Brown Sugar Masa Shortbread

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sweetened shredded dried coconut
• 1 cup (1/2 lb.) butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup dehydrated masa flour (corn tortilla flour; see notes)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation

1. 1. In a food processor, whirl coconut until finely ground. Then add butter, brown sugar, vanilla, all-purpose flour, and masa flour and whirl together until smooth. Or, mince coconut with a knife. Then, in a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, brown sugar, and vanilla until smooth; stir in coconut, all-purpose flour and masa flour until mixture is no longer crumbly and starts to come together in a ball.
2. 2. Press dough evenly into two 9-inch round pans with removable rims. Press edges of dough with fork tines to make a ridge pattern. Then, with fork tines, pierce dough all over in parallel lines 1 inch apart.
3. 3. Bake shortbread in a 300° oven until firm to touch and slightly darker brown, about 45 minutes. In a small bowl, mix granulated sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over hot shortbread. Let cool 10 minutes.
4. 4. Remove pan rims from warm shortbread. Cut each round into 12 wedges. Cool completely on pan bottoms on racks.
5. Note: Nutritional analysis is per cookie.