Just looking at the name of these cookies makes me think SUMMER SUMMER SUMMER! I almost cried when I spotted peaches on the list of produce I could get in my grocery bin last week. Peaches mean summer is here! Another hint may be the 90+ degree weather we’re having.

Anyway, my first instinct was to make a blueberry-peach pie. But Michael is out of town this week and I didn’t want him to miss out on one of my favorite pies. Plus the blueberries may have jumped into a few breakfast smoothies. It’s like they wanted me to do something healthy with them, the buggers.

About a month ago I marked a peach sugar cookie recipe on A Beautiful Mess. The cookies photographed were decorated so gorgeously with pastel-colored coconut that I couldn’t resist. But alas, no peaches yet for me. Until day 7 of Creative Fun Month!

Conveniently enough, today is a co-worker’s birthday. So I settled into the kitchen last night with Joy the Baker’s latest podcast and a beer. And so a mouthful of summertime prettiness was created!

Peachy Coconut Cookies
adapted from recipe found at A Beautiful Mess
makes 36 cookies

Ingredients:

For the Cookies
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 fresh peaches, pureed (though I thought they could be peachier, so try three if you’d like!)

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
found at Epicurious
 you may have extra frosting left at the end
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup milk (soy works fine)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 peaches, pureed

For the Coconut Topping
1 bag shredded coconut
Food coloring

1. Preheat the oven to 375°.

2. Cream the sugar and butter in a large bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla.

3. Combine the flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a small bowl.

4. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the sugar-butter mixture. Turn the mixer to the lowest speed setting and add in the peaches until just combined.

5. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Roll cookie dough into about tablespoon-sized balls, and space evenly on the cookie sheets. Mine didn’t spread quite as much as I was expecting. I wanted a bit more room to have fun with the colored coconut, so I wish I’d smooshed the dough balls flat a bit.

6. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until edges are just golden brown. Remove from oven, immediately transfer to a cooling rack, and cool completely.

7. While the cookies are cooling, make the frosting. Cream the butter with an electric mixer. Slowly add the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and peach puree. Mix until smooth. Store in the fridge until you’re ready to use.

8. Color your coconut! To make any pastel colors (pink, blue, green, etc.) combine 1/2 cup coconut and one little drop of food coloring in a small bowl. Mix with a fork until the color is evenly distributed. To make peach or lavender, combine 1 cup coconut and a drop each of yellow and red (peach) or blue and red (lavender).

9. Now, just frost your cookies (I like to use a spatula) and get creative with your coconut!