Amazing Lace Cookies

Lace cookies live or die by spread. The batter looks suspiciously thin when you spoon it onto the sheet, then the corn syrup and brown sugar melt together in the oven and pull the cookie outward into delicate, web-like rounds with caramelized edges. Crisp, brittle, and barely held together by toasted coconut, they’re the kind of cookie that shatters when you bite it.

The technique here is simple but unforgiving: cook the syrup, sugar, and margarine until smooth before adding flour and coconut, then drop tiny teaspoonfuls far apart on the sheet. The cookies need room. Crowd them and you’ll end up with one giant lace pancake instead of individual cookies.

Chef Tips

• Space cookies at least 3 inches apart. They spread aggressively and will fuse together if too close.
• Let cookies cool on the pan for 2 to 3 minutes before lifting. Pulled too early they tear, left too long they weld to the sheet. A thin offset spatula helps.
• Line the cookie sheet with parchment or a silicone mat. Ungreased pans work but cleanup is brutal.
• Bake one sheet at a time. Lace cookies are thin and burn fast on the second rack.
• Store in an airtight container with parchment between layers. They lose their crispness in humid weather within hours.

Variations

• Sandwich two cookies with melted dark chocolate or Nutella for a florentine-style treat.
• Swap half the coconut for finely chopped pecans or sliced almonds for a nuttier crunch.
• Add 1 teaspoon of grated orange zest to the batter for a citrusy lift that pairs well with coffee.