Coconut Thumbprint Cookies Recipe

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Hello coconut lovers! These delicious Coconut Thumbprint Cookies are just what you’re looking for; a great cookie recipe with plenty of coconut flavor and a fun little springtime spin.

You don’t have to be celebrating Easter or even spring to enjoy these easy coconut thumbprint cookies. Fill the center with your favorite buttercream frosting, a simple glaze as you see here, caramel or even chocolate ganache; it’s all good!

These cookies remind me of little nests, so in went candy robin eggs!

I love this time of year, and who doesn’t? After many, many long dark days of winter, here in Virginia we’re getting a little more sunshine, longer daylight hours and warmer weather! The birds are chirping and cavorting, and scoping out new nest locations. Before you know it we’ll have eggs in the nests and then baby birds singing for their dinner. I’m ready to plant our garden, put out some flowers and fire up the grill!

These melt-in-your-mouth thumbprints are the perfect combination of buttery cookie and toasted coconut.

Not overly sweet, they’re right at home with a little pool of simple icing and a few mini-candied eggs tucked inside. Honestly, I would love these cookies without adding a drop of icing, they’re that good. My husband shared these with his co-workers and the feedback was phenomenal. Without exception, the select group of business men and women stopped in his office for repeat visits and grabbed seconds, thirds and even sixths for one guy who doesn’t even like sweets! I thought these would appeal to kids most of all, but they seem to connect with the kid in all of us 🙂 Toasted coconut is hard to beat!

This recipe can stack up against any coconut cookie recipe out there!

The cookie dough is flavored with coconut extract, rolled into balls, dipped in a beaten egg, then coated in sweetened, shredded coconut for a double dose of coconut flavor. Once baked, the sweetened coconut coating almost caramelizes transforming to an incredibly addicting toasty treat. There’s something practically magical about toasted coconut; so good!  If you want to really load up on coconut flavor don’t be afraid to double the coconut extract or add a few drops to the icing too. I say go big with the flavors!

Hershey’s makes a nice small chocolate egg that would be good here, and I bet all the kiddos would love jelly beans too. Jelly Bellies are small enough that they might fit in the center better than these honker malted mini-robin eggs. Whatever you use, don’t miss making these cookies ASAP!

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Coconut Thumbprint Cookies

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 14 mins

Total Time: 34 mins

Yield: 36 cookies

Course: Dessert

Author: Tricia

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Ingredients

For the cookie dough:

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 large whole egg, plus 1 egg white lightly beaten
• 4-5 ounces sweetened flaked coconut

For the filling:

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon hot water
• mini-candy eggs

Instructions

To prepare the cookie dough:

• In a large mixing bowl combine the butter and sugar. Beat on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl and blend again. Add the vanilla and coconut extract and beat until blended.
• In a small bowl whisk together the flour, cornstarch and salt. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter in three additions and beat on low speed until combined. Repeat until all flour is incorporated. Press the dough together with the spatula to form a ball in the mixing bowl. Refrigerate while preparing the egg wash.
• Preheat oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a small, deep bowl whisk together the whole egg and egg white until blended. Pour half the coconut into a separate shallow bowl and place next to the egg wash. (Add more coconut to the bowl as needed)
• Using a small cookie scoop form the dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Using one clean hand, dip a cookie dough ball in the beaten egg rolling to cover, then transfer to the bowl of coconut. With the opposite clean hand, roll the dough ball in the coconut, lightly pressing to adhere. Place the balls on the parchment lined baking sheets 2-inches apart . Continue until the pan is filled. Press an indentation into the center of each dough ball using the back of a rounded 1/4 teaspoon, taking care not to press too hard or too deep causing the cookies to spread. Refrigerate the filled pan while preparing the second sheet of cookie dough balls. See NOTES about refrigeration. Place the second filled baking sheet in the refrigerator while the first is baking.
• Bake the cookies for 9-10 minutes, then remove the baking sheet from the oven. Carefully and lightly re-press each indentation. Rotate the pan and continue baking until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes more. (Total baking time is about 14 minutes) Allow baked cookies to rest on the pan for a minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.

To ice the cookies:

• In a small bowl whisk together the powdered sugar and water. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon of the icing into the indentations and immediately top with candy eggs if using. Press the eggs into the icing to adhere. Allow the icing to set before storing the cookies in an airtight container.

Recipe Notes

Sweetened coconut can burn quickly so monitor the baking time closely as oven temperatures vary.

 

Refrigerating the dough balls is optional but helps prevent spreading when baked. If you skip this step, monitor the baking time and reduce appropriately, by about 2 minutes. The cookies are good either way, with our without refrigeration.

 

You can skip the candied eggs and double the filling, if desired. I would add a drop or two of coconut extract too! Fill the thumbprints with your favorite buttercream, caramel or chocolate ganache for a delicious treat.

 

Base cookie recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

Here are a few more coconut dessert recipes you might enjoy:

Coconut Key Lime Meltaways – a light and buttery bite-sized cookie with a big tropical flavor. Click HERE to get the recipe for Coconut Key Lime Meltaways.

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies with Coconut – this cookie is a shining star on the dessert tray! Delicious jumbo-sized thick and chewy cookies that rival any from the gourmet bake shop. Click HERE to get the recipe for White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies with Coconut.

Mini Coconut Pound Cakes all dressed up for Easter fun!  Baked in a mini bundt pan, topped with a simple coconut flavored icing and garnished with shredded coconut and pastel colored candy eggs. Click HERE to get the recipe for Mini Coconut Pound Cakes.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Tricia