Sunday Sweets – Chewy White-Chocolate Chip and Coconut Cookies

Sometimes in the kitchen, one must get a little bit creative. Not because they necessarily want, but because it is a necessity.

Sometimes, when you make something quite delicious, somehow over-night little fairies raid the cupboard and you inevitably wake up with a trail of crumbs and an almost-empty container.

Sometimes, you wake up and realise there won’t be enough food for your guests coming over that day.

And sometimes, you realise that your baking cupboard really needs to be more well-stocked so that in emergencies like this, you can easily whip up something else delicious.

From this, I’ve learnt my baking cupboard most definitely is not well enough stocked for emergencies. And from this, I’ve learnt to get just a little bit creative in the kitchen.

Now I’m sure my invention has been made many a times before, but the fact I even thought about it, probably earns me at least 8 cooking points.

With just enough basic ingredients for cookie dough, a packet of white-chocolate chips and a bag of desiccated coconut and voila, I had enough ingredients to make what I dub Chewy White-Chocolate Chip and Coconut Cookies.

Of cours for the dough, I was not clever enough to whip that up by myself, so I went back to my beloved Smitten Kitchen for that recipe.

However, I definitely ad-libbed the chocolate chip and coconut ratio, and I think, without sounding too immodest, I’ve made something brilliant. It’s easy to whip up when you’ve just come back from the gym and have an hour to bake them, eat breakfast, shower and get dressed. I know, it happened.

It’s easy for a kids party, for friends coming over for afternoon tea – it’s pretty much a great cookie recipe for any occasion!

Ingredients

2 cups plain flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 cup white-chocolate chips

1 cup desiccated coconut

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 165°C and line baking trays with baking paper.

2. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended.

4. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended.

5. Stir in the chocolate chips and desiccated coconut by hand using a wooden spoon.

6. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time (for giant cookies) or a tablespoon at a time (for smaller cookies) onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.

5. Bake larger cookies for 15 to 17 minutes, or 10 to 12 minutes for smaller ones (check your cookies before they’re done; depending on your scoop size, your baking time will vary) in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted.

6. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

VERDICT

And done! So simple it hurts your pretty little baking head, doesn’t it? These cookies are fat, chewy and sweet delights that pretty much melt in your mouth with each bite.

The coconut gives it a great fresh flavour and goes beautifully with the sweetness of the white-chocolate chips.

If you don’t like white-choclate (can I ask why!?) or coconut, you can substitute these ingredients for anything you like! Raisins, nuts, dark-chocolate or whatever tickles your fancy, get creative! Just use the basic dough recipe and on the step it says add chocolate chips, add in your own combinations.

Good luck and let me know what ingredients you would add!

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