Double Chocolate Coconut Cookies

We all know white "chocolate" isn't chocolate at all and shouldn't even have that name, it's ridiculous. I stay away from the stuff as a general rule. But since I am the embodiment of culinary tolerance, even I can admit it can sometimes have its place in a baked good, contributing sweetness, flavor and texture for the greater good of the finished product.

But Martha was pushing my tolerance with this cookie...at first. I followed her directions perfectly, including the TWO CUPS of white chocolate, but once I had the dough all stirred up, I was like, "Are you kidding me? Can I have some cookie with my white chocolate? C'mon!"

But I scooped and baked like a good girl anyway. When they were hot I tried one, and I had to admit it was good. I took the cookies to a preschool function and they did get gobbled up, with at least two people going out of their way to tell me how much they liked them. I even ate a few more. So for this post I compromised. I still think 2 cups is too much, and next time I would more likely do 1 cup white, 1 cup semisweet, or at least 1 1/2 white, 1/2 semisweet. But that's just me and my prejudice against white "chocolate." They really are delicious no matter what.

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp coarse salt

1 to 2 cups white chocolate chunks
1 3/4 cups sweetened flaked coconut

1 3/4 cups coarsely chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350. Put butter and sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Mix in eggs one at a time. Stir in vanilla.

2. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Mix into butter mixture on low speed until well combined. Stir in chocolate, coconut and walnuts.

3. Using a 1 1/2 inch cookie scoop, drop batter onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly. Bake until set, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire rack 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks to cool completely. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 1 week.