Coconut Shortbread Cookies

One of my favorite ways to spend a rainy day is curled up on the couch with a good book, sipping tea or coffee, and nibbling on a tray of shortbread cookies. These coconut shortbread cookies are an especially nice treat. They transport your taste buds to the sunny tropics with just one bite.

With only five ingredients—butter, sugar, vanilla, flour and shredded coconut—these cookies are a breeze to prepare. Once mixed, chill the dough until firm, slice it into rectangles and bake the cookies to golden perfection. Like our other favorite shortbread cookie recipes, these have a wonderfully rich, buttery taste and a delectable melt-in-your-mouth texture. Toss in some coconut, and you’ve got shortbread cookies with a heavenly aroma and a subtle chew that makes them irresistible.

Coconut Shortbread Cookie Ingredients

• Butter: The secret to great coconut shortbread is in the butter, so choose one of the best butter brands for this recipe. It makes all the difference in quality and taste.
• Granulated sugar: In shortbread cookies, sugar helps sweeten the dough and contributes to the cookies’ golden color and final texture.
• Vanilla extract: A splash of quality vanilla extract adds incredible depth to the flavor of these shortbread cookies with coconut.
• Flour: Accurately measuring flour is essential for great coconut shortbread cookies. Too little and your cookies will flatten in the oven; too much and they will be dry, dense and tough.
• Shredded coconut: Sweetened shredded coconut is mostly dry but still has a bit of moisture, making it perfect for tender coconut shortbread. If you want a tropical coconut flavor that isn’t as sweet, use an equal amount of unsweetened coconut.

Directions

Step 1: Make the dough

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, five to seven minutes.

Editor’s Tip: Correctly creaming butter and sugar together is a key step in making cookies. This technique aerates the batter, giving the shortbread a lighter texture.

Beat in the vanilla, then gradually beat the flour into the creamed mixture. Fold in the coconut.

Step 2: Shape and chill

Using a sheet of waxed paper, shape the dough into a 12x3x1-inch rectangle. Wrap it in waxed paper and transfer it to the refrigerator to chill for three hours or overnight.

Editor’s Tip: Don’t skip chilling the cookie dough; you’ll end up with pancake shortbread. Due to the high butter content, the dough must chill so the butter can solidify and the flour can hydrate before baking. This will limit the spread of the cookies (nobody wants flat cookies) and improve their texture.

Step 3: Slice and bake

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Unwrap and cut the chilled dough crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place them 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets, and bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden.

Cool the cookies on the pans for five minutes, then remove them to wire racks to cool completely.

Coconut Shortbread Cookie Variations

• Add some mix-ins: For added flavor and texture, toss in up to 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips or chopped nuts, such as pecans, walnuts or macadamia nuts.
• Drizzle with chocolate: Can’t live without chocolate? Once cool, drizzle each cookie with melted chocolate. Dark chocolate and white chocolate go exceptionally well with the coconut.
• Find coconut alternatives: If you don’t enjoy coconut, you can omit it from the recipe. Instead, use the zest from any citrus fruit.
• Go for more extract: Add 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract to these cookies for an extra punch of flavor. Caramel extract also pairs well with these shortbread cookies with coconut.
• Make them gluten-free: Readers have reported great success making these coconut shortbread cookies with a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend.

How to Store Coconut Shortbread Cookies

Coconut shortbread cookies should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. The best tips for keeping cookies fresh include letting them cool completely and using the right container type.

How long do coconut shortbread cookies last?

Properly stored, shortbread cookies with coconut can stay fresh for up to two weeks, but they’re best within one week.

Coconut Shortbread Cookie Tips

Can you toast the coconut for coconut shortbread cookies?

Sure! Toasting coconut makes it taste nuttier, sweeter and more complex for coconut shortbread.

Do you need to poke holes in coconut shortbread cookies?

No, unlike some classic shortbread recipes, you don’t need to poke holes in coconut shortbread—although it wouldn’t hurt if you did. The holes allow steam to escape for a more uniform cookie.

Why are my coconut shortbread cookies spreading in the oven?

You didn’t chill the dough long enough if your coconut shortbread cookies spread too much in the oven. Place the sliced cookies on a baking sheet and chill them in the fridge for 10 to 15 more minutes before baking.