Lime in The Coconut Cookies

So yesterday I hopped in my car to head off to Wegmans for my typical crazy food shopping excursion that I do every other week and I heard a song that inspired today's cookie:

Coconut by Harry Nilsson 

You know that song!  The one about putting the LIME in the COCONUT that will end up stuck in your head all day long!  I LOVE this song...for me it screams summer!  And so does this recipe!  Yes, I know it's only spring...but my mind is already on summertime! 

Oh yeah, and it's cake mix recipe #33!!!

The Shopping List:

• 1 box key lime cake mix
• 1 stick softened butter
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes 
• 1 cup white chocolate chips 
• 2 cups powdered sugar 
• 1/2 tsp lime zest
• 2 tsp lime juice, freshly squeezed
• 1/2 cup toasted coconut*

The Lime in the Coconut Cookie Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
2. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, eggs, and vanilla
3. Add the cake mix and beat until a soft dough forms
4. Stir in the 1 cup coconut and 1 cup chocolate chips on low speed until evenly distributed 
5. Drop by 1 inch balls onto ungreased cookie sheets and bake for 9-11 minutes
6. Remove from oven and cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely 
7. Meanwhile, make the glaze by combining the powdered sugar with the lime juice and enough water (about an extra 2 tsp) to make a thick glaze
8. Stir in the lime zest 
   
9. Take cooled cookie and turn upside-down and dip top of cookie into the glaze
10. Turn cookie back over (allowing glaze to drip down the sides) and put back onto cooling rack, top with toasted coconut*
11. Allow glaze to harden before storing cookies in an airtight container

The inside of these cookies are just beautiful!  

*I made my toasted coconut by spreading 1/2 cup of the same sweetened coconut flakes that I used in the cookies into a single layer on a baking sheet and popping it into a 325 degree oven for about 7 minutes.  Watch it closely because it will go from brown and toasty to burnt in a matter of seconds.