Dried Fruit Cookie Recipes - Old-Fashioned Coconut Cookies

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup/125 g all-purpose/plain flour

• 1/8 tsp salt

• 1/2 cup/125 g vegetable shortening

• 1 cup/125 g shredded/desiccated coconut

• 1 cup/150 g old-fashioned rolled oats

• 1/2 cup/l00 g granulated sugar

• 2 tbsp cold water

• 1 tbsp light molasses

• 1 tsp baking soda

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Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F/150°C/gas 2. Butter two cookie sheets. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl.

2. Use a pastry blender to cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in the coconut, oats, and sugar.

3. Mix the water, molasses, and baking soda in a small bowl. Stir the baking soda liquid into the oat mixture to form a stiff dough.

4. Press the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 1/4 inch (5 mm).

5. Use a 3-inch (8-cm) cookie cutter to cut out the cookies. Gather the dough scraps, re-roll, and continue cutting out cookies until all the dough is used.

6. Use a spatula to transfer the cookies to the prepared cookie sheet, placing them 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart.

7. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until just golden at the edges. Transfer to racks and let cool completely.