Brown sugar coconut cookies - a good recipe for an empty pantry

These simple yet delicious cookies, packed with coconut, are a good solution for those days when we want something sweet but there’s nothing in the pantry; I’m usually stocked with ingredients for my baking sessions, but that Saturday I was out of just about everything: fruits, chocolate, jam. I guess that I focused so much on having flour, eggs and butter that I ended up forgetting other important items. Heavy rain and some laziness made me immediately cancel the idea of a trip to the grocery store. I did, however, have some coconut, and that saved the day: it was transformed into cookies that go well with strong coffee or a glass of cold milk.

Brown sugar coconut cookies
from the delicious and foolproof Baking Style: Art, Craft, Recipes

2 cups (280g) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
½ cup (1 stick/113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup (88g) packed light brown sugar
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk
1 ½ cups (150g) sweetened flaked coconut

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Line two large baking sheets with baking paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg.
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugars until light and creamy. Beat in the egg, then scrape the sides of the bowl. Beat in the vanilla and milk. On low speed, blend in the dry ingredients in 2 additions, beating just until the flour is absorbed. Stir in the coconut.
Take 2 leveled tablespoons of dough per cookie and shape into an oblong shape. Place onto prepared sheets, 5cm (2in) apart. Lightly flatten each oblong shape with your hands, then using a lightly floured fork, striate the tops of the cookies.
Bake for 12-14 minutes or until set and golden around the edges. Cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, then carefully remove and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Makes about 26