The Cherry of My Eye: Mommy Hugs Coconut Jumbles

I guess I've been in a coconut sort of mood lately, because I've been baking a lot of coconut recipes. I've had King Arthur Flour's recipe for Mommy Hugs Coconut Jumbles on my to-bake list for a while. I'm not sure what exactly drew me to the recipe (besides my love of coconut) -- it might have been the eye catching candied cherry garnish.

This recipe is easy. You cream together butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla; add the sifted dry ingredients (flour, salt, and baking soda); and incorporate sweetened flaked coconut. I made a double batch of dough and used a #30 scoop to portion out 71 cookies, flattening them slightly before baking. Immediately after pulling the cookies out of the oven, I pressed half of a candied cherry into the top of each one.

I really liked these cookies. They tasted like a wonderful chewy sugar cookie with a lot of coconut. I also liked the aesthetic of the candied cherries, but honestly, I think that they taste pretty terrible (and this is coming from someone who loves maraschino cherries). I did notice that the texture of the cookies deteriorated after the second day -- they were becoming less chewy and more dry and crumbly -- so I moved them into the fridge. Chilled airtight storage revived the cookies and kept them in great condition for about a week. I would make these cookies again, including with the candied cherry garnish; I hate to put style above substance but I have to admit that the cherries are what makes these cookies stand out.

Recipe: "Mommy Hugs Coconut Jumbles" from King Arthur Flour.