Time to get zesty.
Daylight Savings Time started last weekend. St. Patrick’s Day was yesterday. As far as I’m concerned, it’s official:
Spring has finally arrived! Bring on the sunshine, the garden-fresh vegetables . . . and the springtime sweets! For me, that means these Lime Coconut Cookie Tarts!
Dark chocolate cookie cups brimming with a luscious lime and coconut filling, topped with a dollop of coconut cream. Deliciously light and zesty, these Lime Coconut Cookie Tarts are the perfect treat to celebrate spring! The cocoa cookies are crunchy and slightly bittersweet, pairing perfectly with the creamy citrus filling, and the coconut cream spiked with lime zest is the perfect finishing accent!
If you’ve struggled with pie crust in the past (or even just plain avoided it!), this recipe might appear challenging. Don’t worry—it’s really not that difficult. The tart crust is actually closer to shortbread than to an American-style flakey pie dough: think of it more as a roll-out cocoa cookie that’s been molded and baked into a little cup, with the help of a muffin tin. As for the lime and coconut filling, it only takes a few minutes to whip up. As long as you start with the right coconut product (more specifics on THAT in the recipe!), it couldn’t be easier.
It’s that time of year when we’re all craving fresh, zingy flavors: citrus, fruit, and whipped cream! Whether you’re looking for a fun new baking project or searching for something specifically light and delicious (and possibly green!) to celebrate the season, these Lime Coconut Cookie Tarts are the perfect treat for you! So grab a can of coconut cream and a lime and zest your way into spring!
Enjoy!
Lime Coconut Cookie Tarts
Makes 12
For the cocoa cookie crust:
225 grams butter, room temperature (2 sticks)
100 grams powdered sugar (14 tbsp)
½ tsp kosher salt
2 egg yolks
325 grams all-purpose flour (generous 2 1/2 cups)
60 grams cocoa (~3/4 cup)
For the coconut lime filling and coconut cream topping:
1 ½ cup coconut cream solids from a 13.5-oz can of coconut cream, chilled overnight in the refrigerator, divided*
1 avocado, chilled overnight in the refrigerator, pitted and scooped
1/3 cup lime juice (from about 3 limes)
2 tbsp lime zest
3 tbsp honey or agave syrup
1 tsp powdered sugar, optional
Special equipment: hand blender or stand mixer, plastic wrap, muffin tin, parchment paper, rolling pin, baking beans (or rice), food processor or blender
Method
For the cocoa cookie crust:
Sift flour and cocoa powder together in a bowl. Reserve.
In a stand mixer bowl using the paddle attachment, mix together butter, powdered sugar, and kosher salt until smooth and creamy. Add in egg yolks and mix until combined. Add sifted dry ingredients and mix just the dough starts to clump together. Don’t overmix.
Dump dough into the center of a piece of plastic wrap and use the ends of the plastic wrap to gather the dough together into a block about 1 inch thick. Wrap tightly in the plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
Grease a 12-hole muffin tin with butter. Remove dough from refrigerator and place between sheets of plastic wrap and/or parchment paper. Roll out until the dough is thin enough to fit between the tines of a fork.
If the dough is too stiff to roll out easily, beat the block with the end of the rolling pin to help it spread out. Don’t be afraid to use force; it’s okay if the edges crack a bit. If you wait for the dough to get warmer, it may become sticky and difficult to work with!
Cut out rounds of dough using a 3.5-inch round cookie cutter. Ease the dough rounds into the greased muffin tin holes, sliding it down the sides so it gets into the corners without being stretched. Dock by pricking the bottoms of the cups with fork tines. Chill by popping it in the freezer for 10 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut 5 x 5-inch squares of parchment paper; scrunch into balls.
Remove muffin tin from the freezer and line each muffin cup with a piece of scrunched paper. Fill each lined cup completely to the top with baking weights (I like to use rice or beans). Freeze for another 10 minutes before baking.
Bake until sides are set and dry to the touch, about 15 minutes. Remove paper and baking weights and bake until the bottoms appear matte and are dry to the touch, about 5-10 minutes more. Careful not to overbake—you won’t be able to tell by the color!
Let cool, then remove from muffin tin. Store in an airtight container.
For the coconut lime filling and coconut cream topping:
For the coconut lime filling, open chilled coconut milk and remove 1 cup of the solid cream carefully from the top. (Do NOT shake the can; you want the hard cream to remain separate from the coconut water below.) Using an electric hand mixer or the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, whip until light, about 1 minute. Reserve in the refrigerator.
In a blender or a food processor, cream together avocado, lime juice and zest, and honey. Add to reserved whipped coconut cream and whisk to combine.
For the coconut cream topping, whip ½ cup solid coconut cream until light. Add 1 teaspoon powdered sugar, if desired.
To assemble:
Dollop filling into tart shells and top with coconut cream topping and grated lime zest. Chill until serving.
*It’s very important to use a can of full-fat unsweetened coconut cream in this recipe. You cannot substitute with coconut milk or cream of coconut—these are completely different ingredients and will not work! Also, look for a brand that doesn’t contain preservatives: these may keep the cream from separating and rising to the top of the can while it’s chilling in the refrigerator overnight. I used Thai Kitchen brand, which contains only coconut, water, and guar gum.
Originally posted March 16, 2021.
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