Coconut-Peanut Cookies: Galletas Maria (Costa Rica)

  • Level: Easy
  • Yield: about 3 1/2 dozen
  • Total: 1 hr 2 min
  • Prep: 20 min
  • Inactive: 30 min
  • Cook: 12 min
Versions of these cookies — named for a Grand Duchess of Russia after her wedding — are popular all over the world, but especially so throughout Spain as well as South and Central America. Packaged versions tend to be more biscuit-like; ours is nutty and textured: easy, kid-friendly, delicious and perfect for the holidays or any other time.
Advertisement

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon fine salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 cup flaked or shredded sweetened coconut

1 cup old fashioned oats

3/4 cup chopped unsalted roasted, skinless peanuts

Directions

  1. Position 2 racks in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (If you only have 1 baking sheet, let it cool completely between batches.) Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl. Melt the butter in medium saucepan over low heat. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the brown sugar with a wooden spoon. (The sugar will get soft and saucy, but there may still be a layer of butter on top; don't worry, the mixture comes together as you add the rest of the ingredients.) Stir in the egg, then the flour mixture, taking care not to overmix. Stir in the coconut, oats and nuts to make a textured cookie dough. Set aside until it gets to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Using a tablespoon-sized ice cream scoop (#60), scoop balls of the dough onto the prepared pans, arranging them about 2 1/2 inches apart. Bake until the cookies are golden brown with toasted edges, about 12 minutes. Cool cookies in the pans for a couple minutes. Then transfer with a spatula to racks to cool. Serve. Busy baker's tips: You can store unshaped dough for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Store the cookies in airtight containers for up to a week. Freeze for 1 month for longer storage. 

Let's Get Cooking!

Sign up for the Recipe of the Day newsletter to receive editor-picked recipes,tips and videos delivered to your inbox daily. Privacy Policy

Thanks for subscribing to the Recipe of the Day newsletter. Check out all our other great newsletters from Easy Recipes, Healthy Eating Ideas and Chef Recipe Videos.

We're sorry, there was an error signing you up. Please try again later.

Advertisement

KindaLikeThat

A great, not-super-sweet cookie to add to a cookie assortment. I baked these on parchment paper and didn't have the burning problems that other reviewers had.<br /><br />I also used Spanish peanuts (smaller than regular peanuts, so the dough had a finer texture to it. I also think their flavor really complemented the coconut better than regular peanuts. <br /><br />Would recommend this recipe for cooks looking for an achievable but non-traditional recipe.

See All Reviews