Coconut Shortbread Cookies Recipes

COCONUT SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• To toast the coconut, preheat oven to 325°F. Spread flaked coconut into a thin layer on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes, stir, and then bake for 1 to 3 more minutes or until light golden brown. Set aside to cool completely.
• In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter until creamy. Mix in the powdered sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and almond extract and beat for 1 minute until light and smooth. With mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour, blending until just incorporated. Add the toasted (cooled) coconut and quickly mix it in until thoroughly combined.
• Turn the dough out onto a work surface and shape it into a rough ball. Cut the ball in half and form each piece of dough into an 8-inch log. Tightly wrap each log in plastic wrap and freeze for 30 to 40 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove one log of dough from the freezer. Cut the dough into 1/4-inch thick slices, rolling the log every few slices to maintain the round shape of the cookies. Arrange the cookies on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the cookies start to turn a light golden color around the edges, between 14 and 16 minutes. Allow to cool on baking sheets.
• Repeat the steps with the second log of cookie dough. Once the cookies are completely cool, store them in an airtight container.

HAWAIIAN COCONUT SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream the butter until smooth. Add granulated sugar and vanilla, creaming again until smooth and slightly fluffy.
• Sift flour and then measure the 2 cups of flour. Add salt to flour and sift again.
• Gradually add to the creamed butter mixture until you have added all the flour and mixture is smooth. Mix the coconut into the cookie dough.
• Shape into a one and half (1.5) inch diameter roll and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until it the dough is firm, about 2-4 hours, or for several days until ready to use. May be frozen for later baking.
• Using a sharp knife, cut 1/4 inch slices from the cookie dough roll and place on a very lightly greased cookie sheet, about 1 inch apart.
• Bake at 300 degrees for about 20 minutes, until a light golden brown at edges, but not browned entirely across the top.
• Cool cookies on sheet just until they are set, easy to remove and have cooled slightly, usually about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove cookies with a spatula and place on the 1 cup of powdered sugar that you have sifted onto a piece of wax paper or similar surface. Cover cookies with powdered sugar on all sides by sifting more sugar over them or "rolling" them in the sugar. After they have cooled and the powdered sugar has "set", you can coat them with more powdered sugar if you would like. Cool completely and then store in an airtight container, for however long you can keep them from being eaten!
• Try these the first time following the recipe as given. The next time, you can play around with adding other ingredients to tweak these to your exact tastes. Some ideas, toasting some of the coconut before adding to the dough, adding finely chopped macadamia nuts, ginger, cardamom or any citrus zest. Key lime zest and macadamias is a great combo, truly a cookie that takes you to tropical islands without the frequent flier miles :).

SLICE & BAKE COCONUT SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Gradually beat flour into creamed mixture. Stir in coconut., Using a sheet of waxed paper, shape dough into a 12x3x1-in. rectangle. Wrap in waxed paper; refrigerate 3 hours or overnight., Preheat oven to 300°. Unwrap and cut dough crosswise into 1/4-in. slices. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until edges are light golden, 18-20 minutes. Cool on pans 5 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.