Grandma Barbara's Fincastle Cookies

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Ever heard of a Fincastle Cookie? Me neither. 
These cookies are for you if you love chocolate and coconut, and really don't want to turn the oven on. 


When I first started dating my boyfriend, he told me about his grandma's cookies that she makes for every special occasion, and I had never heard of them. He tried to describe them, I tried to google them, but to no avail. So, when I eventually met her, I hinted that I love baking and that Chris just ADORED her fincastle cookies. She grabbed her tin of recipe notecards, and I flipped through all of them and photographed the ones that looked good. I finally got the recipe for the mysterious cookie! 

Original on the left, healthier on the right.

I have no idea where the recipe comes from. I can't find anything exactly like it on the internet. I would describe it best as a chocolate coconut nut bar, but the recipes for treats that contain similar ingredients are not combined in this same way. This is truly a unique treat!

I have the original recipe for you, and also a "healthier" version that I think tastes just as good. Pick your poison! I love replacing butter and cream with cashew butter or almond butter. You can use any leftover sugar cookie or shortbread cookie that you have, the original recipe called for crumbled vanilla wafers. I suggest using my grandma's snickerdoodle cookie recipe and leaving out the cinnamon (or not!). 


For the healthier version, you'll need cashew butter and/or almond butter. I always use Artisana Organics nut butters when I don't make my own because they come packaged with minimal plastic (just a tiny sticker to represent a safety seal). When I have time, I make nut butter in the food processor. Cashew, walnut, and pecan butters are the easiest to make; they take the least amount of time and won't overheat your processor. Sometimes for almond, hazelnut, sesame seed (tahini), or sunflower seed butter I have to pause halfway through so that I don't overheat the processor. It speeds up the process if you lightly toast these nuts and seeds for 10 minutes and then process them while warm. 

Enjoy! 


Ingredients (original): 
  • Layer 1
    • 1 stick butter
    • 1 square unsweetened chocolate
    • 2 cups cookie crumbs
    • 1 cup flaked coconut
    • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
    • 1 tsp vanilla
    • 1 egg
    • pinch of salt
  • Layer 2
    • 2 cups powdered sugar
    • 1 TBSP cream
    • 1 tsp vanilla
    • 1/2 stick butter
  • Layer 3
    • 4 squares unsweetened chocolate
Method: 
  1. Melt 1 stick butter with 1 square of unsweetened chocolate, set aside. 
  2. Combine cookie crumbs, coconut flakes, pecans, vanilla, egg, and salt. 
  3. Combine both mixtures well, and press into 9x12 pan to refrigerate for 30 minutes. 
  4. Mix together powdered sugar, cream, vanilla, and remaining butter. 
  5. Spread on top of chilled mixture and refrigerate 30 minutes. 
  6. Melt the 4 squares of chocolate and drizzle over mixture in the pan. 
  7. Cut into squares and store in refrigerator.
Ingredients (healthified): 
  • Layer 1
    • 1/4 cup cashew butter
    • 1/4 cup coconut oil 
    • 1 square unsweetened chocolate
    • 2 cups cookie crumbs
    • 1 cup coconut flakes
    • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
    • 1 tsp vanilla
    • pinch of salt
  • Layer 2
    • 1 cup powdered coconut sugar or maple syrup or honey
    • 1/4 cup cashew or almond butter
    • 1 tsp vanilla
  • layer 3
    • 4 squares unsweetened chocolate
Method: 
  1. Melt cashew butter and ghee with 1 square of unsweetened chocolate, set aside. 
  2. Combine cookie crumbs, coconut flakes, pecans, vanilla, and salt. 
  3. Combine both mixtures well, and press into 9x12 pan to refrigerate for 30 minutes. 
  4. Mix together powdered sugar (or maple syrup or honey), nut butter, and vanilla.
  5. Spread on top of chilled mixture and refrigerate 30 minutes. 
  6. Melt the 4 squares of chocolate and drizzle over mixture in the pan. 
  7. Cut into squares and store in refrigerator.

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