Recipe: Coconut-orange thumb print cookies

Makes 4 dozen

2 cups all-purpose flour (measured by dipping the measuring cup into the flour and sweeping it level)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 generous cup shredded sweetened coconut

1 stick plus 2 tablespoons (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

Grated zest of 1/2 orange

2 cups orange juice boiled down to a syrupy consistency, about 1/3 cup, and cooled

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. The day before baking, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and coconut in a bowl. In a large mixing bowl with a standing mixer or a hand held mixer, beat together the butter, two sugars and the orange zest at medium speed for four minutes, or until pale and fluffy. Don't go faster than medium speed.

2. Still at medium speed, beat in the cooled orange syrup. When the batter is smooth, beat in the whole egg, then the yolk and vanilla. Then, using a spatula, fold in the dry ingredients only until they are blended. Don't overmix — you want to protect the dough from toughening.

3. Turn the dough out on a sheet of plastic wrap, gently gather into a ball, wrap and chill overnight.

4. The next day preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cover a large cookie sheet with parchment paper or butter the cookie sheet. With a teaspoon, drop the cool cookie dough onto the sheet, separating the cookies by about 2 inches. Use your thumb to indent the center of each one. Bake 8 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies start to brown at the edges and are cooked through. Bake the cookies in several batches and cool them on a rack.

Note: Keep these five days in a sealed tin at room temperature, or six months in the freezer. Start the cookies a day before baking as the dough benefits from a long rest and chill.

From Lynne Rossetto Kasper