Double Coconut M&M Cookies

I have been on a bit of a self-proclaimed cookie-roll this spring. I LOVE making cookies if you can't tell from the stack of cookie recipes in my archives, but I've branched out a little more this spring to include ones that go a little beyond your standard line-up of chocolate chip, peanut butter, snickerdoodles, and sugar cookies. In mixing it up a little, I have ran across some great recipes including these and these that I know we'll make again and again.

These cookies were actually an idea that I had brewing for awhile coming from a mix of things including a coconut-chocolate chip cookie recipe in Cooking Light, the new coconut m&m's and my husband's love of all things coconut. Ever have one of those recipes that you make and then wonder why you waited so long. That was these. I had really wanted to make them for St. Patrick's Day given the green color of the M&M's, but I obviously missed that one :) 

As a note, I found a couple of large bags of the coconut M&M's that were out around Easter. I'm not sure if they typically sell the large bags or not, but you could easily buy a couple of the single-serving bags to make up enough M&M's for the cookies. The coconut M&M's are a bit larger than the standard milk chocolate ones, so I gave them a rough chop before I added them to the dough. I feel like I am always saying that recipes were good, but these were. I snuck some into a tupperware container that I was returning to a friend. They later asked for the recipe, so these weren't just a hit at our house :) Enjoy!

(Printable Recipe)

Double Coconut M&M Cookies
Adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients:
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1 cup (4.5 oz) all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup coconut M&M's (white pkg), roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Arrange coconut in a single layer on a baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 7 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring once. Set aside to cool.

Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; stir with a whisk until blended. Place sugar and butter in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer on medium speed until well blended. Beat in the vanilla and the egg. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until just combined. Stir in toasted coconut and crush M&M's.

Roll the dough into balls and place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray or a silicone mat. Press down on the dough balls lightly to flatten. Bake for 10 minutes or until cookies just begin to brown. Remove from the pan and cool completely on wire racks.

I am linking these to Sweet Tooth Friday.