Island Jewels

Yield: about 36

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups flaked, unsweetened coconut
• 1/2 cup toasted, chopped, unsalted macadamia nuts
• 3/4 cup exotic fruit jelly or preserves, such as guava, mango, passion fruit

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 300 degrees F. Lightly spray cookie sheets with nonstick vegetable spray.
2. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy, and mix in vanilla extract.
3. Mix flour and salt and gradually mix into butter mixture. Mix in coconut and nuts.
4. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Arrange 2 inches apart on prepared sheets. Using a fingertip or the handle end of a wooden spoon, make an indentation in the top of each cookie.
5. Bake until cookies are beginning to color, about 20 to 25 minutes.
6. Cool on rack.
7. Fill each indentation with a bit of jelly or preserves.