ADVERTISEMENT
The first step in your baking adventure is to get your oven ready by pre heating it to three hundred and fifty degrees Fahrenheit which is the perfect temperature for baking cookies evenly. While the oven is warming up, you should take two large baking sheets and line them with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat so the cookies do not stick to the bottom of the pan while they are in the heat.
Next, you will take a large mixing bowl and put your softened unsalted butter inside along with the white sugar and the brown sugar. Use a hand mixer or a stand mixer to cream these ingredients together for about three to four minutes until the mixture looks very light and fluffy and has changed to a pale yellow color. This step is very important because beating the air into the butter is what gives the cookies their structure and helps them become crispy rather than hard like a rock.
Once the butter and sugar are perfectly mixed, you can add the large egg and the vanilla extract to the bowl. Turn the mixer back on to a low speed and blend these in until everything is smooth and well combined but be careful not to over mix it at this stage. Now it is time to handle the dry ingredients so grab another bowl and whisk together the all purpose flour, the baking soda, the baking powder, and the fine sea salt until they are evenly distributed.
ADVERTISEMENT
Slowly add the dry flour mixture into the wet butter mixture in three different stages while mixing on the lowest setting of your machine. You want to mix only until the white streaks of flour have just disappeared because if you mix too much the cookies will become tough and chewy instead of light and crispy. After the flour is mixed in, take a large spoon or a spatula and gently fold in the shredded coconut by hand so you do not crush the delicate flakes.
Now that your dough is ready, use a small ice cream scoop or a tablespoon to scoop out rounds of dough that are about one inch in size. Place these dough balls onto your prepared baking sheets and make sure to leave about two inches of space between each one because the cookies will spread out as they bake in the oven. If you want a very crispy cookie, you can use the palm of your hand to gently press down on each ball to flatten it slightly before you put the tray into the oven.
Place the baking sheets into the center of your pre heated oven and bake them for about ten to twelve minutes. You will know they are done when the edges are a deep golden brown and the centers still look a little bit soft and pale. It is better to take them out a minute early than a minute late because they will continue to firm up as they cool down on the hot pan.
After you remove the trays from the oven, let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for at least five minutes so they can settle and become strong enough to move. Then use a spatula to carefully transfer them to a wire cooling rack where air can circulate around them and make the bottoms just as crispy as the tops. Wait until they are completely cool before you try one because the texture and the flavor only reach their peak once the heat has left the cookie entirely.
Why This Recipe Is Special
See more on the next page to continue reading →
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
