These Lemon Coconut Cream Sandwich Cookies are chewy and sweet with the perfect amount of creamy filling and are so easy to make! They contain all real food ingredients and will impress every picky eater! Gluten free, grain free, dairy free and Paleo.
First big not-secret confession from me – I have a thing for sandwich cookies. (Really? How could you?!) Yes, really. I totally understand that they’re just two cookies with sweet, creamy, uh, cream on the inside, and, that’s precisely what I love about them.
Small, dry cookies might be good for some things (trying to think of a thing) but big cookies with cream filling just make me more excited/inspired to live my life.
Plus, I’m sure Oreo advertising brainwashed me as a kid way back when, because I can’t help but think of Oreos when I’m talking about sandwich cookies. Whoever was in charge of the Oreo brainwashing movement is genius. Those people, and of course the ones who thought of the Barbie swimming pool set. I know I wasn’t the only one who put on a swimsuit and tried to get in that little pool with the dolls in my carpeted living room. Was I?!
But alas, these are not Oreos. Or oatmeal cream pies or any other highly addictive substance posing at your friendly neighborhood store as a snack for children. That’s not to say they’re not highly addictive, because they sure are yummy, but, they are at least made with ingredients you can feel good about eating!
Because, the second not-secret confession in this post is – I’m not a kid anymore (bahaaaha!) and, I actually don’t even like the way those old sandwich cookies taste. Big disappointment actually. Plus, you can make baked goods and other treats that taste incredibly rich and indulgent with ingredients that are as clean and wholesome as the pilot episode of Full House.
Still with me? Or did I lose you to the actual recipe already? Trust me, I understand – I was the one fighting with my kids a couple of weeks ago over who got to eat the last one. Obviously they won (and split it) but at least I got to have a couple of them during/after doing the photos.
Plus I’m not stupid and of course made extra lemon coconut cream filling to eat with a spoon straight from the bowl. I recommend you do the same, but no pressure 😉
The base of the cookies is similar to my other sandwich cookies (almond butter chocolate and caramel chocolate) – simple chewy almond flour cookies that come together in minutes. The lemon coconut cream is whipped up quickly, and the final Lemon Coconut Cream Sandwich Cookies come together in under an hour, including cooling time.
What are you waiting for? Do I have to give the “go” signal? Let’s get started!
Lemon Coconut Cream Sandwich Cookies {Paleo, Grain Free, Dairy Free}
Lemon Coconut Cream Sandwich Cookies {Paleo}
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 1 egg
- 3/4 cup creamy cashew butter
- 1/4 cup raw honey
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- zest of one lemon, grated
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp pure lemon extract optional
- 1 cup blanched almond flour
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt
For the Cream Filling
- 1 tbsp coconut oil or ghee solid but soft
- 2 tbsp raw honey
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup + 3 Tbsp cold coconut cream*
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper
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In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, cashew butter, honey, lemon juice, zest, and extracts until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine the coconut and almond flour with the baking soda and salt.
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Slowly stir the dry ingredients into the wet until fully combined and a thick cookie dough forms.
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Form the cookie dough into 20 balls and flatten each one to about 1/4-1/2 inch thickness on the parchment lined cookies sheets.
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Bake the cookies for 7-9 minutes in the preheated oven until they're just beginning to brown, and allow to cool for 2 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
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Once cookies are cool enough to handle, chill them in the refrigerator or freezer for a bit before filling.
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While the cookies are baking or cooling, make the filling:
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With an electric mixer, beat together the coconut oil and honey, until smooth, then the lemon and vanilla. Beat in the coconut cream until a thick cream forms, then cover and put in the freezer for about 10 minutes before filling the cookies.
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To fill cookies, make sure the cream and cookies are chilled, then scoop filling on the bottom of one cookie and cover with another. This recipe makes a total of 10 cookies. Store cookies covered in the refrigerator and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
*If you don't have canned coconut cream, refrigerate a can of full fat coconut milk so that the water and cream separate, then just use the cold cream and discard the water or save for another use.
What was your favorite cookie as a kid? Were you Oreo brainwashed like I was?
One other food/toy that good advertising made a fool of you with?
I did like oreos – I used to eat stack by stack in a mug covered in milk. I liked them mashed up with a spoon 🙂 I also loved E.L. Fudge chocolate sandwich cookies oh and the little chocolate bakery sandwich cookies! yum!
Oh man forgot about the chocolate fudge cookies, definitely way up there, maybe I can recreate lol!
I was more into chocolate chips cookies than oreos- I remember loving those soft batch chips ahoy and warming those up in the microwave! Scary to think now about what kind of ingredients are in those kinds of packaged cookies.
The soft batch chips ahoy were seriously addictive, whoa 🙂 I’ll take my Paleo cookies now but those were really memorable!
Mium! coconut and lemon…looks delicious! My favorite cookie when I was a kid was the maple leaf creme cookie… yum. Good advertising forced my parents to buy many My Little Pony toys and derived products (i.e., bed covers, shirts, etc.). I also remember that one year, the Cabbage patch dolls were so popular that the parents were fighting over them a christmastime. haha Good old times 😉
I was also obsessed with my little pony and remember getting the one with a twinkle/diamond eye and my mom reading me the “story” as to why her eye twinkled. Heavy stuff lol! Definitely good old times!
I did not descrimate against any cookie when I was a kid (nor do I really now). I am an equal opportunity cookie consumer. I can thank my brother and the Pepperidge Farm samples for that 😀
Equal opportunity for cookies is important cause, I think 😉
So good! I’ve been obsessed over coconut milk fillings lately. I really need to try a cookie sandwich. Have never done it before!
You’ll love it, definitely need to try!
I think lemon flavors just scream spring so these sound perfect, now only if we could get rid of this snow! I’d have to agree that oreos are pretty fantastic but I always hated how black they made my teeth, lol.
I hear you! The real feel for my run this morning was 12, insane! Can’t wait for actual spring and warm weather!
Gah these are like my dream cookie! I’m on team lemon everything. I pinned it because you know I’ll make it!
You’ll love them, promise! I’m all about lemon lately too 🙂
I loved these kinds of cookies solely for the cream inside. I would split Oreos, eat the vanilla cream, and give my dad the cookie halves! I cannot wait to make cookies that taste as good as what’s inside 🙂
With these cookies the cookie part is good too, lol, but totally know what you mean!
My favorite packaged cookie as a kid was the CHEWY Chips Ahoy cookies!
My mom was an Oero fiend! But she would ONLY buy the Double stuf otherwise it was not worth it!
Ooh, those were good, loved them! Double stuff Oreos are pretty insane too lol!
I used to eat oreos like they were going out of style! That cream filling just got to me haha. These are like a healthier spring version, but 1000000000000x better 🙂
I think everyone was addicted to Oreos, ha! Agree it’s fun to make way healthier versions!
I loved oreos and oatmeal cream pies! but i never turned down another cookie haha
The only cookies I turned down were plain shortbread cookies, other than that all was game 🙂
oh gosh these look so good!!! I used to love oreos after they sat out in the sun for a bit and got a little melty!! yum!
I feel like old school snacks were always better out in the sun for a bit – I’m thinking summertime 🙂
I used to have a week spot for oreos, especially mixed into ice cream! It’s been years since I’ve had one. In grad school one of my classmates’ wife would make homemade oatmeal cookie sandwiches for everyone and they were so good.
I was the BIGGEST sucker for Oreos as a kid! And also for Chips Ahoy. And those Dream Puff cookies with the marshmallows. Omg I loved those. But then again, I’ve never really run into a cookie I don’t like.Some are definitely better than others, but a cookie is still a cookie 😀
Those Chips Ahoy were pretty magical too! I agree, cookies are just plain good. Haven’t had the marshmallow one but that sounds yummy 🙂
Dang–it’s been so long since I’ve had sandwich cookies!
It’s time! They’re so good!
I have just started paleo diet and am so glad to find that options are available for practically everything.
So many options, basically anything can be recreated but there are also so many great new meals and combos to try 🙂
These look absolutely perfect! You are too clever, girl!
Jesse loves anything lemon flavoured and will always choose cookies if I ask him what to make so I’ll have to make these for him!
Cookies might just be the best 🙂 Often the easiest to make too!
YUM! I am also a huge fan of sandwich cookies. I recently made peanut butter s’more sandwich cookies and I couldn’t stop eating them.
OMG you just started a craving for me!
These sound delicious! Love lemon and coconut together!
Hope you try! Definitely a fun sandwich cookie 🙂
Do you know if these cookies can be frozen with the cream filling in them? I freeze all of my baked goods and was wondering if I should freeze them with or without the filling.
The filling will likely harden and potentially become icy so I would be safe and wait to fill them.
Thanks for the recipe. I made this, and it was delicious. However, two things I’m not sure what I did wrong:
1. The coconut frosting was very oily. Any suggestions to helping this? In your picture, it looks much more thick.
2. Although still delicious, the cookie did not taste very lemon-like. Any suggestions? Add more lemon?
If the filling was oily even after freezing, it means the coconut oil likely separate, which happens sometimes with coconut oil especially if the mixture is overworked, I’ve noticed. I sometimes can remedy this by adding in more coconut cream which sometimes rebinds it, then chilling. As for lemon flavor, you can try increasing the lemon juice in the cookies to 1 tbsp without the texture changing much. If you add more lemon to the filling, I recommend not trying more than a tbsp. For the filling, you can also try blending all ingredients with an immersion blender until just combined, then chilling immediately. Also, make sure the coconut oil isn’t too warm before mixing in.
can this recipe work with regular honey (not raw)?
Yes, it should turn out the same I think!
Just came across this recipe- looks soooo yum! I am somewhat sensitive to cashews- in your opinion, would almond butter work? Maybe 1/2 and 1/2?
Yes it would, I’ve made the same cookies using almond butter and they’re delicious 🙂
As much as I wanted to love this recipe; I couldn’t. It didn’t taste lemony at all, even when I added an extra tablespoon of lemon juice as the previous comments suggested. And be EXTREMELY careful with the filling because it is very delicate. I incorporated the coconut oil slowly and it still broke after just a few stirs. I feel like the author should have warned the readers of that issue, although perhaps she did and I missed it. But, it left it looking like ricotta cheese instead of a cream filling. I will never ever make this again.
I have a question. I’m not a cashew fan at all. Would almond butter be an acceptable substitute? If so, I’d love to present cookie this at our annual ladies tea party.
Okay, I’m officialy a stalker :p, but I made the today too haha. I’m feeling restless due to staying at home for weeks and baking gives me something relaxing to do. They are great. I did not have any issues with the filling btw. They looked pretty and taste really great. Two wins today 🙂
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These were SO SO good. Followed the recipe exactly and they turned out amazing. Everyone loved them. Now I need to make a couple dozen more.