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Doris's Coconut Lemon Melts

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on October 6, 2014

Time

1¾ hours, plus 20 minutes cooling and 1 hour setting

Yield

Makes 36 cookies

Doris's Coconut Lemon Melts

Ingredients

2 ½ cups (12 ½ ounces/354 grams) all-purpose flour ¼ teaspoon baking powder 1 cup macadamia nuts, toasted1 cup (2 ounces/57 grams) sweetened flaked coconut, toasted16 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened1 cup (7 ounces/198 grams) plus 2 tablespoons superfine sugar ½ teaspoon salt 1 large egg plus 1 large yolk1 tablespoon grated lemon zest plus 4 teaspoons juice1 teaspoon vanilla extract 12 ounces (340 grams) white chocolate, chopped⅛ teaspoon lemon oil 6 ounces (170 grams) semisweet chocolate, chopped

Before You Begin

If you can’t find superfine sugar, process granulated sugar in a food processor for 30 seconds. Instead of a tablespoon measure, a #60 scoop can be used for portioning the dough.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk flour and baking powder together in bowl. Pulse nuts in food processor until finely ground, about 10 pulses; add to flour mixture. In now-empty food processor, pulse coconut until finely ground, about 5 pulses; add to flour-nut mixture.
  2. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter, sugar, and salt on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and yolk, lemon zest and juice, and vanilla and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 2 additions until just combined, scraping down bowl as needed.
  3. Using 1-tablespoon measure, scoop 12 portions of dough, roll into smooth balls, and evenly space on prepared sheet. Press dough to 1/4-inch thickness using bottom of greased measuring cup or flat-bottomed glass.
  4. Bake until golden brown around edges, 8 to 10 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and let cool completely. Repeat twice more with remaining dough, letting sheet cool between batches.
  5. Microwave white chocolate in bowl at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in lemon oil. Dip half of each cookie into melted white chocolate, letting excess drip back into bowl, and place on parchment-lined sheet. Let chocolate set for 30 minutes.
  6. Microwave semisweet chocolate in bowl at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted, about 2 minutes. Dip fork into chocolate and wave back and forth over white chocolate–coated half of cookies to create lines. Let chocolate set for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Doris's Coconut Lemon Melts

Doris's Coconut Lemon Melts

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

1¾ hours, plus 20 minutes cooling and 1 hour setting

Yield

Makes 36 cookies

Ingredients

2 ½ cups (12 ½ ounces/354 grams) all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup macadamia nuts, toasted
1 cup (2 ounces/57 grams) sweetened flaked coconut, toasted
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (7 ounces/198 grams) plus 2 tablespoons superfine sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 large egg plus 1 large yolk
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest plus 4 teaspoons juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 ounces (340 grams) white chocolate, chopped
⅛ teaspoon lemon oil
6 ounces (170 grams) semisweet chocolate, chopped

Ingredients

2 ½ cups (12 ½ ounces/354 grams) all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup macadamia nuts, toasted
1 cup (2 ounces/57 grams) sweetened flaked coconut, toasted
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (7 ounces/198 grams) plus 2 tablespoons superfine sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 large egg plus 1 large yolk
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest plus 4 teaspoons juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 ounces (340 grams) white chocolate, chopped
⅛ teaspoon lemon oil
6 ounces (170 grams) semisweet chocolate, chopped

Ingredients

2 ½ cups (12 ½ ounces/354 grams) all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup macadamia nuts, toasted
1 cup (2 ounces/57 grams) sweetened flaked coconut, toasted
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (7 ounces/198 grams) plus 2 tablespoons superfine sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 large egg plus 1 large yolk
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest plus 4 teaspoons juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 ounces (340 grams) white chocolate, chopped
⅛ teaspoon lemon oil
6 ounces (170 grams) semisweet chocolate, chopped

Why This Recipe Works

We pack this shortbread dough full of flavor by using ground macadamia nuts, coconut, and both lemon juice and zest. Shaping the cookies by rolling them into balls and flattening them with a measuring cup or flat-bottomed glass is a foolproof way to get consistently shaped, round cookies. By dipping them in white chocolate flavored with lemon oil, we give the cookies an extra hit of sweetness and lemon flavor.

Before You Begin

If you can’t find superfine sugar, process granulated sugar in a food processor for 30 seconds. Instead of a tablespoon measure, a #60 scoop can be used for portioning the dough.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk flour and baking powder together in bowl. Pulse nuts in food processor until finely ground, about 10 pulses; add to flour mixture. In now-empty food processor, pulse coconut until finely ground, about 5 pulses; add to flour-nut mixture.
  2. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter, sugar, and salt on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and yolk, lemon zest and juice, and vanilla and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 2 additions until just combined, scraping down bowl as needed.
  3. Using 1-tablespoon measure, scoop 12 portions of dough, roll into smooth balls, and evenly space on prepared sheet. Press dough to 1/4-inch thickness using bottom of greased measuring cup or flat-bottomed glass.
  4. Bake until golden brown around edges, 8 to 10 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and let cool completely. Repeat twice more with remaining dough, letting sheet cool between batches.
  5. Microwave white chocolate in bowl at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in lemon oil. Dip half of each cookie into melted white chocolate, letting excess drip back into bowl, and place on parchment-lined sheet. Let chocolate set for 30 minutes.
  6. Microwave semisweet chocolate in bowl at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted, about 2 minutes. Dip fork into chocolate and wave back and forth over white chocolate–coated half of cookies to create lines. Let chocolate set for at least 30 minutes before serving.

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