We're on a coconut kick this month at Sugarworks! We don't know if it's the warm, sunny weather putting us in a tropical mindset, or if it's just how great the kitchen smells when coconut is cooking, but we can't get enough lately.

Today, we're packing all the coconut we can into these Gluten-Free "Mochonut" Cookies! Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tbsp instant coffee
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 1 tbsp ground chia seeds
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 4 oz melted chocolate
• 1 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut

First, let's do a little prep work. Mix your ground chia seeds in the 3 tablespoons of water, and let this sit for at least 5 minutes.

Did you ever have a Chia Pet? Do you remember soaking the chia seeds to get them gooey enough to stick to your "pet"? That's essentially what we're doing here. Without the binding element of wheat gluten, our coconut flour tends to make a pretty crumbly cookie. We're going to need the "goo" of the chia seeds to help keep them together. Using ground seeds instead of whole ones will yield a thicker goo. I let mine sit for 10 minutes for optimal goo-ing.

Preheat your oven to 375° fahrenheit. 

Now, cream the coconut oil, sugar, and instant coffee together. Stir in the coconut milk, chia seed goo, and vanilla extract. Then add the melted chocolate and mix well.

I used 63% dark chocolate for this recipe. Unsweetened baking chocolate works fine as well. Let your preference for sweetness and bitterness determine the cocoa content of your chocolate. Just remember- there's already sugar in the cookies, so don't go too sweet with your chocolate.

Next, stir in the remaining dry ingredients: salt, soda, powder, and coconut flour. Mix well, making sure the coconut flour gets thoroughly blended into the dough.

Shape the dough into 1 1/2" balls and roll in the shredded coconut for a coating. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

Few things make your kitchen smell as wonderful as the mingling aromas of warm chocolate and baking coconut. That alone is reason enough to give these delicious treats a try!

But if you need more convincing, there's also the many health benefits of incorporating coconut oil into your regular diet. Coconut oil is high in "good fats"- the ones that help your body increase its levels of healthy cholesterol and convert unhealthy cholesterol (LDL) into the good kind (HDL). The fatty acids in coconut oil have anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties, helping your body fight bacteria and infection. Coconut oil has also been linked to increased levels of energy and endurance.

We won't go so far as to call cookies a health food, but substituting coconut for your ordinary ingredients might be one way to get some of those beneficial components into your diet. One delicious, decadent, indulgent way.