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Coconut Sunflower Seed Cookies

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Sweet coconut, chewy oats, and salty toasted sunflower seeds pair in these delightful and delicious Coconut Sunflower Seed Cookies!

sunflower seed cookies recipe coconut rolled oats Kansas

Sunflowers are such happy flowers and it’s hard not to feel cheered up just by looking at them.ย  I’ve always wanted to visit a huge field of sunflowers, but on the rare occasions I’ve been in an area that grows them en masse they weren’t in season.ย  So until then I’ll have to content myself with enjoying sunflowers in my vases, artwork, and by eating these yummy Coconut Sunflower Cookies!

A Brief History of the Sunflower

Sunflowers are native to North America and have a long history where they were one of the first crops to be grown.ย  Some sources say they were domesticated even before corn and that American Indians used sunflowers for food as long as 3,000 years ago.

Though native to North America, it was actually Russia, under Peter the Great, who bred and cultivated the sunflower into the plant we know today. ย In the 18th century, sunflower seeds were transported from the New World to the Old World. ย Peter the Great became fascinated by them and Russia began growing them en masse – two million acres of them a year! ย By 1830 the sunflower made its way back to the Americas. ย But it wasn’t until 1926, when the Missouri Sunflower Growers Association started producing oil from the plants, that the sunflower really took off and it has been an appreciated resource ever since.

Sunflower heads consist of 1,000 to 2,000 individual flowers joined together by a receptacle base.ย  The Native Sunflower grows to 15 feet tall with flower heads up to 2 feet in diameter, and can produce over 1,000 seeds from one plant!ย  Sunflower seeds are rich in protein and yield a high-quality cooking oil.

sunflowerยฉ Ivan Feoktistov | Dreamstime

Sunflowers are such happy, stunning flowers, don’t you think? ย Kansas did well when it designated the sunflower as it’s official State flower. ย Sunflowers cover the state each summer. ย So much so that historically they were regarded as an infectious weed and lawmakers had actually attempted at one point to get rid of the “noxious weed.” ย But one year in the late 1800’s a Kansas state lawmaker attended an out-of-state rodeo and he noticed something that would forever change Kansas’ perception of the flower. ย His fellow Kansans were wearing sunflowers as a way of identifying to others their state of origin. ย And so this lawmaker went back home to Kansas and filed the legislation that would make the sunflower the state’s official floral emblem in 1903. ย Today the noble sunflower stands as a symbol of pride. ย And what a beautiful symbol is it!

Sunflower seed cookies are a traditional treat in Kansas where they’re often made using a combination of sunflower seeds, rolled oats, and shredded coconut.ย  They’re delicious bites of happiness and this Coconut Sunflower Seed Cookie recipe is my tribute to the Sunflower State of Kansas!

sunflower seed cookies recipe coconut rolled oats Kansas

Coconut Sunflower Seed Cookie Recipe

Let’s get started!

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugars with an electric mixer until fluffy and pale in color, about 4-5 minutes.

beating butter and sugar in mixing bowl

Add the coconut oil, eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.

beating butter and sugar and eggs in mixing bowl

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and baking powder.

Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and beat just until combined.

beating flour into wet mixture

Stir in the oats, shredded coconut, sunflower seeds.

adding oats sunflower seeds and coconut in mixing bowl

Drop the cookie batter by the spoonful onto a prepared cookie sheet.

In an oven preheated to 350 degrees F, bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are beginning to turn golden.

baking cookies on cookie sheet

sunflower seed cookies recipe coconut rolled oats Kansas

 

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sunflower seed cookies recipe coconut rolled oats Kansas

Coconut Sunflower Seed Cookies

Sweet coconut, chewy oats, and salty sunflower seeds pair in these delightfully delicious cookies!
5 from 11 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 48 cookies
Calories 168 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter , room temperature
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil , room temperature
  • 1 cup brown sugar , packed
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs , room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
  • 1 cup roasted and salted sunflower seed kernels

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugars with an electric mixer until fluffy and pale in color, about 4-5 minutes. Add the coconut oil, eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.
    In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and beat just until combined. Stir in the oats, shredded coconut, and sunflower seeds.
    Drop the cookie batter by the spoonful onto a prepared cookie sheet.
    Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are beginning to turn golden. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let cool.

Notes

Sunflower seeds can go stale fairly quickly so be sure to use ones that are fresh.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookieCalories: 168kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 2gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 56mgPotassium: 81mgFiber: 1gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 92IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 16mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Coconut Sunflower Seed Cookies, Sunflower Seed Cookies
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Originally published on The Daring Gourmet August 5, 2013

kimberly killebrew the daring gourmet

Hi, Iโ€™m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!

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Recipe Rating




5 from 11 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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