coconut crunch cookie-candy

So totally addictive, these buttery shards are crunchy, coconutty and covered in chocolate.They're like a drug.Dangerous to keep in the house, really. So crunchy and good.I had a hard time not eating them.My husband called me the devil.

They're my coconut version of a yummy oatmeal butter brittle cookie recipe I found in an old recipe box I bought at a garage sale for $1. I love that box.The technique is similar to making a crumble or crisp topping (and just as easy), then the dough is dropped in spoonfuls on the sheet and pressed into a thin rectangle.The flat cookie bubbles and puffs up and spreads out while it bakes.It turns golden and crisp and so crunchy.

Then the whole thing is smothered in chocolate (or vanilla or cherry or both).

Break the big buttery cookie into pieces and enjoy.

 Coconut Crunch Cookie-Candyadapted from Gloria Piantek's Oatmeal Butter Brittle Cookies, 1996 award-winner in a Quaker Oats baking contest

• 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sweet rice flour (see note)
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup butter, cold, cut into small cubes
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (or bittersweet, white, vanilla, cherry, etc.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil.In large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together both flours, baking powder and coconut.With mixer on low, add butter and beat for about 1 minute. Turn mixer on medium-low and beat until butter is well blended with dry ingredients and the mixture is starting to cream together, about 1 to 2 minutes.Add confectioners' sugar, brown sugar, salt, water and vanilla. Beat just until everything is combined and forms a very soft cookie dough. Stir in the chopped pecans.Drop large spoonfuls of the dough evenly across the prepared baking sheet. Pat the dough out until it forms a 9 x 13 rectangle.Bake for about 20 to 22 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through bake time. The cookie should be golden brown and have just stopped bubbling.Place pan on cooling rack. Immediately sprinkle the cup of chocolate chips evenly across surface. Allow to sit for about 3 minutes. With spatula, smooth melted chocolate across surface of the cookie.Allow cookie to cool completely on pan. When cool, peel cookie from foil and break into pieces.Note: I'm always looking for a reason to use sweet rice flour, but if you don't have it on hand, I believe cornstarch can be used in its place.