Brown Butter Coconut Almond Cookies

Cookies - who doesn’t like cookies? People who are not to be trusted…..lol. As a chef I love working up new recipes my waistline not so much, but hey someone has to do it. These cookies are the perfect blend of textures, the edges get golden and crispy while the middle stays slightly soft. The nutty brown butter, sweet toasted coconut, and crunchy almonds are a perfect combination. I hope you take the time to make these and love them as much as I do.

Ingredients:

2 cups plus 3 tbsp AP flour

3/4 tsp salt (kosher preferably)

3/4 tsp baking soda

2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup whole almonds

2 large eggs

2 tsp coconut extract

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375.

Line a baking sheet with parchment so the cookies don’t stick.

Place the butter in a small heavy bottom sauce pot or medium skillet and cook over medium low heat until it starts to become clear and you see brown bits forming in the bottom of the pan be careful not to burn the butter. Place the melted brown butter in a bowl to cool to room temperature. This can be done a day ahead.

Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl and set aside.

Coarsley chop the almonds and toast in a dry pan over medium heat. Remove and cool on a piece of parchment or wax paper.

Toast the coconut in the same pan again over medium heat until lightly golden. Place with the almonds to cool on parchment or wax paper.

Beat the cooled brown butter and sugars together on medium until light and fluffy, about five minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Add the eggs one at a time and the coconut extract - beat until each egg is completely incorporated before adding the second egg or extract.

Add half of the flour and mix until it is just combined, add the remaining flour and again mix until just combined.

Use the parchment or wax paper to lift the coconut and almonds and dump them in the mixing bowl. Mix until just combined.

Drop the batter by spoonfuls (I use a small ice cream scoop) about 2 inches apart and bake for 12-14 minutes or until the edged are just golden. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then move to a wire rack to cool completely.

*Bakers Notes

Try adding some dried cherries, I actually wanted to do that but didn’t have any. Drizzle with or dip in melted chocolate if you like for added contrast of flavor.

I used shredded sweetened coconut but you can use unsweetened if you prefer, there is plenty of sweetness from the sugars.

If you’ve never browned butter before take is slow. The butter will splatter a good bit in the beginning as the water evaporates. I find stirring it pretty constantly helps to keep that down a little as it helps the water evaporate faster. Once the butter has clarified - meaning it will look more like oil then just melted butter - the milk solids are going to brown quickly so keep stirring and as you see brown bits coming from the bottom of your pan pull it off the heat. If you burn it the flavor will be no good for this recipe. If you are making the brown butter a da in advance you can cover it once it is cool and leave it on the counter. If you need it to cool faster pop it in the fridge for a bit.