For a time, I was a chef at a law firm in Dublin. The chef I replaced there was kind enough to hand down the recipe for these cookies. They are much like a macaroon, with a browned outside and chewy, coconutty inside, and the lawyers loved them, as did I. Eventually I left that position, moved to the US, worked at several other jobs . . . Ten years went by, and I lost track of the recipe. Until one day I was flicking through my recipe notebook and found it tucked in among the pages. You can imagine how happy I was to rediscover these kisses and to be able to share them with you here.
Makes 30 cookies
1 Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2 In a large bowl, cream together the butter and confectioners’ sugar with a wooden spoon until soft and light in color.
3 Add the egg whites and mix until combined.
4 Fold in the flour and the coconut.
5 Using a tablespoon measure, scoop out heaping tablespoons of the dough, roll them into balls, and place them on the prepared cookie sheets. Leave some space between the cookies, as they’ll spread during baking.
6 Bake for 12 to 13 minutes, until very light golden brown. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.
7 Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.