Cake of the Week: Toasted Coconut Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Dried Cherries

Mmmm. Cookies. I thought I'd seen it all in the cookie department, and then these babies came along. Toasted coconut. In the cookies. As much coconut as flour. Yes please.

I was at my desk one afternoon, craving cookies (per usual), when these appeared in my Google Reader. Luckily I still had some coconut hanging around from my bars and biscotti adventure, so I could go home and make these cookies that night, no grocery store required. Just toss all the ingredients into a bowl and mix - easy easy easy.

And the final result? They're just so chewy. I mean really, these little orbs of deliciousness really define everything that a chewy cookie should be.

I added chopped dried cherries and semi-sweet chocolate chips. (You could also go tropical and add dried pineapple and mango and macadamia nuts or cashews. Ohh, yeah, that would be good! With white chocolate chips! That may have to happen soon...)

Anywho, my only warning is watch your coconut. Things go from toasted to burnt very fast, so be careful!

Toasted Coconut Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Dried Cherries (recipe adapted from First Look, Then Cook)

Ingredients

• 1 cup flaked unsweetened coconut
• 4.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 2 ounces dark chocolate (70% cacao), chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped dried cherries
  
• Cooking spray

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Arrange coconut in a single layer in a small baking pan. Bake at 350° for 7 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring once. Set aside to cool.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; stir until blended. Place sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Beat in vanilla and egg. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed just until combined. Stir in toasted coconut and chocolate.

Drop by level tablespoons 2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until bottoms of cookies just begin to brown. Remove from pan, and cool completely on wire racks.

Enjoy!