Chewy Coconut Cookies

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Coconut, the underrated additive among the masses, yet loved by bakers. This cookie is sweet, nutty yet not overwhelming. It is delightfully easy cookies, perfect for a simple sweet treat, beginner cookie, or an afternoon tea addition.

The chewy coconut cookie finds itself a part of my list of "easy beginner cookies", to help slowly guide and build confidence in new bakers. I personally find cookies to be of the easiest kind of sweet to start with, most are straight forward with few simple techniques to make. I'll suggest a few tips and tricks to help get the most out of this, and even a way or two to spruce up the cookie.

Firstly, I don't toast the coconut shreds when I put them in the cookie to maintain that chewier texture, yet if you want to toast the tops with a more dramatic flair, take the cookie dough ball and dip the top into some coconut shreds. This will add a picturesque, decorative abstract to the cookie. Now, this does not improve the cookie by any means other than appearance. I sometimes find appearance to be fun to have and play with but I rather pride myself of taste than look. Anymore, some of the decorative additions to cookies and cakes ruin the taste because it is overbearing.

Some cookie tips and tricks!

Mostly, basic cookies don't have any special wrist technique or need for fancy equipment. They can be made in a simple bowl, hand mixer or stand mixer. Fortunately, I have a stand mixer which I love as it allows me to do other things while it works! Yet, a simple bowl and whisk or spoon shall work.

Firstly, creaming the butter is the key to cookies. For years, I avoided creaming the butter, thinking it was a waste of time, yet it is not. This takes the butter being soft, not melted, but if you are like me, you never have enough time or remember to set the butter out for awhile. So just be careful not to microwave the butter to long. A little bit of melting is okay. The first thing you add to the bowl is the butter, cream that. You'll notice a change in color, to a softer yellow or white. It may even look fluffier, yet you do not have to overdo it. Add the sugars next, this is where it might seem fluffier after you mix for a minute or two, enough to really incorporate the sugars to allows for an even distribution. Speaking of evenly distributing, add the baking soda's/powder and salts at this point so it does not get tied up in one spot of the dough. The mixture at this point is very creamy and allows for easier distribution of the leavening agents.

Second, don't overmix past this point. Adding the eggs and vanilla will not need extensive beating, rather just an introduction. Most recipes say to add the additives like chips or shreds after the flour, I prefer to do it before. Again, it is easier distribution of the mixture and evenness of the pieces. Again, just mix enough that it is somewhat incorporated. Adding the flour, most smaller recipes that call for 2-3 cups of flour are the exact need for that recipe, but I suggest only adding a cup or half cup at a time to get the batter exactly right. This might be "advanced" knowledge to ask of new bakers to feel the texture/consistency of the dough but knowing it after several successful attempts will make you a more confident baker. Most drop cookie doughs should be somewhat sticky yet not super sticky yet not like playdough or dry. Since I can't show you the feeling through a picture or words, you'll just have to take the time on this one.

Third, if you find that your dough is too dry and crumbly, or even just too tough to scoop, stop immediately! It is okay to fix, don't waste your time trying to continue. Most times this is too much flour, so add more butter. Easiest way is to melt/soften the butter and incorporate a little at a time, like 2-3 tablespoons. If you have chocolates in your mixture, just be careful of accidently melting them with too hot of butter.

Recipe

Time: 1 hour Yield: about 40 cookies

Ingredients:

1 C. Butter, softened

¾ C. Granulated Sugar

1 C. Brown Sugar (light or dark, preferably light)

1 tsp. Baking Soda

¼ tsp. Salt

1 egg

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

2 C. Coconut shreds

2 ¼ C. All-purpose Flour

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375℉. 

2. In a stand mixer (or bowl), add butter and beat butter for 2 minutes.  Then add granulated sugar and brown sugar.  Beat the sugars and butter mixture till creamed together, around 2 minutes.  (Not too long, just enough to break the sugar down.)

3. Throw in the baking soda and salt next to ensure a well incorporated mixture.

4. Add the egg and vanilla. Stop after somewhat incorporated in the mixture, scrape down with a spatula.

5. Next, add the coconut.

6. Lastly, add the flour in.  The mixture will be sticky but that is the perfect consistency.

7. Scoop onto baking sheets.  I use a tablespoon sized cookie scoop to ensure even and easy dough balls. (see notes about size) Place the dough about 2 inches apart from each other so cookies do not spread into each other.

8. Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until light brown.  Let cookies cool for a few minutes on the pan, then transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling. Enjoy!

   
   

Beating the Butter: Use softened butter, if unable to sit of counter for a couple of hours, place sticks in microwave for 5 second intervals to avoid melting.

Creaming the Sugar: Next, add the sugars, cream for several minutes to break down the sugar granules. Depending on the season, the sugar and creaming will act a little different. Colder season, even being inside, the creaming might become stiffer than normal. Hotter seasons, the granules might clump together in the bags.

Adding the salt and soda: These too are really important to flavor and cookie chemistry. Making sure it is evenly distributed in the cookie is important so do it when it will be more incorporated.

Eggs and extract: Don't overmix this, it will help bind the flour better to the mixture if it has something to hold onto.

Checking the dough: I've placed two examples: 1) shows not enough flour, it is more grainy. The seconded shows a more together dough, more playdough like. Yet it will feel sticky still, that is okay.

Notes:

1. I always use salted butter, I don’t find a difference in either.  If you think the cookies are too salty, I’d cut back on the salt or cut out the salted butter.  All based on personal preference.

2. Adding the baking soda and salt earlier into the mixture when it is creamier helps to ensure a nice mix.  This also cuts out the prepping the flour in a bowl with the soda and salt because I never prep like that.

3. I always encourage measuring the ingredients exactly, scooping the mixture into the cups and leveling them off ensures consistency.

4. To have the picturesque look to your cookies, add some pieces to the top of the dough, or even roll in some sugar.

5. I normally use a tablespoon sized scoop but for a bigger cookie, use an ice cream scoop size. I assume it's around 2 tablespoon sized?