{ soft coconut-lime sugar cookies }

Two of my favorite culinary loves: lime and coconut. Combine them together and the result is magic (and a great summer cookie!).

Soft coconut-lime sugar cookies
(adapted from The Cookin' Chemist)

Ingredients

• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1-1/2 cups sugar, plus 1/3 cup for sprinkling
• 2 oz. cream cheese
• 1 Tbsp. finely grated lime zest
• 6 Tbsp. salted butter, melted and still warm
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 Tbsp. coconut milk (plain milk is also fine)
• 1 Tbsp. lime juice

Process

Preheat heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

 

Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder and coconut together in a medium bowl. Set aside.

 

Place 1-1/2 cups sugar, cream cheese, and lime zest in a large bowl.

Set aside remaining 1/3 cup sugar to use in final steps.

 

Pour warm, melted butter over sugar and cream cheese and whisk to combine (some small lumps of cream cheese will remain but will smooth out later).

Whisk in oil. Add egg, coconut milk, and lime juice; continue to whisk until smooth. With a rubber spatula, fold in flour in small amounts and mix until soft dough forms. The final dough will be

slightly softer than most cookie dough. For best results, handle the dough as little as possible when shaping the cookies.

Use a scoop to form equal-sized cookies, approximately 2 tablespoons each, and evenly space them on prepared baking sheets, 12 cookies per sheet. Lightly press down on cookies to partially flatten (dipping fingers into water reduces sticking). Sprinkle tops evenly with remaining sugar and discard any remaining.

Bake, 1 tray at a time, until edges are set and just beginning to brown, 11 to 13 minutes, rotating the tray after 7 minutes.

Cool cookies on baking sheets for at least 5 minutes (I let mine sit for about 15 minutes). Using a wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and cool.

Serve at room temperature.