I promise – last cookie recipe until next week!
But, hey, we want to be sure to have a cookie Santa likes, and I am nothing if not into assortment and choice.
These cookies actually started out to be something else for LAST year’s Christmas cookie mayhem. Rich saw this recipe that called for dried mango, papaya and pineapple – so I picked up a bag or three of dried mixed tropical fruit at the market. For some reason or another, that cookie recipe never happened, and we’ve had these bags o’ fruit banging around the pantry ever since.
Something had to be done.
I came across this recipe on da Google (all praise…), but have changed it a bit. I cannot, in good conscience, call these ‘Tropical Snowdrops’ – because they came out looking more like tropical lumps – tasty – but still lumps. I also doubled the amount of pecans and dried fruit called for, and am glad I did – the recommended amounts looked a might bit meager to me in the mixing bowl. Next time, I may well double up on the coconut as well – that may be the key to achieving snowdrop-ness. In any event – this is a nice cookie. Not too, too sweet; and a little crunchy and chewy at the same time.
INGREDIENTS
•1/2 cup butter softened
•1/2 cup shortening
•1 cup sugar
•1/2 tsp baking soda
•1/4 tsp salt
•2 eggs
•3/4 tsp vanilla
•2-1/2 cup all-purpose flour
•1 cup tropical-blend dried fruit bits – I did 2 cups
•1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts or pecans – I did 1 cup
•1 cup flaked coconut – I shoulda did 2 cups
•Coconut, whole macadamia nuts, or pecan halves to top the cookies (optional)
This’ll make around six or seven dozen cookies.
Preheat oven to 375º.
In a large mixing bowl beat butter and shortening with electric mixer on medium high speed for 30 seconds.
Add sugar, baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.
Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer, then stir in any remaining flour, the fruit bits, the coconut and the nuts. The dough 
will be, ermm, DENSE.
Drop by teaspoons 2 inches apart onto an parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
If desired, lightly press additional coconut onto tops of cookies or top each with a macadamia nut or pecan half.
Bake for 9 – 11 minutes or until edges are light brown.
Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.