Peanut Butter-Coconut Cookies

These cookies are not chewy in the same way a traditional peanut butter cookie is chewy. The chewiness of this cookie comes from the texture of brown sugar baked into peanut butter. Because the base of this cookie is made from those two ingredients (and contains no flour), it is free of gluten and easy to make. Shredded unsweetened coconut is also added to the mixture to give additional texture and flavor to each cookie. Once baked, these confections are soft and crumbly with a crisp exterior. Raw sugar is sprinkled on top of each cookie to give it added crunch and sweetness, and vanilla extract is mixed in to offer a taste of the traditional peanut butter cookie you grew up on. The last ingredient is the secret of the recipe—coconut extract. A little of this stuff goes a long way, so only a few drops are necessary to emphasize the flavor of the shredded coconut in the cookie. The salty savoriness of peanut butter is complimented by the tropical nuttiness of the coconut, making these sweet cookies delightfully balanced and irresistible. The dough bakes quickly so you can have a batch of these cookies on the counter in less than half an hour.