Crispy Coconut Cookies

Buttery and crispy coconut cookies. These cookies are adapted from Alice Medrich’s recipe for coconut sticks, which I love and have made for years. After playing with the recipe, I’ve found that adding more butter and rolling out the dough, rather than slicing it, makes for a dough thats easier to work and a delicious, buttery cookie with a satisfying snap. I also love these cookies for gifting or traveling, because they use simple ingredients and stay delicious for days. Makes approximately 30-40 cookies.

Ingredients:

• 105 grams unsalted butter, cubed and softened
• 110 grams granulated white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 160 grams all-purpose flour
• 80 grams unsweetened dessicated coconut
• 2 tablespoons (about 30 grams) water

Instructions:

1. Place the coconut, salt, sugar, and flour in a large bowl. Whisk to combine.
2. Add the cubed butter and work it into the dry ingredients with your fingers until fully incorporated. You should have a sandy mixture with no visible chunks of butter.
3. Add the water and mix until a dough forms. It will be slightly dry, but should hold when squeezed together.
4. Place the dough onto a sheet of parchment paper and cover with another sheet. Roll the dough out into a large even rectangle about 2-3 millimeters thick. You can divide the dough into two parts and roll out each half separately,
5. Chill the rolled out dough for at least one hour and up to two days.
6. When you’re ready to bake, heat your oven to 165 Celsius (330 Fahrenheit).
7. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
8. Use a sharp knife to cut the rolled out cookie dough into your desired shape. Its best to cut this dough with a decisive up and down motion, not sawing or dragging your knife through.
9. If the dough softens and gets difficult to work with, cover it and return to the fridge to firm up.
10. Carefully transfer each cookie to your lined baking sheet with a bit of space between the cookies (they don’t spread, but need a bit of room to bake properly).
11. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly golden. Watch these cookies closely, because they’re thin and can go from baked to burnt quickly.
12. Let cool completely.
13. Enjoy! These cookies can be stored in an airtight container for a week, or frozen for longer storage.

adapted from chewy gooey crispy crunchy by Alice Medrich

• Coconut types: Dessicated coconut is finer than shredded coconut or coconut flakes, and makes for a dough thats easier to cut. However, you can also use unsweetened shredded coconut instead, as long as it is relatively fine. Coconut flakes or chips are too big and won’t work here.
• Slice and bake: These cookies can also be made as slice and bake cookies: After forming the dough, roll it into a log or rectangle, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to two days. When you’re ready to bake use a sharp knife to slice the log into thin cookies and bake as directed.
  • I prefer to roll out this cookie dough, as these cookies are a bit tricky to slice into even thickness.
• Food Processor Method: This cookie can also be made in the food processor using cold butter.
  • Place all of the ingredients except for the butter and water in a food processor fitted with a blade. Pulse a few times to combine.
  • Add the butter (cut into small chunks), and process in short pulses until all of the butter has broken down into the flour, and the mixture is sandy.
  • Add the water and pulse a few times to incorporate the water.
  • Follow the rest of the recipe, shaping and baking the cookies as usual.