Coconut Sandwich Cookies Recipes

Steps:

• For the cookies: Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and allspice in a large bowl.
• Beat the butter, cream cheese and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the egg and beat to combine. Add the rum, vanilla and coconut extract, mixing until combined. Turn off the mixer and add the dry ingredients. Mix on low until almost entirely incorporated. Fold in the coconut flakes with a rubber spatula.
• Divide the dough in half and press each piece flat between 2 sheets of parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough slightly thicker than 1/8 inch thick. Stack the flattened dough pieces on a baking sheet (don't remove the parchment paper) and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment or silicone baking mats. Dust a clean work surface lightly with flour.
• Working with one piece at a time, peel the top layer of parchment off a dough sheet and flip onto the workstation. Peel off the remaining sheet. (Alternatively, you may loosen the parchment on both sides to cut directly on the paper.) Use a 1 3/4-inch round cutter to punch out cookies and arrange them on the prepared baking sheets spaced 1 inch apart. (If the dough becomes soft while you are working, return it to the refrigerator until firm.) Reroll and cut out any scraps.
• Bake the cookies, rotating the pans halfway through, until golden brown around the edges, 10 to 11 minutes. Cool on the baking sheets for 5 to 10 minutes before transferring the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
• For the curd: Fill a medium saucepan with a few inches of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
• Whisk the eggs, egg yolks, sugar and salt together in a medium heatproof bowl until well mixed and lightened in color, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the puree. Set the mixture over the pot of simmering water (make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water) and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened like pudding, about 18 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, one piece at a time. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Press plastic wrap directly against the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until set, at least 1 hour.
• Transfer the chilled curd to a pastry bag or resealable plastic bag and snip about 1/2-inch off one corner. To fill, flip over half the cookies and pipe 1 to 2 teaspoons curd onto each. Top with the remaining cookies. Refrigerate at least 1 hour for the curd to set and the cookies to soften slightly.

Steps:

• Beat dry cake mix, COOL WHIP, egg whites and 1-1/2 cups coconut in large bowl with mixer until blended. Refrigerate 2 hours.
• Heat oven to 375°F. Roll dough into 84 balls, using 1 tsp. dough for each. Place, 1 inch apart, on parchment-covered baking sheets. Spray bottom of drinking glass with cooking spray. Dip in granulated sugar, then use to flatten each ball to 1-1/2-inch diameter.
• Bake 5 min. or just until edges of cookies are firm. (Do not overbake.) Cool on baking sheet 2 min. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.
• Beat butter and milk in medium bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until blended. Stir in remaining coconut.
• Fill cookies with coconut mixture to make 42 sandwiches, adding about 1 tsp. coconut mixture to each sandwich.

Steps:

• Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook shredded coconut, stirring often, until golden brown, about 3 minutes (coconut will continue to darken after you remove it from heat). Scrape into a small bowl and let cool slightly.
• Open coconut milk without shaking can and scoop solidified coconut cream off the top into a small bowl; set aside for ganache (you'll need 5 Tbsp.). Reserve remaining coconut milk.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and cinnamon in a medium bowl to combine. Whisk eggs, vanilla, salt, 1½ cups coconut sugar, and 3 Tbsp. reserved coconut milk in a large bowl. Whisk in half of dry ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, mix in shredded coconut mixture, then add remaining dry ingredients and mix just until no dry streaks remain. Cover dough and chill at least 2 hours.
• Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 325°F. Place powdered sugar and remaining ⅓ cup coconut sugar in separate shallow bowls. Using a #20 cookie scoop (or a heaping 3 Tbsp.), portion out 18 pieces of dough and roll into smooth balls between your palms. Working one at a time, gently toss balls in coconut sugar to coat, then toss in powdered sugar. Divide cookies between 2 parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing at least 2" apart.
• Bake 1 sheet of cookies, rotating baking sheet front to back halfway through, until centers of cookies are puffed and edges are just firm, 16-18 minutes. Repeat with remaining sheet of cookies (baking the sheets one at a time gives your cookies the best crinkles). Let cookies cool 20 minutes on baking sheets. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Turn half of cookies over. Do ahead: Dough can be made 3 days ahead; keep chilled. Cookies can be baked 2 days ahead; store airtight at room temperature.
• Heat white chocolate, rum, salt, and 5 Tbsp. reserved coconut cream in a medium heatproof bowl set over a medium saucepan of simmering water (do not let bowl touch water), stirring with a heatproof rubber spatula, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth, about 5 minutes. Chill ganache until cool but not solid, about 1 hour.
• Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat ganache until light and spreadable, about 1 minute. Spread a layer of ganache over upside down cookies. Top each with a right-side up cookie, pressing gently to adhere. Do ahead: Ganache can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled. Let sit at room temperature 30 minutes before beating.