Fudgy Chocolate Coconut Drops

Coconut and chocolate lovers beware with a double dose of coconut and a double dose of chocolate in these Fudgy Chocolate Coconut Drops, you won't be able to get enough!

My husband Mark is a creature of habit. Once he starts doing some quirky little thing, he keeps on doing it. Over. and over. and over. and over. and over again. Like when I cook something, he pretty much always says {picking, of course}, "Needs more jalapeno." Doesn't matter what I've cooked. Or if it's even remotely in the spicy family of foods. "Needs more jalapeno."

Well now when I bake he's started saying, "Needs more coconut." Oy. As if we needed one more quirky, picky little habit around here.

So I decided to bake up some cookies that in no-way-shape-or-form needed more coconut. 'Cause they've got a double dose of tasty coconut ...
Mmmm hmmm. These little Fudgy Chocolate Coconut Drops get a double dose from coconut extract and sweetened flaked coconut.

And that's the perfect amount of coconut for them, I say!

Oh, but know what makes coconut even better than a double dose of the stuff?

Chocolate!

You just can't go wrong with coconut and chocolate.

These fudgy little bites start out with a fudgy chocolate cookie dough, laced with coconut extract and chocolate chips, that gets scooped out and rolled into balls ...

{As you can see, I use my cookie scoop to help me out with this. I looooooooove my cookie scoop!}

The dough balls then get rolled in sweetened flaked coconut ...

... and baked up into delicious little fudgy bites of coconut-and-chocolate heaven.

So I say take that Mark! ... With a double dose of yummy coconut, there's no way we should hear, "Needs more coconut."

Or jalapeno.

Fudgy Chocolate Coconut Drops

Source: Adapted from Taste of the South magazine, December 2013

(Printable recipe)

Ingredients

1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. coconut extract
1 1/4 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 c. sweetened flaked coconut

Directions

With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar at medium speed until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture a little at a time, beating until well combined. Beat in vanilla extract and coconut extract. Stir in chocolate chips {Batter will be pretty thick.}
Place coconut in a small bowl. Scoop out tablespoonfuls of batter {I use a cookie scoop} and roll into approximately 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in coconut, pressing gently to get as much coconut to adhere as you can. Place balls about two inches apart on a baking sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 9-10 minutes until coconut is lightly toasted on the edges and cookies are set {I like to take mine out right at 9 minutes so they'll be on the softer side}. Let stand on the baking pan for 2 minutes; remove from pan with a spatula and let cool completely.

Makes about 3 1/2 dozen cookies.

Enjoy!

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