Coconut Pecan Caramel Sandwich Cookies Recipes

COCONUT PECAN SHORTBREAD COOKIES WITH CARAMEL FILLING

Steps:

• To make the shortbread: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place coconut on a baking sheet, and toast until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes, stirring halfway through. Transfer the coconut to a cutting board, and finely chop. Transfer to a bowl; set aside.
• Spread the pecans on the baking pan, and toast until fragrant and golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes, rotating pan halfway through. Transfer the pecans to a cutting board, and finely chop. Add to bowl with the coconut.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add vanilla extract, flour, and salt; beat to combine. Stir in coconut and pecans.
• Form the dough into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Transfer to refrigerator, and chill until firm, 30 to 45 minutes.
• Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough 1/4-inch-thick. Using a 2 1/4-inch fluted pastry cutter, cut out 68 rounds. Place the rounds, spaced 1 inch apart, on the prepared baking sheets. Refrigerate dough 5 to 10 minutes. Using a 3/4-inch round aspic cutter, or the large end of a pastry tip, cut out and discard the centers from 34 cookies, making top halves.
• Bake until golden brown, about 12 minutes, rotating baking sheets halfway through baking time. Transfer cookies to a wire rack, and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container, at room temperature until ready to use
• To make the filling: Place the sugar and 3 tablespoons water in a small saucepan. Set over medium-high heat, and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, and cook until dark amber in color, about 5 minutes. Use a pastry brush, dipped in water, to wash down sides of pan to prevent crystallization as the mixture boils. Remove saucepan from the heat, and gradually whisk in the cream and butter. Transfer to a medium bowl, and let cool.
• To assemble the cookies: Spoon or pipe about 1/2 teaspoon caramel in the center of each of the bottom halves, and sandwich both halves together. Drizzle remaining caramel over the tops of the cookies. Let the caramel set at least 2 hours, and up to overnight.

COCONUT-PECAN-CARAMEL SANDWICH COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the coconut in an even layer on one half of a rimmed baking sheet and the pecans on the other. Toast, stirring coconut halfway through, until nuts are fragrant and coconut is light golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Place coconut and pecans in a food processor, and pulse until finely chopped.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add the flour and salt; beat until combined. Beat in chopped coconut-nut mixture until combined. Turn out the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a flattened disk. Wrap in plastic. Chill dough until firm, 30 to 45 minutes.
• Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. On a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Transfer to another baking sheet, and freeze until firm, 5 to 10 minutes. Using a 2-inch flower cookie cutter, cut out shapes, and place 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Freeze until firm, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Remove from freezer. Using a 3/4-inch round cookie cutter (or the wide end of a pastry tip) cut out and remove the centers from half of the cookies. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Transfer parchment and cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies can be made 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
• Spoon or pipe about 1 teaspoon Caramel Filling onto the flat side of each of the whole cookies. Top with cut cookies, keeping flat sides down. Drizzle the remaining caramel over the tops. Let caramel set at least 2 hours, or overnight, at room temperature. Cookies can be kept, layered between sheets of parchment paper, in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
• Caramel Filling
• Place the sugar and 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water in a medium heavy-bottom saucepan. Set over medium-high heat, and stir to combine. Without stirring, bring the mixture to a boil, and cook until dark amber in color, about 5 minutes, washing down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming.
• Remove from heat. Carefully pour the cream down the side of the pan (it will spatter), stirring constantly, until fully combined. Add the butter and stir to combine. Transfer filling to a heatproof bowl, and let cool slightly before filling cookies.