Recipe: Orange Butter Drops with Shredded Coconut (orange cookies with orange glaze)

ORANGE BUTTER DROPS WITH SHREDDED COCONUT

"There's a secret here, and I'm about to share it. The beauty of this cookie lies in its texture - golden on the outside, almost creamy on the inside - and that texture comes from cream cheese. The kicker is that cream cheese has a tangy flavor, and when it is matched with the zestiness of the orange and the sweetness of the coconut, it makes for a definitively well-balanced sweet. It's called Sadie because a pretty cookie deserves a name to match."



3/4 cup granulated sugar
Grated zest of 1 orange
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons cream cheese, at room temperature, divided use
FOR THE GLAZE:
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice, or more if needed
1 cup confectioners' sugar, or more if needed
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut*

Put the granulated sugar and the orange zest in a medium bowl. Using both hands, rub the sugar into the orange zest. Put the mixture in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and add the flour and salt. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds.

With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add the pieces of butter. When the mixture begins to look like crumbs, add the vanilla. Gradually add 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese. When the dough starts to clump together, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead it by hand for a few seconds until it is fully combined.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Scoop out a small round of dough, about 11/2 tablespoons in size. Roll the scoop into a ball, place it on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and gently press the ball. Repeat, leaving 1 inch between cookies.

Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, or until golden around the edges. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

TO PREPARE THE GLAZE:
In the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the remaining 1 tablespoon cream cheese, the orange juice, and the confectioners' sugar. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 2 more minutes. The glaze should be as thick as glue.

Spread the coconut on a plate. Dip the top of each cookie into the glaze, dip it into the shredded coconut, and allow the glaze to set for 20 minutes.

*Both Bob's Red Mill and King Arthur Flour sell great unsweetened coconut.

Makes about 36 cookies
Used by permission to Recipelink.com from Clarkson Potter
Source: One Girl Cookies by Dawn Casale and David Crofton