Like a lot of people, I love Pepperidge Farm cookies; I have a particular fondness for their
Sausalito variety. Also, like a lot of
people, I find them a bit pricey for my (sometimes pathetic) budget.
The best ammunition against high prices, I find, is to develop something
similar at half the cost.
There are a lot of copycat recipes for Sausalito cookies available
on the web. What makes my recipe the
best of the lot is that, before developing this recipe, I actually read the
back of the Pepperidge Farm package to see what ingredients had been used. One stood out – coconut. In none of the other copycat recipes was
coconut used. I use it in mine. Just a little bit, but it makes these far
more authentic than any other recipe of its kind. I also noticed a lack of shortening in similar recipes. The addition of shortening is what gives them a bit of airiness and that wonderful crunch of the originals. That’s why you need look no further, this recipe is the best.
(Better Than) Sausalito Cookies
1 stick butter, softened
½ cup Crisco
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 extra large egg
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup coconut, chopped
fine
1½ cups macadamia nuts
1½ cups milk chocolate
chips
½ cup semi-sweet
chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to
375°F.
In the work bowl of
a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter, Crisco, and sugars until light and fluffy (3-4 minutes). Beat in
egg and vanilla; mix well.
In a separate bowl,
sift together dry ingredients. With
mixer at the lowest speed, slowly add dry ingredients to the wet mixture,
beating just until incorporated.
Stir in coconut,
chocolate chips, and macadamia nuts; mix until evenly distributed.
Using a 2 T. cookie
scoop, place even-size balls of dough on a parchment or Silpat-lined baking
sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
Makes about 30 cookies
