Pineapple Coconut Cookies with Lemon Glaze

Pineapple coconut with lemon glaze cookie close-up.

5 from 8 votes

Pineapple Coconut Cookies with Lemon Glaze

Soft and moist, these Pineapple Coconut Cookies with Lemon Glaze combine tropical pineapple and coconut flavors in a light cake-like cookie finished with a bright lemon glaze. A fun summer cookie with just the right balance of sweetness and citrus.

Prep Time45

Total Bake Time33

Chill1

Total Time2 18

Course: Cookies

Cuisine: American

Difficulty: Medium

Servings: cookies

Calories: 142kcal

Author: Barbara Hall

Ingredients

COOKIE DOUGH

½ cup (113.5 g) Butter unsalted room temperature
1 cup (200 g) Sugar white
½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 Eggs
1 cup (236 g) Pineapple juice
8 oz Pineapple crushed
4 cups (375 g) All-purpose flour
2 teaspoons Baking powder
½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
3 Tablespoon Milk
1 cup (80 g) Coconut fine shredded

LEMON GLAZE

1 Tablespoon Lemon zest
4 Tablespoon Lemon juice
1 ½ cup (180 g) Powdered sugar

Instructions

Take the crushed pineapple from the can and strain out the juice, saving it if you want to add some pineapple flavor to the glaze later. You want the crushed pineapple to be as dry as possible. After draining, I spread the pineapple onto paper towels to absorb even more moisture before adding it to the cookie dough.
In one bowl, weigh or measure the flour, baking powder, and salt, then whisk them together to blend. Set the bowl aside. In another bowl, weigh or measure the sugar and set it aside until ready to use.
Cube the butter into a mixer bowl. On medium speed, cream the butter for about one minute. Add the sugar and mix for about three minutes to incorporate it into the butter.
Add the vanilla extract and one egg, mixing until blended. Add the second egg and mix again. Pour in the pineapple juice and blend briefly before adding the crushed pineapple. Mix just until incorporated.
Turn the mixer to low speed and add half of the flour mixture, mixing until incorporated. Scrape down the sides and across the bottom of the bowl, then add the milk.
Add the remaining flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined. Stop and make sure all the flour is blended, especially across the bottom of the bowl. Add the coconut and mix for about 30 seconds.
Cover lightly and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 60 minutes.
Line two cookie sheet pans with parchment paper. Using a medium cookie scoop, place 12 scoops of dough onto each pan.
Bake at 350°F (175°C or 180°C) for 11 to 13 minutes. Mine were done in about 11 minutes, but ovens can vary. The bottoms brown quickly, so keep an eye on the edges for light browning.
Leave the cookies on the pan for about 1 minute before moving them to a cooling rack.

LEMON GLAZE

Zest and juice 1 or 2 whole lemon, then add both to the powdered sugar. Mix with either a stand mixer, hand mixer, or whisk until the glaze is smooth and all the powdered sugar is incorporated.
Once the cookies have cooled completely, use a ½ teaspoon measuring spoon to add glaze to the top of each cookie. Gently spread it around using the back of the spoon.
Let the glaze set for about two hours before storing the cookies in a container.

Notes

Coconut Tip: Which Type Works Best?

For these cookies, I recommend unsweetened shredded coconut since the dough already has plenty of moisture from the pineapple juice and crushed pineapple. Sweetened coconut tends to be softer and moister, which can make the cookies too wet.

I like using a fine shred unsweetened coconut because it blends into the dough better and gives you coconut flavor in every bite. You can also use regular shredded or flaked coconut if you prefer a little more texture.

Pineapple Tip: Do Not Skip the Draining Step

Crushed pineapple holds more liquid than you might think. Since this cookie dough already includes pineapple juice, removing as much moisture as possible from the crushed pineapple helps keep the cookies soft and cake-like without becoming overly wet.

Drain the pineapple well and save the juice if you would like to add some pineapple flavor to the glaze. I also spread the pineapple onto paper towels to remove even more moisture before adding it to the dough.

Milk Tip

I tested these cookies using 2% milk, which worked well with the moisture from the pineapple. Whole milk should also work just fine, but I would avoid anything much thinner.

Lemon Glaze Tip

For a brighter tropical flavor, I like to split the glaze liquid between lemon juice and reserved pineapple juice. Using half lemon and half pineapple juice softens the tartness and ties the pineapple and coconut flavors together.

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