(Gluten Free) Coconut Zebra -Striped Cookies

What started out as an attempt to modify a macaroon, turned into a delicious, crunchy coconut almond cookie. These cookies are very light, a little dry, and as crunchy as you want - Just dehydrate them longer. Want them chewy? Pop cookies  in freezer and don't dehydrate at all, or dehydrate for a couple of hours to set the chocolate stripes. Change up the extracts and you can prepare these in almost any variety. Fabulous from bowl to plate or dehydrator to dish. You decide!


Cookie Ingredients

Dry Ingredients
3 cups unsweetened coconut, shredded
1 1/2 cups almond flour
2-3 Tablespoons  sesame seeds, ground into a powder (or use tahini butter)
1 teaspoon lucuma powder (opt)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

For Chocolate Cookies
2 Tablespoons cacao powder or more to half batter for chocolate cookies
2 Tablespoons cacao nibs, coarsely ground (optional) for chocolate cookies

Note - Depending upon how finely ground your dried coconut is, will determine consistency of your cookie. When I use finely ground (almost like flour), the cookie came out very fine and dry (which I like). When I used a coarser ground (mixed with finer), I got more of a coconutty flavor, like a firm macaroon - so the ingredients you use will determine the consistency of the cookie. You could even try using coconut flour instead of dried coconut, for a really fine textured cookie. Enjoy!

Wet Ingredients
1/4 cup filtered water
6 Tablespoons dark maple syrup (or your fav sweetener)
1 Tablespoon  coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup coconut cream/butter, melted (or add 2T more coconut oil)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract  (or 4 drops Medicine Flower Vanilla)
3 drops Medicine Flower Almond extract (or 1 teaspoon liquid almond extract)
Options - 3 drops Medicine Flower Caramel Extract,  or hazelnut, coffee, butterscotch, etc. Almost any flavor would work. Get creative.

Chocolate Zebra Stripe Syrup 
2 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted
2 Tablespoons cacao paste(liquor), chopped and melted (or vegan chocolate chips)
2 Tablespoons cacao powder
3 Tablespoons dark amber maple syrup (or your favorite sweetener)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (2 drops Medicine Flower Vanilla Extract)
3 drops Medicine Flower Caramel Extract (optional)
1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Directions for Cookies
In a large mixing bowl add all Dry Ingredients, except cacao powder and cacao nibs.

Melt coconut oil and butter in a metal  bowl placed over bowl filled with hot water.

Add Wet Ingredients to Dry Ingredients and mix well with wooden spoon and/or hands.

Taste for sweetness and adjust as desired.


Chocolate Cookies
Divide cookie batter in 2.

Add cacao powder and nibs to one of these and mix well.

Form 1-2" round balls in hand, or press dough into silicone cookie molds.

Place formed cookies on cookie tray in freezer for 15 - 30 minutes and prepare Chocolate Zebra Stripe Syrup..

Directions for Chocolate Zebra Stripe Syrup 
In a stainless steel bowl, placed over a smaller bowl of hot water, melt coconut oil and shaved cacao paste.

NOTE - You can replace cacao paste with cacao butter, but will need to add 1-2 Tablespoons of cacao powder to mix.

Add remaining ingredients. When chocolate melted, remove from heat and continue to stir  until mixture begins to thicken.

Garnish
Remove cookies from freezer and drizzle Chocolate mixture over cookies. Place syrup in a plastic bag and cut a very small hole in corner or use a very small decorating tip or bottle with a small nozzle tip. Decorate as desired.

Place cookies on mesh dehydrator tray and dehydrate at 110 degrees F for 8-10 hours. (Longer if you want crunchier cookies). Instead of dehydrating, you may eat as is, or store in freezer, and serve as frozen cookie treats. Dehydrating creates a baked-like cookie. You may also bake on low temp oven, but will have to monitor texture to determine when done.

Store in airtight container for up to 3 weeks, or freeze to extend shelf life.

*Bonus - Mention "Rawfully Tempting" in Shipping Comments and Medicine Flower will send you a Special Bonus Sample with any order.