Toasted Coconut Shortbread Cookies

Toasted Coconut Shortbread Cookies
from Bon Appetit

1 cup (about 3 ounces) unsweetened shredded coconut*
1 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (I used salted and it turned out fine)
1 cup plus 2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt (I just used salt)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 325°F. Spread coconut on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until coconut is light golden, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Cool completely, then mash in a bowl with the back of a spoon until it is mostly dust.

Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until well blended. Mix in salt and vanilla. Beat in flour in 2 additions. Stir in toasted coconut. Gather dough together, flatten into a disc and wrap in plastic. Chill at least 1 hour. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.)

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out dough disk on lightly floured work surface to scant 1/4-inch thickness. Using 1 3/4- to 2-inch-diameter cookie cutters (I don't have a cookie cutter so I used to lid to my Pam, it is the perfect size), cut dough into rounds. Transfer cookies to prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Gather dough scraps and reroll; cut out additional cookies.

Bake cookies until light golden, about 18 - 20 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and cool completely. (Can be made ahead. Store airtight at room temperature up to 1 week.)