Coconut Cookies with Icing

Coconut is one of those things that you either like it or you don’t. I really like coconut; my husband likes it too although it makes him cough sometimes. My husband sent me this recipe and it looked so good. I have made other coconut cookies, but nothing that was completely unadulterated coconut like these! Toasted coconut in the dough and around the cookie and coconut extract makes for a fabulous cookie.

This recipe has you toast the coconut on the stove and then use it in the dough and in the finishing of the cookie. I don’t usually toast coconut on the stove, I typically cheat and toast it in the microwave. But with the microwave you have to be very careful because half of the coconut will burn and the other half will remain untoasted. On top of the stove worked quite well, you just can’t walk away for too long. I ended up needed a little extra coconut so some of the cookies were rolled in untoasted coconut. That worked too; in fact you could see the coconut better when you use untoasted coconut.

These cookies have such a wonderful, so you don’t want to skimp and skip the coconut extract. For some reason, I have two bottles of coconut extract in my cupboard. The original recipe called for store bought icing that you thin, but I just used a simple powdered sugar icing to top these cookies. These cookies are chewy, with a bit of crunch from the toasted coconut. The icing adds a note of sweetness to finish. These are great cookies, and if you like coconut, these are for you!

Coconut Cookies with Icing

2 cups shredded coconut

1 cup butter, room temperature, divided

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coconut extract

1 cup powdered sugar

¾ teaspoon vanilla

1-2 tablespoons milk

In a large skillet, melt one tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add the coconut and sauté until golden and toasted. Be careful not to burn the coconut. Divide the coconut into two parts.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt and set aside. In a large mixer bowl, cream the remaining butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, vanilla and coconut extract. Gradually blend in the flour mixture and then stir in half of the toasted coconut.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and freeze for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats.

Shape tablespoonfuls of dough into balls and roll in the remaining coconut. Place the cookies about 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating the baking sheet half way through the baking time, until the cookies are lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

Make the icing: mix the powdered sugar, vanilla and milk until it is the right consistency to drizzle. Drizzle over the cooled cookies.

Recipe from Fun and Food Blog