Best Caramel Coconut Shortbread 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.

CARAMEL COCONUT SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• 1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Make the shortbread by combining the butter and sugar and beating until fluffy with a mixer. Stir in the vanilla, then add the flour and salt, mixing just until incorporated. Press into a 9 x 13-in pan and use a fork to prick the dough at 1-inch intervals. Bake until golden around the edges, 18-22 minutes. 2. Meanwhile, make the caramel by melting the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar, sweetened condensed milk, honey, and salt and bring to a boil, stirring constantly to avoid burning (seriously!!). 3. Use a candy themometer to heat the caramel to 240 degrees (soft ball stage). This will take a total of 10 to 15 minutes to boil and then get to 240- so settle in for some stirring (take it from me- don't try to do anything else, just turn the tunes up and stir away...). Once the themometer reaches 240, turn the heat down slightly to keep the caramel at the 240 stage for 2 full minutes (keeping the caramel at the soft ball stage ensures you will have soft candy and not hard caramel that will break apart). 4. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. 5. Place the coconut in a large bowl and pour 2/3 of the caramel over the coconut; mix together thoroughly. Pour the remaining caramel into a parchment-lined 7 x 11 pan to cool and cut into squares. These can be dipped in chocolate or wrapped in wax paper to make caramel candies. 6. Spread the caramel-coconut mixture over the shortbread layer. 7. Melt the chocolate and spread over the caramel layer. If you want to make the chocolate decorative, run a knife through the chocolate at 1-inch intervals width-wise, then again length-wise. This creates the marbled effect you see in the photos. 8. Let cool completely (overnight is best) before cutting into small squares (I did 8 x 6) and freeze or store in airtight containers.