Toasted Coconut & Lime Oatmeal Cookies With Chocolate Drizzle

This is a gourmet variation of the classic oatmeal cookie.

Ingredients:

2 ¼ cups flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

¾ teaspoon salt

2 sticks butter, at room temperature

½ cup sugar

¾ cup packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 cups oats

One cup toasted coconut

1 tablespoon finely grated lime peel

2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips 

1/2 tablespoon shortening

Method:

Preheat oven to 350* Spread 1 cup of coconut on a cookie sheet and bake 10 – 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a medium or large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat sugars and butter until fluffy, 4 minutes. Add vanilla and eggs and beat until combined. Add flour mixture and beat until just combined. Stir in oats, coconut and lime zest. Drop dough in 2 tablespoon- size balls on parchment paper lined baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies are golden around the edges but still soft in the center.(12 -15 minutes.) Let cool on sheets 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to finish cooling completely. In microwave, heat ½ tablespoon shortening and 2/3 cup dark chocolate chips in a small bowl. Heat at 30 second intervals, stirring after each time, just until completely melted. Drizzle melted chocolate over cookies, while cooling on sheets. Finish cooling on trays in refrigerator. Remove from trays and place in an airtight container, between layers of waxed paper. Store in refrigerator. (The flavor of these cookies is greatly enhanced when chilled.) Makes 3 dozen.

Variation:

Orange peel can be substituted for the lime peel.

Package small jars of cookies to give as gifts.

Note: In 2013, I brought a tray of these cookies to share at an 

Easter Brunch. They were a big hit!