Chocolate-Coconut Bites

These easy, fool-proof, five-ingredient cookies have a cocoa-y chocolate flavor and chewy macaroon-like texture. Plus, you can mix them up in a bowl in less than 15 minutes. For a spicy variation, add 1 1/2 tablespoons of crystalized ginger and omit the vanilla extract. What could be easier?

Chocolate-Coconut Bites
Makes 18 to 20 cookies.
Prep time 15 minutes. Total time 30 minutes.

3/4 cup finely crushed Chocolate Pirouline cookies (about 10 cookies)
1 cup unsweetened, organic shredded coconut, finely chopped
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1 1/2 tablespoons finely minced crystalized ginger (optional)
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (omit if including ginger)

Preheat oven to 350F. Line cookie sheets with parchment.

Place Pirouline cookies in a plastic bag. Gently crush, breaking into small pieces. Put aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the crushed cookies, coconut, mini chips, and optional crystalized ginger. Stir to distribute the ingredients equally. Add the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract to the mixture. Stir to combine and mixture sticks together.

Using a medium cookie scoop (# 50 or #60), shape dough into 3/4-inch mounds and drop onto prepared cookie sheets. Slightly flatten mounds to 1/2 inch. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until cookies are somewhat firm to touch and light golden brown on the bottom edges. Don’t over bake, as cookies will continue to firm-up, as they cool. Transfer cookies, still on parchment, to wire racks to cool completely.
Store cookies, in an airtight container, at room temperature for up to 5 days.