Italian Creme Cookies

This past weekend I had an order from a favorite customer for an Italian Creme cake.  I LOVE Italian Creme Cake.  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!  Italian Creme cake consists of all my favorite sweet flavors.  Almond, coconut, butter.  It's moist and...moist...and coconutty...and amazing.  Period. To get to my point.  After I delivered her cake, I was really wishing I had made one for myself.  I went home and decided to experiment a little, and wah-la!  Italian Creme Cookies.  Tuck took one bite and thought he had died and gone to Heaven.   He had me make a jumbo sized cookie for him and he ate the entire thing. Enjoy!

For the cookies you will need

2 sticks of butter at room temperature

2 cups of sugar

3 eggs at room temperature

3 cups of flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup of buttermilk at room temperature

2 cups shredding coconut (not sweetened)

1 cup finely chopped pecans

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 325 and grease your cookie sheets.  Cream the butter and sugar together.  Add eggs one at a time.  Combine flour, baking soda, and salt.  Gradually add dry mixture alternating with the buttermilk.  Be sure to begin and end with the dry mixture.  Fold in coconut and pecans. Scoop onto greased cookie sheet and bake for 8-12 minutes until edges are golden brown.  Allow to cool and create sandwiches with frosting filling.

For the filling you will need

1 8oz package cream cheese at room temperature

1/2 stick butter at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 lb powdered sugar

1 cup finely chopped pecans

Combine cream cheese, butter and vanilla.  Beat until smooth.  Gradually add powdered sugar mix well.  Fold in the pecans.  Fill cookies.