Thin & Crispy Coconut Cookies
Time flies. I can’t believe it’s already November. In a bit more than a month, we will head to Paris to spend some time with the family and celebrate Christmas. We are really excited about it. Simon will have his first real Christmas experience with all the family, and us, parents, will hopefully enjoy a long-awaited break. I can’t remember the last time Nico and I went to a restaurant. But what better place other than Paris to catch up?
Speaking of holiday season, one of the things that I love is to make my own gifts. These thin and crispy coconut cookies will definitely be part of the Christmas gifts that i will give away. They are quick, simple and can be prepared in advance, ready to bake whenever you need. The key to making the best cookie is to make them as thin as possible. That way, you get cookies that are really crispy.
I have tried different methods for cutting the cookies. The first method I tried was to freeze the dough as a sausage then cut it in thin slices with a knife. It worked well but the slices were not always even. Also, the extra handling of the dough after being frozen makes it soften very quickly and difficult to work with. The best method I found was to roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper, cut the cookies and then freeze. There is minimal manipulation of the dough once it’s taken out of the freezer, you just need to take the cookies off the paper and place them on a baking mat. Simple!
What about you? What’s your favorite baked gifts?
Thin & Crispy Coconut Cookies
Makes 2 dozen cookies (4 inches)
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (170g) butter, soften
- 1 1/4 (160g) cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (150g) light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 large eggs
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (75g) unsweetened shredded coconut, plus extra for decoration
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Combine flour, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
- Add one egg at a time mix on low for 40 seconds. Add vanilla extract and coconut, mix until combined.
- Incorporate flour mixture and mix until combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure it is well blended.
- Transfer dough into a bowl covered with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.
- Prepare 3 24×12 inch parchment paper. Place 1/3 of the dough on one side of the parchment paper. Fold sheet in half so that the dough is centered. Roll into 1/10 inch layer. Unfold parchment paper and cut circles using a cookie cutter. Fold paper back onto the dough and freeze for 20 minutes. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Preheat oven to 325F.
- Carefully unfold parchment paper. Place cookie dough facing down on a clean surface and remove parchment paper. Carefully transfer each circle onto a baking pan with a silicon mat. Sprinkle with shredded coconut. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden. Using a spatula, transfer each cookie to a cooling rack.
- Once cooled, store in an air-tight container.
