Happy isn’t hard for me. ย I might even take happy for granted. ย I wake up in the morning and I’m genuinely stoked about the possibilities the day brings. ย I have thoughts that make me smile when I’m sitting alone in my car. ย I like rainbows and kittens, well… you get my point.
Today I shared a meal with a dear friend who isn’t so blessed in the happy department. ย She’s been struggling in recent months. ย She’s lost her happy. ย After dinner, as we sat lingering in conversation, she told me that she couldn’t think of one thing that made her happy anymore. ย I was totally floored. ย I didn’t know what to say to her. ย In vain I tried to name things and places that I knew she liked. ย None of it worked, she just shook her head no. ย It breaks my heart, but I know that I could recall fun things we’d done together until I was blue in the face. ย Her happiness needs to come from the inside.
It got me thinking about happy.
What makes you happy? ย What thoughts make you smile when no one else is around? ย What makes you happy to get out of bed in the morning? ย Share. ย I want to know.
On my list of the many things things that make me happy: ย Crispy Toasted Coconut Cookies.
If happy has been elusive lately, give these buttery and crispy cookies a spin. ย Who knows, they might just be the break in the clouds.
Crispy Toasted Coconut Cookies
adapted from Big Fat Cookies
1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Position a rack in the middle of the oven. ย Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Spread the coconut on a baking sheet. ย Bake for about 10 minutes stirring once, until the coconut becomes evenly golden. ย Watch carefully, as the coconut can darken quickly toward the end of baking. ย Set aside to cool. ย Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. ย Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon into a medium bowl and set aside.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and brown sugar until smooth and fluffy, about 1 minute. ย Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing. ย Add the egg, vanilla and almond extract and mix until blended. ย On low speed, add the flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated. ย Use a large spoon to stir in the toasted coconut.
Divide the dough into two portions and pat into a flat rectangle. ย Cut two large sheets of wax paper, and roll out the portions of dough between the wax paper into a 7 x 12-inch rectangle, about 1/4-inch thick. ย Remove the top piece of wax paper. ย I used a round cookie cutter to make cookies, but you can also trim the edges of the rectangle and make rectangular cookies by cutting the dough into 9 rectangles.
Lift the cookies off the wax paper and transfer to the parchment lined baking sheet. ย If you have trouble lifting the dough, place it in the fridge for a few minutes to harden and then transfer to a baking sheet. ย Bake one sheet at a time until the edges and bottoms are lightly browned, about 12 to 15 minutes.
Enjoy! ย Find your happy!
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