Coconut Macaroon Filled Chocolate Cookies Better Than Mounds Recipes

PERFECT COCONUT MACAROONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Blend coconut, sugar, flour, vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt in a food processor until combined, about 30 seconds.
• Beat egg whites in a bowl until soft peaks form.
• Fold coconut mixture into egg whites until just combined.
• Wet your hands. Roll spoonfuls of coconut mixture between palms to golf ball-size cookies; arrange on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake cookies in the preheated oven until coconut is slightly golden and toasted, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, 30 minutes.
• Line baking sheet with new piece of parchment paper.
• Melt chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler over just-barely simmering water, stirring frequently and scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching.
• Dip half of each cookie in the chocolate and place on the prepared baking sheet. Place in refrigerator until chocolate is set, about 15 minutes.

COCONUT MACAROON-FILLED CHOCOLATE COOKIES (BETTER THAN MOUNDS)

Steps:

• First, make the coconut macaroon filling:.
• With two racks in the middle of your oven, preheat the oven to 325.
• Spray two baking sheets or parchment paper with non-stick cooking spray.
• Beat egg whites and salt together until soft peaks form.
• Slowly add in sugar and beat until stiff, glossy peaks are present.
• Beat in vanilla.
• Add half the coconut and sprinkle with the flour.
• Add the rest of the coconut and gently fold into the egg white meringue.
• Using a 3/4 ounce scoop (almost 2 TBSP), drop onto baking sheets, spaced about 2 inches apart.
• Bake about 8-9 minutes, until just set. These will be under-baked and not brown at all. It's okay, because will be the filling and will finish baking inside the chocolate cookie.
• Now, it's time to make the chocolate cookie dough, while the macaroons are cooling:.
• Increase the oven temperature to 350.
• In a mixer, cream together the butter and sugars.
• Add the eggs, one at a time.
• Now add the vanilla.
• Blend in the cocoa, 1/2 cup at a time.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
• Mix in the flour mixture to the dough about a cup at a time, until well combined.
• Place fresh sheets of parchment paper (ungreased) on your cookie sheets.
• Using a 1 ounce scoop (2 Tablespoons), drop 6 mounds of dough onto each cookie sheet, spaced widely apart. These will be very big cookies.
• Spray the back of a teaspoon with non-stick cooking spray and use the back of that spoon to make a nest out of the dough for each macaroon.
• Set a macaroon on top of each chocolate cookie "nest".
• Place another 1 ounce scoop of chocolate cookie dough on top of the macaroon layer. Now there are three cookie layers.
• Spread and flatten the dough, so that the macaroon is completely covered.
• Bake in the upper half of the oven for 13 minutes. Cookies may look a little under-baked when you remove them from the oven, but they will set up and dry, as they cool.
• Immediately, slide the parchment paper with the hot cookies onto a cooling rack (otherwise, they will continue to bake and burn on the bottom). Cool for at least 5 minutes.

CHOCOLATE COCONUT MOUND COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Prepare the filling first. In a 2 quart saucepan, over medium heat, stir together the milk and coconut. Combine the cornstarch and 1/2 cup of sugar; stir into the saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
• Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, 1 cup sugar and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the egg and milk. Gradually mix in the sifted ingredients to form a dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch in thickness. Cut into 2 1/2 inch circles with a cookie cutter. Place half of the circles 1 1/2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the filling onto the center of each cookie on the pan. Top with another circle and seal the edges by pinching.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.