My friend Giana has been telling me for over a year about this delicious cookie made by her father back home in Panama. Apparently, keki de coco y miel (coconut and ginger cookie) is a very traditional Panamanian cookie. Well, this year, when Giana went home for Christmas, she saved me a few of the cookies and I finally had the opportunity to taste her father’s creation.
They were oh so very yummy–a rich, chewy coconut with a mild ginger flavor that was loaded with butter. I asked for the recipe, but it is apparently only in her father’s head. So I went searching the web, to find a similar recipe. Thanks to Melissa DeLeon, the creator of Cooking Diva blog, I was able to snag a version of this traditional Panamanian cookie.
Keki de Coco y Miel
Makes about 18 cookies
2 sticks (1 / 2 pound) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 pinch salt
1 cup unsulphured molasses
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 1/2 cup grated dry coconut, toasted
Beat butter with sugar until creamy. Incorporate the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Sift flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and cloves. Gradually add to mixture alternately with molasses, beating well after each addition. Incorporate the grated ginger and toasted dried coconut. Beat until well blended. Allow to cool in the freezer for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease cookie sheets.
Remove the dough from the freezer. With a large spoon or ice cream scoop, place rounded portions of dough on trays about 2 inches apart. If you prefer smaller size cookies, use a smaller scoop.
Bake for about 15 minutes or until edges are golden. Remove from oven immediately and let cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes. Remove to a rack to finish cooling completely.
Store in an airtight container between sheets of parchment or wax paper.