hand, place a piece of peach or pineapple in the centre, and wrap the coconut mixture around it until fully enclosed.
Place each cookie onto the lined baking tray, spacing them 2–3 cm apart.
Gently flatten each cookie slightly with your fingers so they form discs rather than spheres.

4. Bake and Cool

Bake for 18–20 minutes until the edges and tops are golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow them to set on the tray for at least 5–10 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.

Recipe Variations & Tips

Customising the Fruit Fillings

All-Peach Batch: Replace the pineapple with an additional 40g of peaches (20 peach pieces total).
All-Pineapple Batch: Replace the peach with an additional 40g of pineapple (20 pineapple pieces total).
Combo Cookies: To put both fruits into every cookie, dice 20 tiny pieces of peach and 20 tiny pieces of pineapple, enclosing one of each in every dough ball.

Storage Instructions

Room Temperature: Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days.
Keeping Them Soft: Keep the container tightly sealed to prevent the coconut from drying out.