Apricot

Nibby Coconut-Orange Apricot Cookies

by:
December 16, 2009
0
0 Ratings
  • Serves 8 dozen single cookies, 4 dozen sandwich cookies
Author Notes

Inspired by 2 recipes, one for Bon Appetit's Coconut-Orange Snowballs and one for Scharffenberger's Apricot Hazelnut Squares - both fantastic cookies. Icombined the two for a pretty darn good sandwich cookie. I love them unsandwiched and just plain, too. The dough would make a pretty tasty tart shell.

This dough is pretty firm, so you may have to wack it into submission with your rolling pin, a la Julia Child. It also makes many, many cookies, so freeze half of the dough if you want a smaller batch. —mrslarkin

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 1/4 cups sweetened flaked coconut
  • 1 3/4 cups (3 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 3/4 teaspoon coconut extract
  • 3 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh orange zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup cacao nibs
  • 1 (one) 8 oz. jar apricot jam
  • 1 (one) 6 oz. bag Scharffenberger Bittersweet Baking Chunks, or your favorite baking chocolate, chopped
Directions
  1. Bake coconut on baking sheet, stirring occasionally, until just golden brown, about 10 minutes.
  2. Using mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter, egg yolk, powdered sugar, and both extracts in bowl to blend well. Beat in flour, orange peel, and salt. Stir in toasted coconut and cacao nibs.
  3. Shape dough into two disks and wrap in plastic. Chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day ahead. Slightly soften dough at room temperature before rolling out.
  4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out one disk of dough between sheets of plastic wrap to about 1/8” to 1/4” thickness. Keep unused dough wrapped in plastic. Cut with a 2” fluted round cookie or biscuit cutter. Place on prepared sheets, less than a ½ inch apart. Bake until very lightly golden on top, about 10 to 18 minutes, depending on thickness of cookie. Cool 5 minutes. Continue with next disk of dough.
  5. Place half the cookies bottom sides up on a baking sheet. Spread about ½ teaspoon apricot jam on each cookie. Sandwich together with remaining plain cookies.
  6. Heat chocolate in microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until melted. Dip half of each sandwich into the chocolate and place on parchment-lined cookie sheet. If desired, sprinkle with extra nibs or toasted coconut. Let sit until chocolate is set.
  7. Cookies can be made ahead and frozen for several weeks.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Niknud
    Niknud
  • fiveandspice
    fiveandspice
  • Bevi
    Bevi
  • mrslarkin
    mrslarkin
  • Maria Teresa Jorge
    Maria Teresa Jorge

11 Reviews

Niknud October 24, 2011
This is me throwing my hands up in the realization that I will have to quit my job in order to become as good at this as you are! My husband informs me that I can not do this so I'll just have to keep muddling along I suppose. These look just perfect. I love sandwich cookies, almost as much as I love sandwich cookies DIPPED IN CHOCOLATE!
 
mrslarkin October 26, 2011
Thank you Niknud! You always make me smile. :)
 
fiveandspice October 22, 2011
Mrslarkin, these look so darn good, the only word I can think to use for them is splendiforous!!! It is early Saturday, I'm eating breakfast and drinking coffee and boy do you have me craving some cookies!
 
mrslarkin October 22, 2011
Thanks 5&S! I'm not ashamed to say I've had cookies for breakfast on many occasions. ;)
 
Bevi October 21, 2011
Well these look luscious!
 
mrslarkin October 22, 2011
thanks Bevi!
 
mrslarkin December 21, 2009
picture #4 is a little leftover dough I had which I pressed into a mini brioche pan (the closest thing i had to a mini tart pan).
 
Maria T. December 19, 2009
YUM, they sound brilliant, I think the idea of the tart shell is also very good. Never saw coconut extract in Europe but will try them without. Congratulations for the pictures, very very nice.
 
mrslarkin December 19, 2009
Grazie Maria Teresa. We'll have to think of something to put in the tart shell. Perhaps a chocolate filling? Maybe the flaked coconut will provide enough flavor without the extract. Let me know how yours turn out!
 
Janneke V. December 17, 2009
Great picture, I'm curious how these beautiful cookies taste..
 
mrslarkin December 17, 2009
Thanks Janneke. For me, these cookies have it all - crunch, sweetness, citrus, chocolate, fruit and lots of butter.