Among the many jobs I do as a nonprofit development director, I run large scale fundraising events. Every fall, in the couple of weeks leading up to my organization’s biggest fundraising event of the year, I share a conference room as an office with a dozen other highly stressed out coworkers.

My contribution to the office’s mental health? Cookies!

These Creamsicle Coconut Chews are some of my coworkers’ favorite, most-requested cookies, occasionally soothing bad tempers and hurt feelings. Maybe they’ll work on your crazy family this holiday season, too! (Just kidding, I’m sure your family is delightful.)

This recipe is adapted from a copy of Betty Crocker’s Cooky Book from the 1960s with a few changes that I think make it even more delicious.

These cookie bars are great to make ahead of time because they taste even better after a day or two of the caramelized coconut mixture sharing some of its sweetness with the shortbread.

Print Recipe

Creamsicle Coconut Chews

Course

Dessert

Keyword

dessert

Prep Time

5 minutes

Cook Time

35 minutes

Servings

dozen

Ingredients

Shortbread Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 cups flour

Coconut Mixture Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut

Glaze Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 3 Tbsp orange juice (no pulp OJ works best)
• 1 tsp lemon juice (increase up to 1 Tbsp if you like a more tart flavor)

Course Dessert Keyword dessert Prep Time 5 minutes Cook Time 35 minutes Servings dozen Ingredients Shortbread Ingredients 3/4 cup butter 3/4 cup powdered sugar 1 1/2 cups flour Coconut Mixture Ingredients 2 eggs 1 cup brown sugar 2 Tbsp flour 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1 Tbsp chopped walnuts 1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut Glaze Ingredients 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar 2 Tbsp butter 3 Tbsp orange juice (no pulp OJ works best) 1 tsp lemon juice (increase up to 1 Tbsp if you like a more tart flavor)

Instructions

Shortbread

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray the bottom and sides of a 13x9 pan with cooking spray.

1. Beat butter and sugar together with a mixer until well combined.
2. Sitr in flour with a spoon or baking spatula.
3. Press into the bottom of a 13x9 pan.
4. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes.

Coconut Mixture

1. In a small to medium mixing bowl, stir together all ingredients in this section with a wooden spoon or baking spatula.
2. Pour on top of cooked shortbread and spread evenly over the top so all of the shortbread is covered.
3. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes and remove from the oven for the final time.

Glaze

1. In the last few minutes while your cookies are baking in the last step, heat butter in a small pan on the stove until it melts completely.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients until mixed thoroughly into a sugary glaze.
3. When your cookies are done baking and the coconut mixture on top has turned a golden brown, pour the glaze over the cookies and spread evenly.
4. Allow to cool thoroughly so the glaze is set. Then, cut into bars to serve.

Recipe Notes

This recipe is adapted from a copy of Betty Crocker's Cooky Book from the 1960s, with a few changes that I think make it even more delicious.

These cookies are great to make ahead of time because they taste even better after a day or two of the caramelized coconut mixture sharing some of its sweetness with the shortbread.

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While I love to bake cookies, I can’t do pretty ones–my sugar cookies and other decorated cookies just end up looking ridiculous. But, I can do tasty. As you’ll see in the photos, Creamsicle Coconut Chews are not the prettiest cookies. But once you make them, you’ll see that they are full of flavor. The glaze tastes like an orange creamsicle, but then there’s some depth to the flavor with coconut mixture, and the shortbread helps balance everything out so it’s not too sweet. I hope you enjoy them!