What I love to do

I find that when I'm depressed, baking usually picks me right up ... So that's when all the crazy ideas pop in my head.  I LOVE taking a recipe and adding what I call Melody tweaks to them. It could be something as simple as using brown sugar instead of white.  It could be using almond extract instead of vanilla.  All depends on what I'm making and what mood I'm in.  I happened upon Giada De Laurentiis's recipe for Lemon Ricotta Cookies.  I am in awe of cake like cookies.  I like the fluffiness of cookies most times and this sure did deliver.  The family LOVES them.  But like I said ... I cannot leave a recipe alone.  So the result of my most recent tweak is this:

They are what I call Peaches and cream with a strawberry glaze.  What a yummy summer treat for a cookie.  


In this picture is also a cookie that I definitely have to make some more tweaks to.  I am trying to get into using different kinds of flour.  With this "testing" is adjustments to things.  The cookies were definitely yummy but more of a shortbread texture instead of a "sugar cookie" texture.  Tweaking Six Sisters Stuff's Chewy Coconut Lime Sugar Cookies, I used 3/4 Cup of coconut flour to replace the same amount of all purpose flour.  Some flours you can get away with not adding some additional liquid, this one you so could not.  I feel it almost needed more lime .... and OH did I mention that I put some ginger in there too? *Laughing*  I did say I like to tweak.  So don't be surprised if you see these again.



2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Coconut Flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 ½ cups white sugar
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
zest of one large lime, finely minced
5 tbsp lime juice
½ cup unsweetened toasted coconut (If you use sweetened coconut, I could not find any unsweetened I omitted the 1/2 cup of white sugar from the recipe.  But you should probably judge yours to taste.)
1 tablespoon of fresh, grated ginger 
½ cup sugar for rolling cookies


Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. (I use silmats but whatever your preference)
If you haven't already toasted your coconut just put a layer of coconut on a cookie sheet 
and bake it at 350 degrees for 5-7 minutes. Watch out. It goes from white to burnt really 
quick if you aren't watching closely.


2. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.


3. Using a mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until smooth and very fluffy.


4. Beat in egg, vanilla extract, lime juice and lime zest.


5. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients and toasted coconut. 


6. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and roll in sugar. Place on lined cookie 
sheets about 1 1/2 inches apart. I made mine too big and they ran together. 
These do spread quite a bit.


7. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly browned.


8. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.


(Will update after I re-tweak!)   ENJOY!!!!!