Banana Coconut Cookies

Banana Coconut Cookies are a Garramone family favorite, as well as in my monastery and our high school.

Ingredients

2½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup (two 3.4 oz. packages) banana instant pudding mix

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt 

1 cup (2 sticks) margarine

1½ cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

¼ cup milk

1 teaspoon banana extract

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Directions

In a medium size bowl, combine flour, pudding mix, baking powder, baking soda and salt, and whisk blend completely. In another bowl or stand mixer, cream together margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, milk, and extracts and beat until well blended. Add flour mixture and mix well. Stir in coconut until evenly distributed throughout dough. Wrap dough in waxed paper or plastic film and chill in refrigerator for at least two hours.

Preheat oven to 375° F. Drop balls of chilled dough the size of walnuts on lightly greased baking sheets (you can line the pans with parchment paper instead) and flatten balls slightly. Bake for 10 minutes or until browned.  Yields about 4 dozen cookies.

Notes

--Even people who don't much care for banana or coconut flavors tell me they LOVE these cookies! My dear mother used to make them for me for my birthday every year.

--If you don't have margarine, you can substitute a stick of butter and a half cup of vegetable shortening, but I recommend adding an additional of pinch of salt to the recipe, and be sure to refrigerate the dough thoroughly before baking.