Toasted Coconut Shortbread

Directions

1. 1
   Preheat oven to 325°F Spread coconut on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until coconut is light golden, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Cool completely, then grind in a coffee grinder, food processor or blender until coarsely ground.
2. 2
   Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until well blended. Mix in salt and vanilla. Beat in flour in 2 additions. Stir in toasted coconut. Gather dough together, flatten into a disc and wrap in plastic. Chill at least 1 hour. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.).
3. 3
   Preheat oven to 325°F Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. 4
   Roll out dough disk on lightly floured work surface to scant 1/4-inch thickness. Using 1 3/4- to 2-inch-diameter cookie cutters, cut dough into rounds. Transfer cookies to prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Gather dough scraps and reroll; cut out additional cookies. OR.
5. 5
   Before chilling form dough into a log - 1 3/4- to 2-inch-diameter, wrap well in plastic and then place in a baggie or foil. After chilling, with a thin bladed sharp knife slice scant 1/4-inch thick rounds. Place on cookie sheets as above.
6. 6
   Bake cookies until light golden, about 20 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and cool completely. (Can be made ahead. Store airtight at room temperature up to 1 week.).
7. 7
   Note 1 - If you can't find unsweetened, use sweetened and cut back the sugar by 2 tablespoons.
8. 8
   Note 2 - for unsweetened coconut, the smaller amount of salt, with sweetened, the larger amount. If you don't have Kosher salt, halve the amount of table salt.