Bird Nest Cookies

I received a message on facebook a few weeks back that read this:

Dear Katie
Why haven’t you been baking and posting stuff on your blog??? I’m kinda missing all the good things you post on there.
Kind Regards: Your younger brother.

I kindly replied:

Dear Ryan,The baby growing inside of my expanding belly has made me throw up on a daily basis and have no desire to bake or eat anything remotely delicious…..I am getting back in the groove of things…

Maybe if you sent me something kitcheny to inspire me I could make something amazing 😉

Kind regards: Your older, wiser sister.

This post followed a week later from my little brother….

“so on my adventure today i found something but it was hard to pick what thing i should get that will inspire you for cooking….i hope that what i did get will work…i dont think you can get it in (town that you reside in) at least i haven’t seen it at all….a little hint is it’s a liquid…thats all i can tell you!”

Ohh I was excited!  At the end of the week I checked the mail to find a small package from my brother with a little bottle of Pomegranate extract (flavoring)

I was in the midst of wedding cupcakes when the package arrived so I didn’t have much time to think about what i could make with it until this morning…

Bird Nest Cookies flavored with vanilla  and pomegranate!

Bird Nest cookies are one of favorite bakery treats and I rarely buy them because I will be forced to eat as many as I can.

These cookies are crumbly and buttery and oh so delicious!

 The only suitable jelly I had to fill these cookies with was Strawberry but a Pomegranate Jelly would have been super!

Bird Nest Cookies (with a hint of pomegranate)

For the Cookies you will need:

• 1 1/2 cups salted butter (if you use unsalted be sure to add about 1/2 tsp. salt)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 1/4 tsp pomegranate extract (but you could easily use any flavoring you would like)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 3 eggs, separated
• Jam or Jelly
• coconut flakes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

Add the vanilla bean paste and extract and mix until well combined.

Separate the eggs and add the 3 egg yolks to the butter mixture, beating until combined.

Add the sifted flour and mix until the dough comes together.

Using a dough scoop (or a tablespoon) roll into balls roughly 1 1/4  inches (I yielded 3 dozen cookies)

roll the balls in the reserved egg white and then in the coconut and place on a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet.

Using the bottom of a glass, flatten the cookies slightly and bake for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, remove the partially baked cookies from the oven and make a small indent in the middle of the cookie (i used my teaspoon measure) and fill with a small spoonful of jam.

Return cookies to oven for 8 more minutes, until coconut is golden brown.

Let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

 Thanks again Ryan, wish you were here to taste them!

Enjoy!