Monte Carlos-Coconut

These are sandwich cookies, filled with a double filling of raspberry preserves and white frosting. I'd never had these before, so I don't have anything to compare these to. But these are delicious! Cook time is for one sheet of cookies.

• Ready In: 29 mins
• Yields: 22 cookies

Ingredients

• 3⁄4 cup butter, softened
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1  large egg
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
• 2  cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 cup flaked coconut
• 1⁄4 cup butter, softened
• 3⁄4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 -2  teaspoon milk
• 1⁄2 cup  raspberry preserves, seedless type

Directions

1. Beat 3/4 cup butter at medium speed of an electric mixture until creamy; gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, beating well. Add the egg and 1 tsp vanilla, beating well.
2. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Mix well. Add to the butter mixture, beating well. Stir in the coconut.
3. Shape the dough into 1 inch balls; place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Flatten the cookies in a crisscross pattern with a fork dipped in flour. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 14 minutes. Cool on wire racks.
4. For the frosting filling: Beat 1/4 cup butter at medium speed of an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add the powdered sugar, beating well. Add the remaining 1/2 tsp vanilla and milk; beat well.
5. Spread 1 tsp of the powdered sugar mixture on the flat side of half of the cookies. Spread 1 tsp raspberry preserves on the flat side of the remaining cookies. Place the preserve-topped cookies on top of the powdered sugar mixture-topped cookies to form sandwiches.