Happy Endings

There's something blissful about the texture of a good macaroon. These little cookies are moist, chewy and hold an incredible coconut flavor. Depending on where you look, recipes can range from really involved to fairly simple. This month, I'm offering you a recipe that is on the super simple side and will have you looking for new ways to use it.

The concept is simple. Instead of starting with a completely "from scratch" recipe, this one uses a cake mix as the base. And if you are thinking ahead, yes, you could use any flavor of cake mix! Then it's just a matter of mixing a simple dough and dropping the dough on a cookie sheet before baking. If you really want to make your job easier, try using a small ice cream disher to keep the cookies a consistent size. Mine holds about a teaspoon of dough and is perfect for cookies!

As always, I encourage you to share your recipe ideas and comments. You can always post comments using the forms provided in the articles or email me directly at . Enjoy!

Chocolate Macaroons

  • 1 pkg. (18.25 oz.) pudding in the mix chocolate cake mix
  • 1/2 c. butter, softened
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/2 c. sugar
  • 3 c. shredded coconut

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, butter, eggs, extract and sugar. Beat until well blended. Stir in the coconut.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto a cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are firm. Let the cookies cool for about a minute before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

  • Yields: About 3 dozen cookies
  • Preparation Time: About 30 minutes