Coconut Shortbread

These coconut shortbread were one of the best cookies I've made ever. Insanely addictive. Just an absolutely perfect shortbread texture (the slightly crisp kind) and the coconut flavour - oh my. If you're a coconut lover, as I am, then you MUST try these. Must must. These are not cookies to be added to your "one day I'll make these list" that many of us have. They're cookies to be made now, and to be shared because if you keep them in your house you'll eat them all!

I baked these two sheets at a time, and the cookies that were on the top first then switched to the bottom spread more than the ones that were on the bottom first then the top. That's one thing I really dislike about baking two sheets of cookies at a time - the cookies often seem to turn out a little bit different. Could be partially due to my smallish size oven though.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Coconut Madeleines
Creamy Coconut Cake
Coconut Lemon Bundt Cake
Chocolate Oatmeal Coconut Cookies

Coconut Shortbread
Adapted from Bon Appetit March 2004

Makes about 6 dozen.

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (about 3 ounces)
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks, 12 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 325F.

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; divide in half. Put each half in a big ziploc bag and flatten it. 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 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Take the dough out of the bags (you'll likely have to cut the plastic). Roll out 1 dough disk on lightly floured work surface to scant 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into squares that are about 1.5" (or whatever size you want). Poke each cookie twice with a fork. Transfer cookies to prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart.

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.)