NUT BUTTER EXPLOSION
This dainty Almond Joy-like cookie includes toasted coconut and homemade almond butter. It was created by Becky Zapf of Allenton.
Joyful Almond Butter Cookies Makes 48
1 cup sweetened coconut
1 1⁄2 cups raw whole almonds
Cookie dough:
3⁄4 cup (1 1⁄2 sticks) butter, room temperature
3⁄4 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups flour
Reserved toasted coconut
1/8 teaspoon salt
Almond icing:
Reserved almond butter
5 tablespoons powdered sugar
⁄2 teaspoon almond 1 extract
For assembly:
6 to 8 ounces milk chocolate chips
Coconut for garnish
Sliced almonds for garnish (optional) Toast coconut: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread coconut onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 5 minutes. Stir and then return to oven to bake 3 minutes more, until golden. (Allow steam to escape the oven before getting too close.) Cool completely on cookie sheet. Leave oven on.
Roast almonds and make almond butter: Spread almonds in single layer onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Roast in oven 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on cookie sheet 15 minutes. Place warm almonds in a food processor; process 8 to 10 minutes, until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and let almond butter cool.
Make cookie dough: In a bowl, beat butter and sugar together until creamy, scraping down side of bowl as needed. Add egg yolk and vanilla. Beat on low speed until well-blended. Add flour, toasted coconut and salt. Beat on medium speed until well-blended.
Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a 1-inch-diameter log. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat cookie sheet with vegetable oil spray.
Slice dough logs into 1⁄4-inch-thick disks. Place disks on cookie sheet 1 inch apart. Bake in preheated oven 9 minutes, until edges are golden brown. Immediately transfer cookies to cooling rack to cool completely.
Make almond icing: Mix almond butter, powdered sugar and almond extract together.
Assemble cookies: Melt milk chocolate chips in a double boiler over medium heat. Top each cooled coconut cookie disk with 1⁄2 teaspoon almond butter icing (I used a piping bag). Dip each cookie, almond icing side down, into melted chocolate to coat. Garnish with coconut and a sliced almond in the center if desired. Let chocolate set.