coconut sables*

this was a new recipe this year and when I was making it up, I could not stop eating the dough (that’s always the sign of a good cookie right?).  no matter how many times you reroll the scraps, these cookies always come out tender and delicate, which is another reason I liked this recipe. you can roll out sheets of dough and freeze them, well-wrapped, for several weeks. stamping frozen dough won’t affect baking time because it’s rolled out so thinly. unsweetened coconut can be found at health-food stores.

2-1/2 oz. (2/3 cup) finely ground almonds
2-1/2 oz. (1 cup) unsweetened shredded coconut
10 oz. (2-1/4 cups) all-purpose flour
10 oz. (20 tbs.) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1/2 tsp. salt
5 oz. (1-1/3 cups) confectioners’ sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature

1. blend the ground almonds, coconut, and flour; set aside.  with the paddle of an electric mixer, cream the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy but not melted. add the salt and confectioners’ sugar; mix on medium-low speed until thoroughly combined, about 5 min., scraping down the bowl as needed. reduce the speed to low and add the egg; mix until incorporated. add the flour mixture; as soon as the dough comes together, stop the mixer.

2. divide the dough into three parts. roll each part between two sheets of parchment to about 1/8 inch thick. transfer the dough, still between the parchment, to baking sheets and chill in the freezer for about 30 min.

3. heat the oven to 375°f. line a baking sheet with parchment. when the dough is quite firm, peel off the top sheet of parchment and stamp out shapes with a 2-inch round scalloped cookie cutter (or whatever shape you like, though shapes with skinny parts will brown unevenly). lay the cookies 1/2 inch apart on the baking sheet. reroll the scraps, chilling first if necessary.

4. bake until the cookies are light golden around the edges, 8 to 10 min., rotating the sheet halfway through. cool on the baking sheet until cool enough to handle (about 10 min.) and then transfer the cookies to a rack. makes about 6 dozen.