Confessions of a Food Junkie

If you like chocolate chip cookies but are sick of the same ol' same ol', these are for you.  They are outstanding.  I wish my husband liked coconut so he could appreciate these as well.  Since he doesn't, I shared these with my parents (I don't need to inhale 2 dozen cookies, as much as I'd love to), who love coconut as much as I do.  Needless to say, they requested a second batch.

My secret ingredient?  Use coconut rum instead of the coconut extract it calls for.  It makes such a huge difference!  The first time I made them I didn't have the extract and didn't think to use the rum that was in the cupboard.  They were still good, don't get me wrong, but using the coconut rum makes all the difference!

You'll notice there's not a lot of rum left in the bottle.  This is not from baking, but because it is fantastic with pineapple juice.  But that's a story for another day.




1 cup flaked sweetened coconut
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon coconut extract (try coconut rum if you don't have/can't find the extract)
1 large egg
1 cup Heath toffee bits
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange coconut in a single layer on the pan. Bake for 5-7 minutes or until coconut is lightly toasted, stirring once. Set coconut aside to cool.

Line another baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside. Whisk together flour, baking powder, soda, and salt in a medium bowl.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add brown sugar and butter. Beat at medium speed until creamy and smooth, about two minutes. Beat in vanilla extract, coconut extract, and egg. Slowly add dry ingredients and mix until combined. Stir in toasted coconut, toffee bits, and chocolate chips.

Drop spoonfuls of dough 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until cookies start to brown around the edges. Remove from pan, and cool completely on wire racks.