Jeweled Coconut Drops

Red raspberry preserves add a festive flair to these tender coconut drops. Perfect for potlucks and cookie exchanges, the shaped cookies never last long when I make them for my husband and two sons. —Ellen Marie Byler, Munfordville, Kentucky ( taste of home)

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Cream butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg yolk, orange juice and almond extract. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Stir in 3 cups coconut. Refrigerate until easy to handle, about 30 minutes.

Step 2

Preheat oven to 350°. Shape rounded tablespoons of dough into balls; roll in remaining coconut. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Press a deep indentation in the center of each with the end of a wooden spoon handle. Bake until edges are light brown, 8-10 minutes. Cool 1 minute. Using the wooden spoon, enlarge any indentations that may have narrowed or closed. Remove cookies from pans to wire racks. Fill with preserves; cool completely.

Step 3

What other kinds of preserves can you use to make coconut drops? The sky’s the limit when it comes to filling coconut drops! Strawberry, apricot or cherry jams would work here, as would orange marmalade. Use store-bought or homemade lemon curd, or even pour in a little puddle of melted chocolate if you like. It won’t have the same jeweled effect, but it will still be delicious!

Step 4

Can you use toasted shredded coconut to make jeweled coconut drops? Toasted coconut can be swapped out for the coconut folded into the cookie dough, but keep in mind that the coconut on the exterior will toast and crisp up as the cookie bakes. Unless you’re looking for deeply toasted coconut, it may be wiser to stick with regular coconut for rolling the cookies.

Step 5

How should you store coconut drops? Kept in an airtight, lidded container with waxed paper between layers of coconut drops, these will store perfectly for 1-3 days at room temperature. Store them in the refrigerator if you filled them with temperature-sensitive ingredients like lemon curd, though. Here are more tips on how to store cookies.