Gluten Free Lemon Coconut Donuts

Hellooooo.

It's me.

I've been wondering when I'd have time to type up something..

If you didn't already know based on my lunatic-like ramblings on social media than earlier this year I decided to 'open' The Perfect Bite Bake Shoppe which has taken time away from my poor little blog. On top of working full time it's just been a weensy teensy tiny bit stressful.

And I am still weightlifting/crossfitting and most of the time my arms feel like they're going to fall off then I have to go pipe frosting on cakes and cookies. I feel a lot like Alice falling down the rabbit hole. 

Yes that seems about right. This week involved my first ticket, crying on the highway, dropping my phone in BCAAS. My work laptop breaking. Dropping an entire bottle of acetone in my room. Having a test for asthma which triggered an attack...OH and almost getting run over.

Honestly I am having a great time.

Rabbit hole... donut hole...


AH YES!


The reason I am here, today, typing to you. Would be donuts, obvously.


If you didn't know this and I have shocked you than I apologize my friend. I am sorry and I know you do-nut want me to do this ever again.

The kind folks at Mary Macleod's  sent me some goodies to try and I kept racking my brain trying to figure out how I was going to use them.

First of all, the tiny shortbread cookies are INSANELY DELICIOUS! It's the most perfect shortbread I have ever had. And they are so tiny -- so...how could you possibly feel bad about delicate tiny cookies with chocolate chunks in them? I often get questions about my pricing and get defensive because I put a lot of time and effort into what I make. You can taste when something is made with love, I swear! These cookies are some QUALITY cookies. And I'm not much of a dessert person lately (shocking, I know!) because I am around it all the time. But I wanted to eat all of these :(


I think they would look adorable on top of cupcakes -- but to be honest I don't think they will last long around here now that they've been opened. Sigh.


I used to butterscotch shortbread crumbs on the donuts -- and if you do the cream cheese variation of the glaze you're basically having a coconut lemon cheesecake donut. And ...it's bomb.

The crumbs are finely crushed but occasionally you get a little chunk and...well let's just say I live for those moments.

You can also use these as a base for a cheesecake or as a crumble topping OR YOU CAN EAT THEM WITH A SPOON BECAUSE OMG THEY ARE AMAZING. So buttery and sweet and...ugh. I just can't talk about it right now. I am too fragile. 

Now understandably because they aren't gluten free, if you have celiac or a severe intolerance you should buy gluten free cookies and use those instead! Crumbling them in the food processor is super easy and you can keep the remainders in an airtight container for cheesecake crusts or dessert toppings, too!

But if you AREN'T and are just a quasi gluten-consumer like me then....oh boy. These are unreal. I feel so thankful that I was allowed to try these and I will definitely keep my eyes open for more of their products because my family loved the cookies so much!

Alas. Enough with the jibber jabber and onto the recipe!

World's Healthiest Shortbread Cookies

Sometimes when I make cookies the aroma seems to fill the entire house with warmth. Of course this is universal with cookies, unless your cookies light on fire.

But with these cookies it was special. It was a scent I associate specifically with the winter and holidays. Time with family. Or with Netflix. Or both!

Healthy shortbread cookies of course seem a bit of a contradiction don't they? Shortbread has three main and crucial ingredients: butter, sugar and flour.


C'est tout! The holy trinity of delicious baked goods.

So how would one approach such a delicate situation without the use of the aforementioned crucial ingredients? With tissues (for the inevitable failures and tears which accompany them) a whisk, a spatula, a rolling pin...oh and chocolate.

Chocolate for the recipe and afterwards for rewarding my many attempts.


I have tested both versions of this recipe and both are absolutely LOVELY!

The flavours of butter and sugar, crumbly sweet cookie and a wonderful dark chocolate coating creating a cookie that tastes EXACTLY (and I mean everyone who tried these said this) like those tins of specialty cookies you get around the holidays. Do you know the ones?? What are they called?!! They came in like a royal blue tin and the cookies were all placed in muffin liner looking things...They remind me so much of my grandparents house during the holidays. I always went for the pretzel looking ones!

Anyways, these cookies are beautiful. Delicate and full of flavour. Really a wonderful gift to give this time of year all sitting nicely in a decorative tin, perhaps?

It's always nice to give edible gifts, I think. The crackled tops and uneven fork holes make these especially charming. Although to avoid the crackles tops simply roll the dough out onto parchment as opposed to a floured surface!

I think they look beautiful plain. Personally I find the chocolate really does something magical to the flavour and the pinch of cinnamon in the dough. But hey -- that's just me!

Without further ado I present to you, the World's Healthiest Shortbread Cookies!