Although a firm favorite in my household, this recipe took a few tries to perfect. When I initially followed the recipe, the cookie came out too gooey. The second time, I changed the pan size to an 8-by-8 inch, which meant the cookie was too thick, more like a cake texture rather than a cookie. The third time, I substituted dark brown sugar for light brown in the frosting, but the flavor was not great. I finally mastered this recipe the fourth time I tested it, and am very pleased with the outcome. The chewy, soft texture of the cookie compliments the meringue-like frosting — the best way to round off a nice evening meal!
1/2 cup butter at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
For the frosting:
1 egg white
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
Yields: 12 cookies
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Preheat oven 325°f and line a 12-by-8.5-inch sheet pan with parchment paper.
Sift the flour with the baking powder. Set aside.
In a stand mixer, beat the butter with the sugar. Once creamy, add the eggs one at a time. Once incorporated, add the vanilla extract and salt.
Add the flour mixture to the batter.
Place the batter in the pan.
Bake for 30 minutes.
While the cookie part is baking, beat on high the egg white until it forms into stiff peaks in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment.
Add the brown sugar.
Remove the cake from the oven. Spread with the frosting and top with the coconut flakes.
Place the cake in the oven to bake for an additional 10-15 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven. Cool the cookies in the pan for 30 minutes, then cut into squares.