Maui Cookies

 

Chewy, Crispy, Crunchy....  everything all in one cookie.

Coconut, chocolate, nuts, dried mango and dried pineapple.  Everything yummy to make a tropical paradise cookie.

It all started with a Pepperidge Farm package on a co-workers desk, it said MAUI cookies.  Yum, I thought as I walked by... what would a Maui cookie have in it?

So I started my food day dreaming on all the things I would add as I walked to my next meeting.

What a disappointment to come home and check out Pepperidge Farms site to see that their cookies have coconut and chocolate in them. And? And?  Nope, that's all.

So I kept thinking about my original idea, and decided to come up with something that lived up to MY expectations. When I was happy to my creation,  I brought in a plate to share at a meeting (call it bribery to get people to come to a meeting if you like) and they were enthusiastically received. Even those people who say they don't like coconut said the coconut wasn't over powering and get "stuck in their throats" (like some people in my extended family say about it).  Since I happen to be a major coconut lover, I really can't understand that feeling, but I am glad that everyone liked these!

About the nuts, you could definitely leave them out, but I might recommend that chopped macadamia nuts would be a fantastic addition.  I used almonds, because, dang it, I was fresh out of macadamia nuts! I do recommend that you use MINI chocolate chips... I think that big chocolate chips might over power the other flavors and textures.  The mini chips really just enhance the others.  

But really, it's all about what YOU want.  

Don't you just love it when people say that to you?

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen 2" cookies
Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour             

1 teaspoon baking soda           

1/4 teaspoon salt                      

3/4 cup butter  (1 1/2 sticks)           

1/2 cup granulated sugar            

1/3 cup light brown sugar         

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract                 

1 egg                                      

1/2 cup rolled oats, blended

1/2 cup almonds or macadamia nuts, sliced or chopped                   

1 cup chocolate chips, (I used mini chips)

1/2 cup shredded, sweetened coconut

1/2 cup dried mango, chopped

1/2 cup dried pineapple, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a blender, or a food processor, blend your oats until they are pulverized into a flour type texture.  I found that 1/2 cup whole oats equaled 1/2 cup oat flour. Whisk together the oat flour, the white flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

On medium speed, cream together the butter and both sugars together about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat to combine. On low speed, gradually add the flour until just combined. Stir in the oat 'flour', nuts, coconut, chocolate and dried fruit.

Bake for 10-11 minutes.  I froze pre-made cookie dough balls and baked frozen for 12-14 minutes, and it worked out great.