Fabulous Tropical Cookies

So GirlChild is turning 14 on Saturday. This year she has chosen a Luau themed party so this’ll be a week full of Luau themed recipes and decorations and games that *fingers crossed* are both 14-year-old appropriate and sit enjoyable to said 14 year olds. (Wish me luck) To start off, tonight I made Fabulous Tropical Cookies (sometimes the name helps, sometimes my daughter rolls her eyes and a name sticks, perhaps there should be less eye rolling? Hmm?). This recipe I made up because I couldn’t find a recipe that had everything in it I needed. But when I mention oatmeal cookie batter I use the recipe out of the Mrs Fields Cookie Book the second printing (it says copyrighted 1992). This book also threatens bodily harm if you reproduce for any reason (I have to assume they mean other than baking the cookies) anything contained in the book, so thus the link to find the book yourself. Or you can use any plain oatmeal cookie recipe you already have (I can’t really see how it would make a difference). Now that the legalities are out-of-the-way…

Prepare oatmeal cookie mix. (should have a yield of about 30 cookies)

Add 2 teaspoons of Imitation Coconut Extract. (you could use real extract, but you will pay lots more for it & I can’t taste the difference in any recipe I’ve ever made)

Add about 1/2 a 7oz bag of shredded coconut.

Add 2 1/2 cup bags of chopped macadamia nuts. (I realize this is 1 cup, but they don’t sell 1 cup bags chopped & macadamia nuts are hard to chop nicely)

Add 12oz white chocolate chips.

Mix batter. It will look all chunky like this:Preheat oven to 375ᵒ F.

Prepare cookie sheet by wrapping it in tin foil, this will help with both clean up and even browning on your cookies.

Use a teaspoon, not an actual measuring spoon, but out of your silverware drawer, to make “large” (for the size of the spoon) drop cookies on the cookie sheet. They should have room all around them, like this:

Bake each sheet for about 7 minutes. Chips and nuts will brown slightly but the cookies will look almost underdone in the center.

If they look like that they are done, remove each immediately and place on cooling racks. (unless, of course, you are also cooking in a hotel room in which case apparently Formica countertops will do in a pinch)

Continue until all batter is delicious Fabulous cookies.

Let these cool completely before you box them up for later. They will keep for about 3 weeks in a container (like a cookie tin) right on your counter, which is why cookies are almost always the first thing this busy mom makes in preparation for a party.

Stay tuned: Next up is Volcanic Brownies!

On a very happy side note? My hotel room really does smell fabulous. Wish we have smell-o-vision so I could share it with you. But I have to go & hide these cookies from people who will “accidentally forget” that they are for Saturday not whenever I’m hungry… 😉

Visit the Luau party page for all the recipes and posts involved in this party!