If you're a citrus fan, or an enthusiastic follower of the tart, refreshing flavor of lemon, these citrusy coconut cookies are for you. Our thanks to Claire Introini, whose original Very Lemon Cookies recipe inspired this one.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.
To prepare the dough: In a medium-sized bowl, combine the butter and sugar.
Add the egg, vanilla, baking powder, salt, lemon oil, and lemon juice powder, beating until well blended.
Add the flour and coconut, stirring until combined.
Use food color to tint the cookies yellow. Gel-paste food color will give the most intense color; be aware that with paste colors, you only need to add the merest touch. Dip a toothpick in the color, and then dip it into the dough. Repeat a couple of times. Mix the dough, adding more color until it's as intense as you like.
To shape the cookies: Place the sparkling white sugar in a small bowl.
Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls into the bowl, one at a time, shaking the bowl to coat with sugar.
Gently roll cookies into smooth balls with your hands, then transfer to the prepared baking sheets.
To bake the cookies: Bake the cookies for 9 to 10 minutes, for soft cookies.
For crunchier coconut cookies, bake for 12 minutes, until they're barely beginning to brown around the edges.
Remove the cookies from the oven, and after a few minutes transfer them to a rack to cool.
Store leftover Lemon-Coconut Cookies in a closed container, for 5 days, or freeze for up to a month.
You can make these Lemon-Coconut Cookies using fresh lemons instead of lemon powder and lemon oil (though they won't be nearly as intensely citrus-y). Substitute 1/4 cup (57g) freshly squeezed lemon juice (the juice of one medium-large lemon), and the grated rind from one lemon. You may also omit the coconut, if you like. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, until they feel barely set in the center (for softer cookies); or 14 minutes (for crisper cookies).
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