Hawaiian Luau Cookies

Tomorrow the Ingredient Spotlight at Eat at Home is coconut.  Since I am taking part in the Crazy Cooking Challenge and posting a fudge recipe, I thought that I would post a cookie with coconut in it today.

In the midst of all the chocolate, peppermint, almond and other flavors of the holiday season, this cookie is a nice change of pace.  With a slight pineapple flavor and crunchy with toasted macadamia nuts and coconut this cookie will make you think of sunshine and warm breezes.  If you don’t want to spring for the cost of macadamias, you can substitute toasted almonds.

I like to put the pineapple in a sieve, put it over a bowl and  let it set to drain from 15 to 30 minutes.  This allows all the juice to drain off the fruit.

I have adapted this recipe from a recipe in “The Cookie Jar” a cookbook from Leisure Arts published in 1995.

Hawaiian Luau Cookies
1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened
12 c. sugar
1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 t.vanilla
1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple, drained
2 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1 c. macadamia nuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
1 c. sweetened flaked coconut, toasted

Cream together butter and sugars until fluffy.  Add egg and vanilla and beat well.  Add pineapple.  Combine dry ingredients and mix well.   Add to creamed mixture, stirring until a soft dough forms.  Stir in macadamia nuts and coconut.  Drop tablespoonfuls of dough (I use a cookie scoop) onto a foil-lined baking sheet, placing  about 2-inches apart.  Bake at 375 degrees 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.  Let set on baking sheet one minute.  Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.  Store in an airtight container.  Makes about 4 doz.
 

Come back tomorrow for the recipe for the fudge I made and links to lots of others.

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