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1
Preheat the oven to 325F.
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2
Use an electric mixer to beat the whites until foamy.
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3
Gradually add the sugar until the mixture is stiff.
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4
Fold in the remaining ingredients.
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5
Use a pastry bag, a resealable plastic bag with a corner cut out, a spoon, or wet hands to form small mounds from tablespoons (or a little more) of the meringue mixture and place on a nonstick baking sheet or a baking sheet lined with wax paper.
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6
You can space them quite closely since they will not rise.
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7
Bake until light brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
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8
Remove the baking sheet and cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes before eating.
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9
These keep well in a covered container for up to 3 days.
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10
Toast 2 1/2 cups walnuts or blanched almonds in a skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan frequently until they become fragrant, about 5 minutes.
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11
Grind to a powder (you can use granulated sugar in this case, grinding it with the nuts) in a food processor.
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12
Then proceed as directed, substituting nuts for the coconut.
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13
The famous Spanish version, always made with almonds, sometimes with egg yolks: Follow the preceding variation, using almonds and adding 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest.
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14
After putting the cookies on the sheet, sprinkle their tops with some sliced blanched almonds and bake as directed.
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15
In step 1, substitute dark rum for the vanilla extract and add 1 teaspoon peeled and grated fresh ginger with the coconut mixture.
