Make Ahead

Coconut Lime Crispy Cookies

by:
May 17, 2013
4
4 Ratings
  • Makes About 72 cookies
Author Notes

This is a recipe with a cool trick. I took another recipe that I loved (Flo Braker's Pains D'amande http://food52.com/recipes...), one of my favorites, and changed the flavor profile to coconut and lime. By experimenting with the recipe, I found that by not letting the mixture come to a boil, and by adding the turbinado sugar just before the dry ingredients, the sugar stays crunchy, which helps contribute to the crispy texture of the cookies.

drbabs

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 medium limes, zested with zest reserved, and juiced into a liquid measuring cup
  • Dark rum or water to bring liquid up to 1/3 cup
  • 4 ounces (1 stick) butter, quartered
  • 1 ¼ cup turbinado sugar
  • 1 ¼ cup coconut chips, lightly toasted
Directions
  1. Whisk the flour, salt and baking soda together in a small bowl; set aside.
  2. In a 1 1/2-quart saucepan over low heat, combine the butter, coconut chips and lime juice/rum (or water) mixture. Stir occasionally just until the butter melts. Do not allow the mixture to boil. Pour this mixture into a 3-quart mixing bowl; set aside for about 30 minutes at room temperature until lukewarm.
  3. Stir in the sugar, then add the lime zest (use all of it), and the rest of the dry ingredients all at once; fold until completely blended.
  4. Pack the soft dough firmly into a loaf pan lined with plastic wrap. Cover surface with plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze until firm.
  5. Place a rack in the lower third of oven and heat oven to 325 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
  6. Lift the dough from the pan and place onto a cutting board. Cut the dough in thirds crosswise. With a very sharp knife, cut each bar into 1/8-inch or thinner slices, and space them 1/4 inch apart on the baking sheets.
  7. Bake, one sheet at a time, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the undersides are light golden; then rotate cookie sheets 180 degrees and bake for an additional 8 to 10 minutes, or until crisp and honey-colored. Place baking sheet on a wire rack to cool completely before removing cookies. (The dough freezes well if you only want to make a half or third batch.)

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Hilarybee
    Hilarybee
  • TheWimpyVegetarian
    TheWimpyVegetarian
  • Midge
    Midge
  • loubaby
    loubaby
  • boulangere
    boulangere

20 Reviews

Hilarybee May 22, 2013
Coconut chips are such a smart substitute! I'm definitely giving this one a try. I love the Flo Braker Pains D'Amande. My husband always asks when I'm going to make the "painful" cookies again. ;)
 
drbabs May 22, 2013
Thanks! Please let me know if you like them!
 
It has taken me such a long time to warm up to coconut, for exactly the reasons you mention in your headnote. But I started to fall in love with it last summer. I would love to make this spin on Flo's recipe. As a side note, I had her as one of my judges for a bake off I staged at a BBQ I was running a few years ago, and she was the most gracious woman. Just lovely.
 
drbabs May 20, 2013
I would say that I'm still only in like with coconut; I don't love it. But I've loved every variation I've made of these cookies, including these. I'm glad to hear that she's a nice person; how could she not be-- she bakes cookies!
 
I've totally gotten there on coconut oil and coconut sugar. That part is love for me now. But shredded coconut, in like with too. And I really like it if it's not overdone. I love the connection you make between baking cookies and being nice - give me a nice laugh just now.
 
drbabs May 20, 2013
:)
 
Midge May 20, 2013
Yum! I'm afraid I would polish off the entire batch myself.
 
drbabs May 20, 2013
you totally would. (I thankfully froze part of the batter.)
 
loubaby May 19, 2013
where is the best place to buy coconut chips? whole foods?
 
drbabs May 19, 2013
I think you can get them at Whole Foods. I'm pretty sure mine were from Fairway. (I live on Long Island.)
 
Bevi May 22, 2013
They are occasionally available at Costco as well. This is a great recipe. I love Flo's cookies and this version sounds luscious.
 
drbabs May 22, 2013
Thanks, Bevi!
 
boulangere May 18, 2013
My sympathies lie with the rum, dark or otherwise, given a choice. I can see these given a coating of either dark or white chocolate. Heavenly, Dr. B!
 
drbabs May 18, 2013
Thank you, b. (mine, too)
 
mrslarkin May 17, 2013
this is brilliant.
 
drbabs May 18, 2013
Wow, thank you, mrs l.
 
mrslarkin May 18, 2013
drbabs, curious if the dough slices well when frozen. Have you tried? or do you defrost a little?
 
drbabs May 18, 2013
I haven't tried. I just move it to the refrigerator if I know I want to bake cookies later. I have some in the freezer now, so I'll try it the next time i bake them and let you know.
 
lapadia May 17, 2013
Bravo, drbabs! Love everything about this recipe:)
 
drbabs May 17, 2013
Thanks, Linda. I wish I could stop eating them!