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| If a cookie and candy had a baby! |
One day I was thinking about my dehydration days. This was back when those home dehydrators were fairly new and everyone was getting into dehydrating stuff, especially fruit, to be used in various recipes. I'll tell you the truth- mine never turned out very well.
The thinking was to replace the dried fruit I had dehydrated in my baking, using it as a "healthier" substitute for the dried fruits you buy in a pack at the store. You know, the sugary pineapple and the sticky mango slices.
Years went by and one day I was going through my pantry trying to decide what I could use or not use for cookies and I came across some unopened packs of sugary dried pineapple and some dehydrated mango slices and this light bulb went off over my head: make these into a cookie.
They went over like you wouldn't believe! One person said it was like a cookie mated with some candy.
Since I first developed the recipe, I have replaced the fruits with a variety of things, always keeping the candied pineapple of course. But sometimes replacing the mango with dried apricots or even peaches. I wouldn't recommend things like fig though- too sweet and too dark. We want this to be kind of tropical.
I hope you like this recipe. If you try it, please drop me a line! Oh, and by the way- IT'S VEGAN!
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup pineapple juice
- 1/4 cup white chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup sweetened coconut
- Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, whisk, and set aside.
- Combine the sugars with the oil, juice, and vanilla, and pineapple juice and beat on low until combined, then increase speed to medium until well combined (about 3 minutes).
- Combine the dry with the wet in batches (1/3 of the dry) combining in between until just together.
- Scrape the bowl and beat for another 30 seconds.
- Add in the chips, coconut, and fruit.
- Cover and chill for at least 15 minutes.
- Scoop into balls using the small cookie scooper and roll until perfectly round.
- Bake at 325 for 8-10 minutes (better to under-bake than over-bake!)
- Allow to cool for 3-4 minutes on the cookie sheet and then move to a rack.
MAKES A FREAKING LOT OF THEM!
You can reduce the number of white chocolate chips and rough chop them and add 1/2 cup rough chopped macadamia nuts for a different texture.
ABOUT USING DRIED OR CANDIED FRUITS IN A COOKIE.
You will want to hand-chop them. I've tried sending it through a chopper and all it did was gummy up into a blob. Your fingers will get sticky, but that's okay. They clean off with hot water!