Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

As a food blogger, the definition of comfort food is very clear. For a certain food to be referred to as a comfort it has to meet several requirements. First (and most obvious) is that it has to have an amazing taste. However, sometimes the aroma of baking or cooking a particular food has a special power all its own. The food usually conjures up pleasant places, thoughts or memories. For example, a person might recall having a terrible day at school when they were a child, but got home only to find mom with some homemade cookies. Those cookies eased the situation back then and continue to retain that power, irregardless of the day or age of that same person. Sometimes just the aroma of the food baking or cooking.

So when you find yourself in the kitchen creating-never underestimate the power that food can have on your guests, family or friends.

Today I bring you the most favorite comfort food of all-chocolate chip cookies. Sure, these cookies are wonderful just with chocolate chips, but they get an extra boost of chewiness from coconut. This recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies
adapted from The Institute of Culinary Education 

Ingredients
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips or 10 oz chopped chocolate
1 cup of sweetened coconut 
1 cup butter (room temp)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar

Prepare 2 cookie sheets by lining with parchment paper and preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Fill the bowl of a stand mixer with butter and both kinds of sugar. Cream together by beating on medium high speed for 4 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the egg and the vanilla. Set aside. For the third bowl, sift together the baking soda and flour. Then whisk in the salt.

Pour the egg/vanilla mixture into the butter/sugar blend and beat for about 30 seconds. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and fold the sifted ingredients into the batter. Once the dough is formed, add the chocolate chips and coconut. Use a wooden spoon to distribute the add ins throughout the dough.

Using a scoop or spoon, place tablespoon sized mounds of dough on the prepared baking sheets. The mounds should be about 2 inches apart. Place in oven and bake until cookies are golden on the edges and bottom. This should take about 8-10 minutes and the center will still be soft.

Remove from oven and let rest on baking sheet for one minute, then transfer to a rack to finish cooling.

Tips and Notes:

1. The coconut only imparts texture to these cookies. If you want these cookies to have a coconut flavor, add about 1 tsp of coconut extract.

2. I tried these cookies with milk and semi sweet chocolate and both types turned out tasty. However, my preference will always be semi-sweet.
                         


 

Biscotti Aloha

I will admit, I have not been a great fan of the biscotti-type cookies.  After baking these, I realized that there is a vast difference in the texture of homemade vs store bought. The store bought biscotti are not all that great, especially if you are not the type to dunk.  Simply put, they are too hard and dry.  These homemade biscotti have a cookie type texture, sort of the same as snickerdoodle cookies.

For traditional flavor and taste, homemade is the answer.  So if someone tells you they have tasted it from the grocers, they have yet to experience the true traditional, homemade flavor.  Some foods from the grocers come closer to hitting the mark than others, but when it comes to biscotti- the grocers version is way off.

Besides the nice texture, these biscotti bring forth the flavors of the tropics with with coconut amaretto, macadamia nuts and coconut. Also, the cookies are easy to make and easy to transport. This recipe makes about 3 1/2 to 4 dz cookies.

Biscotti Aloha
adapted from a little book called Biscotti by Lou Pappas

Ingredients
2/3 cup quartered or chopped macadamia nuts
1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut
2 eggs
2 tbs coconut amaretto or 2 tbs milk
and 1/4 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 cups plus 2 tbs flour

Prepare 2 baking sheets by lining with parchment paper.  The preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

In a medium sized bowl, beat butter and sugar together for about 2 minutes on medium speed.  Then beat in the eggs ( one at a time) and continue to beat while adding in the coconut amaretto or milk and almond extract. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, sift together the salt, flour, baking powder and nutmeg.  Fold the sifted ingredients into the butter/sugar mixture.  Once dough is formed and no dry streaks remain, stir in the nuts and coconut.

Divide the dough into two batches.  Take each batch and form into a log.  Each log should measure 14 inches long, 1/2 thick and 1 1/2 inches wide.  Place each log 2 inches apart and side by side on the baking sheet.  The longest length of each should be parallel with the longest side of your baking sheet. 

Place in oven and bake for about 25 minutes, rotating at the halfway point.  Logs should have a golden crust when done.  Remove pan and place pan on rack.  Let cool for about 5 minutes.

Take one log and put on a cutting board.  Slice the log with a serrated knife on the diagonal, cutting into half inch slices at a 45 degree angle. Do the same with the second log.  Then take each slice and place cut side down on prepared baking sheet.

Place sheet in oven and let cookies bake for 2 minutes.  Then remove and flip over with second cut side facing down and bake for another 3 minutes.  Remove pan and place on rack for cookies to completely cool.

Tips and Notes:
1. coconut amaretto was not found at the liquor store so I used a mixture of 1 tbs and 2 1/2 tsp of amaretto and 1/2 tsp coconut extract.
2. For an extra special cookie, try coating one end in melted white chocolate.
                               **LAST YEAR: Pistachio Layer Cake**

Trucker Cookies

The best thing about cookies is that no one ever complains that there are too many add ins.  I can't even imagine anyone saying: "There is too many chocolate chips in these cookies..".  Based on that there are so many varieties out there-the possibilities are endless.

Due to the age of this recipe I am unable to link directly back to it.  Actually if you search on "trucker" cookie in the net it pulls up several different recipes, so the name is far from being unique.

Along with all the tasty add ins, I think that grains in a cookie does add a little touch of healthiness as well as texture.  These particular cookies actually have rice crispies in the batter along with the oats. The recipe also calls for butter flavored crisco.  I rarely use this ingredient, but it does seem to give the cookie batter an extra rich flavor.

These cookies prove to be a pretty tasty snack for all ages, so do not just limit them to the kids lunchboxes!   Another benefit is that they do not require a lot of time in the kitchen to make. This recipe makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Trucker Cookies
adapted from  Newlyweds-blog.com

Ingredients
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 cup shredded sweet coconut
1 tbs milk
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup butter flavored shortening
1 cup Rice Krispies cereal
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup light brown sugar (packed)
1 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare pans by lining with parchment paper or greasing lightly.

Sift together the baking soda, salt and flour.  Set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, cream together the shortening with the two sugars.  Once it reaches a fluffy consistency, beat in each egg.  Then add the milk and vanilla extract.  Beat again until all ingredients are thoroughly blended.

Using a wooden spoon, mix in the rice krispies and rolled oats.  Then stir in the sifted ingredients. Once no more dry streaks remain, fold in the chocolate chips, nuts and coconut.

Place tablespoon sized scoops of batter onto baking sheet, spacing about 1 inch apart.  Bake cookies for about 10-12 minutes or until the edges have turned golden and toasty.  Remove from oven and place baking sheet on rack to cool.  After 2 minutes, transfer cookies to rack to finish cooling.
                        **LAST YEAR: Harvest Spice Bites**