Oatmeal CookieBlog: White Chocolate Macaroons

This is a tweaked version of one my earliest recipes. I made the first version as an engagement present for my brother and his fiancée. That cookie had white chocolate drizzled on top, but this time around, I decided to put the white chocolate inside the cookie.

I use white chocolate chips and melted white chocolate. I also use four kinds of coconut in this cookie: sweetened coconut, toasted sweetened coconut, cream of coconut, and coconut extract. It's the perfect cookie for all you coconut freaks.

Here's a tip: Quite a few of my recipes call for cream of coconut. I open a can of the cream of coconut, use what I need, put the remainder in a Zip-Loc bag, and then put it in the freezer. That way, I always have cream of coconut on hand, and I don't waste anything. The cream of coconut can keep in the freezer for a month or so, which is plenty of time for you to use it up in such awesome cookies as Lime in the Coconut and The Girl Scouts Are Gonna Be Jealous.

These cookies have the perfect crispy exterior/chewy interior texture. So good! For a crisper cookie, flatten the dough balls a little bit with your hand before baking. (That's what I did with this batch.)

A while ago, Al, another author from my days as an English textbook editor, emailed me this New York Times article about macaroons and the private clubs that gobble them up. Maybe I could be the macaroon supplier for these clubs. Who knows...

Makes about 4 dozen delicious cookies. To add a layer of decadence, try drizzling some melted milk chocolate on top. (To see this recipe in process, check out Picturing White Chocolate Macaroons.)

Creamables

2 sticks butter

1 cup dark brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

Wet Ingredients

1 egg

1/4 cup melted white chocolate chips

2 tablespoons cream of coconut

1 tablespoon coconut extract

1 tablespoon vanilla

Dry Ingredients

3 cups oatmeal
1 1/2 cups coconut
1 1/2 cups toasted coconut
1 cup flour
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

In your Kitchen Aid or a large mixing bowl, cream together the creamables.
Add the combined wet ingredients to the creamables. Mix together until well incorporated.
In a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, fold together until evenly distributed.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the combined creamables and wet ingredients. Mix until evenly combined.
Shape dough into balls--about 2 tablespoons each.
Place the dough balls about 2 inches apart on Silpat- or parchment paper-lined cookie sheets. Lightly press down each dough ball until they are about 1/2 inch thick.
Bake at 350º for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let stand for 2 minutes. Then place cookies on wire racks to cool.