CHOCOLATE COCONUT COOKIESfeatured

I apologize for my lack of posting lately. Blame it on summer; there are just too many fun things to do and I get distracted. I’ve always had a very hard time saying no when people ask me to do fun things. It’s that very reason I got a D- in Geology, aka Rocks for Jocks, in college. I spent the entire semester having fun with a boy named Tyson instead of doing any and all of the following: going to class, reading the textbook, or doing my homework. I was pretty sure lightly skimming the textbook right before taking the final would suffice. I mean, it’s rocks. How hard could it be. Uh. Apparently very hard since I completely failed the final. To this day I have no idea how I even pulled off a D- instead of a F. But even after I failed the final I shoved the test results into the garbage and met Tyson for lunch before we went to the local pool for that afternoon. I mean, it was summer. He was so cute. I can’t be blamed.

So these cookies are my peace offering for my blogging absence. Trust me, they are worth it. In fact, I won’t blame you if you tell me to take a hike for a few months with a promise to share more recipes like this when I get back.

Recipe: Chocolate Coconut Cookies  |  Soundtrack: Stevie Wonder

• COOKIES
• 1 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• COCONUT FROSTING
• 1 can refrigerated coconut cream (you can find it in the Asian food section)
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 6-7 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup coconut

Directions:
In a medium bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. Whisk to combine. Set aside.

In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar until it’s very light. Add in vanilla and oil until well combined. Add in the egg and mix until just combined.

Add in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Dough will be very thick. Chill the dough for an hour.

Preheat the over to 350º.  In a small bowl, add 1/4 cup sugar. Scoop the dough into golf ball sized cookies. Roll into a ball. Place on your cookie sheet. Using the flat bottom of a glass, very lightly coat the bottom with water, dip into the sugar and press the cookies flat leaving a nice thick border around the glass. Cookies shouldn’t be thin, they should still have a nice thickness to them.

Bake for 6-8 minutes. They should still look a little shiny in the middle when you remove them from the oven. Allow them to cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet before you use a spatula to remove them onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely.

In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, prepare the frosting. Remove the can of coconut cream from the refrigerator. Side note: By refrigerating the cream, you separate the solid cream from the liquid and you want the solid portion. Slowly open the can. Using a spoon, gently scoop out the solid cream and place into the mixer. Once all of the solid cream is removed, add 1 tbsp of the liquid to the mixer and discard the rest. Add the butter and mix together until combined. Add the powdered sugar and 3/4 cup coconut. This frosting takes a lot of powdered sugar to thicken up so don’t be alarmed. Add more or less until it’s at the desired consistency.

Frost each cookie and sprinkle with the additional coconut. You may have extra frosting, just put it in a tupperware, keep in the fridge and sneak spoonfuls of it late at night when no one is looking… I won’t judge.

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