Toasted Coconut Shortbread

Anyone can appreciate a cookie that is stuffed with chocolate chips or sandwiched with butter cream frosting, but if someone tells me that they love shortbread I know that they appreciate simplicity, simplicity and butter. This is the purest form of a cookie--the essence of a cookie.

I have been curious to try these ever since I saw them on smittenkitchen. I remember that I do love shortbread. At first, when I bite into it, I think "this cookie is dry" but after chewing for a few seconds I realize "this cookie isn't dry, it's buttery and wonderful," then I eat 10 of them.

The toasted coconut is a natural compliment to shortbread. You would barely know it was there if someone didn't tell you. It just makes perfect sense here. It adds a little nuttiness and texture without distracting from the graceful simplicity of shortbread. Grinding the coconut in the food processor gets rid of the unpleasant papery texture that I normally associate with coconut. I had to toast three batches of coconut because as I left them to cool my husband could not stop eating it off the baking sheet. Toasting coconut in the oven is one of the more fragrant kitchen experiences that I have ever had.

*I found this dough to be on the difficult end of the spectrum. I had to add a bit more flour and put it back in the fridge after my first attempt to roll it out. I had wanted to make these guys in the shape of darling little squirrels but it was almost impossible to peel the more complicated shapes off the counter. I used a biscuit press after getting completely frustrated with the squirrels. Lesson: Squirrels can be troublesome.




H: [reads] "Geese can be troublesome." What the hell is that supposed to mean?
W: Oh, fortune means, geese cause problems.
H: Well, I knew that before I came in here. A guy outside told me that.

***

Toasted Coconut Shortbread
Adapted from Bon Appetit, April 2004

The original recipe was double this size, yielding six dozen cookies. I halved it.

1/2 cup (about 1.5 ounces) unsweetened shredded coconut*
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks or 6 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature**
1/2 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt (Updated: for unsweetened coconut, the smaller amount; sweetened, the larger amount)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 325°F. Spread coconut on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until coconut is light golden, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Cool completely, then grind in a coffee grinder, food processor or blender until coarsely ground.

Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until well blended. Mix in salt and vanilla. Beat in flour in 2 additions. Stir in toasted coconut. Gather dough together, flatten into a disc and wrap in plastic. Chill at least 1 hour. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.)


Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out dough disk on lightly floured work surface to scant 1/4-inch thickness. Using 1 3/4- to 2-inch-diameter cookie cutters, cut dough into rounds. Transfer cookies to prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Gather dough scraps and reroll; cut out additional cookies.


Bake cookies until light golden, about 20 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and cool completely. (Can be made ahead. Store airtight at room temperature up to 1 week.)


* I couldn’t find unsweetened, so I used sweetened and dialed back the sugar by 2 tablespoons.
** If you’re looking for an excuse to splurge on the good butter, shortbread is it. You will absolutely appreciate the extra flavor as it shows up in this cookie.