Hawaiian Coconut Shortbread Cookies Recipe - Food.com (2024)

10

Submitted by Ismy Echo

"This is a recipe from an old Sunset Desserts Cookbook, likely from the 1970's, that was lost during a move. I searched high and low on the internet for this exact recipe, as I remembered it, to no avail. I finally found a copy of the recipe I had handwritten and placed in my mother's very old cookbook many years ago. Eureka! I wanted to post it here, so that I wouldn't lose it, and to share so others could enjoy them as well. I used to make these occasionally as a special treat for our family and for holidays and events. Rich and buttery with that wonderful coconut taste with a powdered sugar coating similar to wedding cookies. These are pretty simple to make and are "jr. chef assistant" friendly, especially for little hands to coat them in powdered sugar. Probably one of the best things about these cookies is that they are so great for a "make-ahead" cookie, as the dough is refrigerated and sliced, so you can break up the prep time into different days. Also, the baked cookies improve in flavor as they mature, so another "do-ahead" advantage. They are ideal for "care packages" to mail, if cushioned and packed securely, as they don't go stale. I hope you enjoy these as much as our family and guests have :)"

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Ready In:
1hr 5mins

Ingredients:
7
Yields:

36 cookies

Serves:
36

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ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, softened (8 ounces)
  • 14 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (measured after sifting)
  • 14 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
  • 1 cup powdered sugar, Sifted (or more as needed, for coating after baking)

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directions

  • Cream the butter until smooth. Add granulated sugar and vanilla, creaming again until smooth and slightly fluffy.
  • Sift flour and then measure the 2 cups of flour. Add salt to flour and sift again.
  • Gradually add to the creamed butter mixture until you have added all the flour and mixture is smooth. Mix the coconut into the cookie dough.
  • Shape into a one and half (1.5) inch diameter roll and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until it the dough is firm, about 2-4 hours, or for several days until ready to use. May be frozen for later baking.
  • Using a sharp knife, cut 1/4 inch slices from the cookie dough roll and place on a very lightly greased cookie sheet, about 1 inch apart.
  • Bake at 300 degrees for about 20 minutes, until a light golden brown at edges, but not browned entirely across the top.
  • Cool cookies on sheet just until they are set, easy to remove and have cooled slightly, usually about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove cookies with a spatula and place on the 1 cup of powdered sugar that you have sifted onto a piece of wax paper or similar surface. Cover cookies with powdered sugar on all sides by sifting more sugar over them or "rolling" them in the sugar. After they have cooled and the powdered sugar has "set", you can coat them with more powdered sugar if you would like. Cool completely and then store in an airtight container, for however long you can keep them from being eaten!
  • Try these the first time following the recipe as given. The next time, you can play around with adding other ingredients to tweak these to your exact tastes. Some ideas, toasting some of the coconut before adding to the dough, adding finely chopped macadamia nuts, ginger, cardamom or any citrus zest. Key lime zest and macadamias is a great combo, truly a cookie that takes you to tropical islands without the frequent flier miles :).

Questions & Replies

Hawaiian Coconut Shortbread Cookies Recipe - Food.com (7)

  1. Li K.

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Reviews

  1. One of the best cookie recipes I've ever tried. The cookies turn out very buttery and crisp, just melt in your mouth good. I added 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract for a little extra coconut flavor. Thank you for posting this great recipe. The reader that gave you a 3 star rating must have done something wrong as everyone else gave you a well deserved 5 stars...

    Sweet Irene

  2. I LOVE these cookies!! They just melt in your mouth!! I toasted my coconut and it helped the flavor. Can't wait to try adding other ingredients to make them better!!Ü

    Crazy2day

  3. Super yummy. I made them for an Obama inauguration party. He's from Hawaii, get it??

    PamC6283

  4. Thanks for this great recipe. I did make some changes by rolling the dough in coconut flakes then sprinkling on some granulated sugar for that added coconut taste and crunch before placing them on the baking sheet and pressing them flat with the bottom of a cup. For that added crunch, I doubled baked them after a few minutes of removing them from the oven to let the cookies and the oven cool down a bit then baked them again with the oven turned off for an additional 10 minutes. If you like really crunchy cookies, I'm sure you will love them baked this way.

    Mel Y.

  5. Well I guess I'm just not the "norm" here. I enjoyed the ease of the recipe. I ended up toasting half of the coconut. But I did some without refrigerating and some with, neither took 20 minutes to cook, they took WAY longer! Closer to 30 minutes. If I waited too long the powdered sugar would not stick as well, which is hard because I have LARGE sheet pans and cook a lot at the same time. I wasn't all that impressed, I wanted MORE coconut flavor (which is good I guess, didn't eat that many!). The teachers I made them for apparently loved them, so I guess that was good!

    Michawnpita

see 5 more reviews

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Tweaks

  1. You can never exercise enough to offset how many of these cookies you'll eat! I added 1 cup finely chopped macadamia nuts before adding the flour and instead of using the powdered sugar, I dipped one end of the cookie in melted chocolate. Thanks for sharing this wonderful cookie recipe, Ismy!

    GramCracker

RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

Ismy Echo

  • 1 Follower
  • 3 Recipes
  • 3 Tweaks

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Hawaiian Coconut Shortbread Cookies Recipe  - Food.com (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between a butter cookie and shortbread cookie? ›

As the name suggests a butter cookie has a high proportion of butter. However, unlike a shortbread the amount of flour and sugar used is increased meaning they hold their shape more effectively.

Why do you put cornstarch in shortbread cookies? ›

Cornstarch provides the shortbread with structure, but its biggest job is keeping the cookies extra soft, tender, and light. I love adding a small amount to chocolate chip cookies too. Optional Coarse Sugar Topping: For an optional sparkly crunch on your shortbread wedges, add a sprinkle of coarse sugar before baking.

What is the difference between shortbread and spritz cookies? ›

Shortbread have some snap, thanks to rolling chilled dough.

These shaping differences also give the cookies different textures. Spritz cookies are baked straight away, with no additional rolling or chilling, giving them a more tender crumb.

What is the history of shortbread cookies in Hawaii? ›

In 1998, Honolulu Cookie Company was established using a recipe for premium shortbread cookies baked using the finest ingredients and inspired by its island home, Hawai'i. Each pineapple shaped cookie is handcrafted and individually wrapped to ensure freshness.

What are common mistakes when making shortbread? ›

The most common mistakes when making shortbread are over-working the dough, and incorporating too much flour. The less you work the dough, the more crumbly and melt-in-your-mouth your shortbread cookies will be.

What is the difference between shortbread and Scottish shortbread? ›

Traditional Scottish shortbread is a simple recipe made with sugar, butter, flour, and salt. Other shortbread styles will include leavening agents like baking powder and baking soda, which makes them crisp instead of crumbly like traditional Scottish shortbread.

Why do you put shortbread in the fridge before baking? ›

Why do you put shortbread cut-out cookies in the fridge before baking? This is to resolidify the butter. The butter is at room temperature when making the dough resulting in a soft dough. If baked straight away, the butter would melt away immediately when hitting the hot oven and the shortbread would spread.

What happens if you add too much butter to shortbread cookies? ›

Butter is an emulsifier and it makes cookies tender. It also adds in the crispy-around-the-edges element. Adding too much butter can cause the cookies to be flat and greasy. Adding too little butter can cause the cookies to be tough and crumbly.

What is the number one selling cookie in America? ›

Oreo is the best-selling cookie in the world. It is now sold in over 100 countries. Oreo was first produced in 1912 by the National Biscuit Company, now known as Na-Bis-Co. But did you know Oreos are a copycat product?

What is the most popular cookie in America? ›

America's favorite cookie and the one dubbed “the American cookie” is the Chocolate chip cookie. Chocolate chip cookie is simply tantalizing both in flavor and in texture.

What did shortbread Girl Scout cookies used to be called? ›

That's just smart marketing. Yet the country is split on the names of their cookies. Half call shortbread cookies “Shortbread” while the other call their cookies “Trefoils”. Occasionally the name flips, a girl scout troop is pushing a “new” product, and people freak out a little.

What do Americans call shortbread? ›

Americans are the outlier on how we use "biscuit"

To most of the rest of the English-speaking world, a biscuit is what Americans would refer to as either a cookie or a cracker. Biscuits can be sweet (shortbread) or savory. They're baked in the oven, and they're crisp, not chewy.

Why are they called cowboy cookies? ›

The origins of "cowboy cookies" are unknown although they have been variously attributed to Texas or the Old West. The story that describes them in originating in the Old West claims that they were eaten by cowboys as a high energy snack that could be easily carried.

What is the world's famous shortbread? ›

Walker's Shortbread is honoured to carry a Royal Warrant, granted by Her Majesty the Queen, for the supply of Shortbread and Oatcakes. Walker's Shortbread is a gift fit for a king, and a treat befitting any special occasion.

Is shortbread a butter cookie? ›

Shortbread does not use any leavening, and is known for its “short” or crumbly texture. The shining ingredient is of course, butter. I have quite a few recipes for shortbread and sables in my books; all of them quite similar in nature, and all of them well-loved by my family.

Are chessmen butter cookies shortbread? ›

What makes Pepperidge Farms' Chessmen cookies so addictive? - Quora. They are shortbread cookies and shortbread is made with an arcane type of magic that makes you want to inhale them and go back for more.

What defines a shortbread cookie? ›

In simple terms, shortbread is a type of cookie classified by its high butter content. It is named shortbread due to its short, or crumbly, structure—which is caused by the high proportion of fat. The traditional recipe, developed in Scotland, consists of one part sugar, two parts butter, and three parts flour.

Why are some cookies called shortbread? ›

Shortbread is so named because of its crumbly texture (from an old meaning of the word "short", as opposed to "long", or stretchy). The cause of this texture is its high fat content, provided by the butter. The short or crumbly texture is a result of the fat inhibiting the formation of long protein (gluten) strands.

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