Prep Time 20 minutes Cook Time 25 minutes
These chewy cookies are, like the cake that shares their name, loaded with pecans, coconut, and chocolate. They make a great lunchbox treat, especially since the nuts and coconut actually sneak some solid nutrition into every decadent bite.
by Catherine Newman
What you'll need
- 2 cups sweetened, shredded coconut
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) salted butter, softened
- 1 large egg
- 4 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped or grated
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Notes:
Makes about 30 cookies
How to make it
- Heat the oven to 350° F and grease 2 baking sheets or cover them with parchment paper.
- Spread the coconut and pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 10 minutes, or until they are lightly browned. Set them aside to cool.
- Meanwhile whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and then set it aside.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat together the brown sugar and the butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, then beat in the egg, corn syrup, vanilla and almond extracts. Beat in the flour mixture, then use a rubber spatula to fold in the coconut, pecans, and chocolate.
- Drop the dough onto the baking sheets by the heaping tablespoonful, spacing them a few inches apart, and use a table knife to flatten them slightly.
- Bake one sheet at a time, in the upper third of the oven, for 7 to 10 minutes, until golden all over and lightly browned at the edges (you may want to reverse the sheet from front to back during baking to ensure even browning). Transfer the sheet to a wire rack and let stand a minute or two to let the cookies firm up, then transfer the cookies to the rack to cool.
