Coconut-Almond Cookie Nests Recipe

By jenncrose

March 18, 2015

Coconut-Almond Cookie Nests Recipe

By

Terry Grieco Kenny

Sort of a cross between a macaroon and a buttery cookie, these adorable treats make a festive Easter dessert. The kids will have fun helping made them and hopefully they won’t eat all the candy before the nests are filled!

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Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon coconut or almond extract
• 4 cups sweetened flaked coconut, divided
• 1 cup Milk Chocolate, Coconut and Almond Candies in A Crunchy Shell (Almond Joy Pieces) or chocolate-covered raisins (Rasinets)

Details

Servings 1
Preparation time 30mins
Cooking time 48mins
Adapted from blog.bedbathandbeyond.com

Preparation

Step 1

prep time: 30 minutes; Cook time: 18 minutes; Yield 4 dozen

Instructions:

Place oven rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Coat baking sheets with no-stick cooking spray or line with parchment paper. Spread almonds on baking sheet and bake, stirring once, until toasted, about 7 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop and set aside.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl using a whisk.Beat butter and cream cheese in large bowl with electric mixer until blended. Beat in sugar and extract until fluffy, about 2 minutes. With mixer on low speed, gradually beat in flour mixture just until blended. Stir in 1 cup coconut and the almonds until blended.

Put remaining coconut in a large bowl. Roll rounded Tablespoons dough into balls and roll in coconut to generously coat.

Place about 2-inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Make a deep indentation in center of each ball with your thumb. Bake 1 sheet at a time 18 to 22 minutes or until coconut is lightly toasted and cookies are set.

Remove pan to wire cooling rack and gently press 3 candies into “nest”. Remove cookies to rack and cool completely.

Notes: Store with waxed paper between layers in plastic or glass containers. Store at room temperature up to 5 days or freeze up to 2 weeks.