Coconut Cream-Filled Macaroons

As you can see from my recent posts about holiday cookies, I use a lot of Martha Stewart recipes. I began collecting her yearly Holiday Baking issue years ago & always find inspiration from her original cookie recipes & creative packaging ideas. Last year, I received her Cookies cookbook as a Christmas gift. Now, I have all those recipes in one book, instead of a big pile of magazines.
While I love her ideas & design sense...I wonder sometimes who tests her recipes. I frequently have to adjust them & find that I can never plan on serving one of her dishes without testing it out first. Such is the case with these cookies. They came out fantastic! But, I had to tweak things.

Begin by measuring 3 cups of finely shredded, unsweetened coconut into a mixing bowl. Add 3/4 cups of sugar, 1/8 teaspoon coarse salt,

3 large egg white & 1 teaspoon of coconut extract.

Mix well {I find hands work best for this} & chill for 1 hour, or overnight. Scoop out the dough by the tablespoonful & shape into a ball. Place on a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper & gently press down on them to form small discs.
{I made a lot of these...so, to save time, I pressed the dough into a sheet about 1/2" thick & cut the shapes out using a small biscuit cutter}

Space the cookies 1" apart & bake for 10-12 minutes, or until edges begin to brown. Rotate the pans halfway through cooking time.

To make the filling, combine 2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons cream of coconut, a 1/4 cup vegetable shortening, 1 teaspoon of coconut extract & 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed, until smooth {about 2-3 minutes}.

Place a heaping teaspoon of filling on the bottom of a cookie. Sandwich with another cookie & repeat with the remaining cookies. Cover with plastic wrap & chill until filling is firm {about 30 minutes}. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container, at room temperature, for 3 days.

Coconut Cream-Filled Macaroons

Adapted from Martha Stewart: Cookies
Makes 2 dozen sandwich cookies

3 cups unsweetened, finely shredded coconut
3/4 cups sugar
3 large egg whites
2 teaspoons coconut extract, divided
1/8 teaspoon coarse salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons cream of coconut
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
3/4 cups confectioners' sugar

Blend the shredded coconut, sugar, egg whites, 1 teaspoon of coconut extract & the salt in a mixing bowl. Cover & chill for 1 hour, or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Scoop out the dough by the tablespoonful & shape into a ball. Place on a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper & gently press down on them to form small discs. Space the cookies 1" apart & bake for 10-12 minutes, or until edges begin to brown. Rotate the pans halfway through cooking time. Remove from the oven & transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the filling, combine the butter, cream of coconut, vegetable shortening, 1 teaspoon of coconut extract & confectioners' sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed, until smooth {about 2-3 minutes}.
Place a heaping teaspoon of filling on the bottom of a cookie. Sandwich with another cookie & repeat with the remaining cookies. Cover with plastic wrap & chill until filling is firm {about 30 minutes}. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container, at room temperature, for 3 days.
Click here for the printable recipe.