Coconut Butter Thins

I have to admit – when I saw that these Coconut Butter Thins were the next Tuesdays With Dorie selection, I was pretty apathetic. I wasn’t overly excited about them, but I wasn’t disappointed either. Well, I want to thank Jayne of The Barefoot Kitchen Witch for such a fabulous pick! These cookies completely exceeded every expectation I had for them. It didn’t take me very long to realize that I was going to absolutely adore the cookies – as soon as the dough was mixed up I had to practice some serious restraint. I came thisclose to not baking the cookies and just eating the raw dough instead. While I still don’t think that would be a bad idea at all, I’m glad my good sense dominated because these are definitely one of the best and most unique cookies I have had in a very long time.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from the combination of ingredients, and I did make a number of omissions and substitutions, but the end result is what I would consider a fancy butter or shortbread cookie that would be perfect for a holiday, bridal shower, or any special occasion where you feel you need to go a step above chocolate chip cookies.

My cookies were rolled about a bit thicker than the ¼-inch called for in the recipe and they still did some spreading out. Once out of the oven I couldn’t see the fork impressions, but I tend to think that this is the type of cookie that Dorie was going for since they are called “thins”. Mine were fabulously chewy, buttery, and rich, with the coconut adding a great texture.

I omitted the coriander because I didn’t have any and since the recipe only called for a “pinch” I didn’t feel that the cookies were in dire need of a substitute. In an effort to use what I already had in my kitchen and eliminate a trip to the grocery store, I used lemon zest in place of lime, and chopped raw almonds in place of the macadamia nuts. As soon as I tasted the dough, I knew that the combination of lemon, coconut, and almonds would be a winner. The individual flavors were subtle enough to complement each other, not overpower, and bring out the bright, rich flavor that the cookie as a whole has to offer.

Ready for the oven

Source: Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, page 145.

Printer-Friendly recipe

Share This Post: