Lime & Coconut Shortbread Cookies. The name of these cookies reminded me of the Coca-Cola ad from 2005. The company was marketing a cola drink with added lime flavor. The commercial featured a scientist in his lab coming up with the bright idea to add the flavor of lime to Coke for a unique product. The product wasn’t a hit and wasn’t available for long but the tune sure was catchy! Coca-Cola can’t take credit for the jingle, though. As I found out through some internet research, the original “Coconut” is a novelty song written and recorded by Harry Nilsson in 1971. The song describes a call to a doctor after a brother & sister concoct, then drink, a beverage of lime & coconut, giving the girl a severe stomach ache. While the drink caused problems for the girl in the 1971 song and Coca-Cola’s variation of a lime in the Coke didn’t pan out, the lime & coconut flavor combination in these shortbread cookies is light, subtle & successful.

Lime & Coconut Shortbread Cookies

Lime & Coconut Shortbread Cookies (adapted from tasteofhome.com)

Total time: 25 minutes prep time, 3-4 hours of chill time, 10 minutes/batch bake time Makes about 5 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons grated lime peel
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped, sweetened flaked coconut

Directions:

In a large bowl, cream the butter and confectioners’ sugar until they are well blended. Beat in the lime peel and extracts. In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt, gradually beating it into the creamed mixture.

The dough mixes up quickly.

Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a 7-inch long roll. Wrap the rolls in plastic wrap and refrigerate them for 3-4 hours or until they are firm.

Form 2 logs with the dough then wrap them & refrigerate them.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Unwrap the logs and cut the dough crosswise into 1/4-inch slices.

Slice the dough.

Place the rounds 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Remove the cookies from the baking sheets to wire racks to cool. Store them in an airtight container.

Cool the cookies on wire racks.

These have a subtle lime and coconut flavor.  ~Linda

Lime & Coconut Shortbread Cookies (adapted from tasteofhome.com)

Total time: 25 minutes prep time, 3-4 hours of chill time, 10 minutes/batch bake time Makes about 5 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons grated lime peel
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped sweetened flaked coconut

Directions

In a large bowl, cream the butter and confectioners’ sugar until they are well blended. Beat in the lime peel and extracts. In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt, gradually beating it into the creamed mixture.

Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a 7-inch long roll. Wrap the rolls in plastic wrap and refrigerate them for 3-4 hours or until they are firm.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Unwrap the logs and cut the dough crosswise into 1/4-inch slices. Place the rounds 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Remove the cookies from the baking sheets to wire racks to cool. Store them in an airtight container.