Chewy Coconut Almond Squares

1 box (17.5oz.) Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookie Mix (Pillsbury)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1/2 cup flaky coconut
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine cookie mix and butter.  Press into 9 x 13 baking dish.  Bake 10 minutes.  Remove form oven and evenly top with coconut and almonds.  Pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over top.  Bake 25 minutes.  Cool and cut into squares.  Makes about 24 squares.

Comments:  This original recipe called for graham cracker crumbs.  I decided to use cookie mix and the oatmeal chocolate chunk sounded good.  You can actually use any flavor you want.  You can also change the nuts from almonds to pecans or walnuts.  This would probably even be good with peanuts.  I like using the large shaved coconut that is unsweetened which I find at the health food stores in bulk.

Basic Cookie Mix

8 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

Combine flour, sugars, salt and baking soda until well blended. With a pastry blender, cut in shortening until evenly distributed. Put in a large airtight container. Label and store in a cool, dry place. Use within 10-12 weeks. Makes about 16 cups of basic cookie mix.

A really sweet friend of mine, Lillian, told me that since I use sugar cookie mix to make most of my crusts I needed a basic cookie recipe. She sent me one. The only change I made was to leave out the vegetable shortening. I did this because I like to use the dry mix and add softened butter in my recipe. If you want to go ahead and add the shortening the amount is 3 cups cut in using a pastry blender. I keep plenty of this mix handy using it to make different flavors of cookies by adding nuts, fruit, coconut, etc. and for some of my crusts.

Cream Cheese Butter Cookies

3 cups packaged sugar cookie mix
4 oz. cream cheese softened
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter softened

Mix all ingredients together (I use my hands to make sure the cream cheese is mixed in well). Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes. Break off pieces and shape into a ball about 1 1/2" . Press flat and place on a non-greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Makes 3 dozen.

When I made these for the first time and tasted them I had only 1 change that I would make and that would be to add about 1/4 cup of finely ground pecans. I'm sure there are other changes that you could make but after tasting them you may not want to change them at all.

I have an update of this cookie recipe. I made 9 dozen to go in my "tester's" Easter baskets. I made 1/4 of them with finely ground pecans and 1/4 of them with finely ground almonds. They are wonderful! Next I'll try them with coconut.