"COCONUT WASHBOARDS" BY FREDA

Many years ago these cookies were sold in a Country local general store, near where we lived. They were sold by the Pound, from a large wooden barrel. They were extra large, plain and semisoft, and Nostalgic as I recall. They are Coconut, which was a real treat in them days. I am sure many of you can recall these cookies, or even...

Provided by FREDA GABLE

Categories Cookies

Time 35m

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

COCONUT WASHBOARD COOKIES
2 C sifted all purpose flour
3/4 tsp double acting baking pdr.
1/4 tsp soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 stk 1/4 lb butter (room temp)
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 C light brown sugar
1 lg egg
2 TBS water
1 C (firmly packed) shredded coconut

Steps:

1. preheat oven 375 adjust oven racks into 3rds.
2. Sift together 1st 4 ingredients, set aside.
3. Cream Butter, Beat in Vanilla ADD Brn Sgr. and beat well. ADD egg, & water, the mixture will appear curdled, that's ok.
4. On low speed, gradually blend dry ingredients. beat only til combined. stir in coconut.
5. cut a piece of wax paper to fit the cookie sheet. Use heaping teaspoon of the dough for each cookie. (remember these are large) place them close to each other on the wax paper, forming 24 mounds. Slide cookie sheet under wax paper, transfer to freezer or refer to chill until fir enough to handle. NOTE:(if in freezer watch carefully they should not be frozen solid)
6. tip: cut alluminum foil to fit cookie sheet. have some flour ready to flour hands, and a fork.
7. Flour your hands, pick up a mound, and roll it between your palms, into a sausage shape about 3" long. Place on foil, continue shapping remaining mounds of dough, placing 3" apart. (NO CLOSER)
8. flour your finger tips with one hand, and with finger tips flatten each sausage-shaped roll until they are 1/4" thick, 3 1/2" long by 2" wide.
9. Now to form the traditional ridges, that gibe these cookies their name: dip a fork into the flour & press the back of the tines, forming deep indentations. Since the cookies are so large it will be necessary to press the fork 4 times.once for each quarter of the cookie surface. the ridges should be parrallel, and go lengthwise with the cookie.
10. Slide cookie sheet under the foil. BAKE cookies 12 min. reversing the sheets top to bottom, and turning front to back, once, to insure even browning, now bake til golden brown all over. (DO NOT UNDERBAKE) if only using a single baking sheet at a tme, use the high rack.
11. Let cookies stand in pcookie sheet 3-5 min before removing with wide metal spatula transfer to cooling rack. . . . baking approx 20 min total time. Makes 24, X-LARGE COOKIES.