Coconut Brazil nut cookies

I've had a bag of Brazil nuts sitting in my pantry for a while. Although they're one of my favorite nuts, they are notorious for being really caloric and high in fat. On the flip side, they are an awesome source of selenium, which is a vital trace mineral that is essential in various bodily processes and is found in almost all the cells in our body. One Brazil nut contains about 160% of the daily recommended dose of selenium, so it's important not to eat too many of them. But after making these cookies, it's hard to restrain yourself. The combination of coconut and Brazil nuts make these cookies rich, but they are delicious.

 

Ingredients:

• 1 stick of butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup chopped Brazil nuts
• 1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

What to do:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add the egg and beat well.
4. Beat in the vanilla.
5. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
6. Gradually add the flour mixture to the sugar/butter mixture. Mix well.
7. Stir in the Brazil nuts and the coconut.
8. Drop by the tablespoonful onto ungreased cookie sheets, a couple inches apart.
9. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the bottoms are lightly browned.
10. If you can resist eating them right out of the oven, let them cool on a wire rack and then store in an airtight container.

This recipe makes about 2 dozen cookies.