Zagnut Cookies for #FoodnFlix

Our FoodnFlix selection this month, as chosen by Deb of Kahakai Kitchen, was Beetlejuice.  You can see Deb's invitation post here.  Food n Flix is a fun little group, started by Heather of All Roads Lead to the Kitchen.  We watch the same movie each month and then head to the kitchen to cook up a dish inspired by the movie.  It is a lot of fun and we welcome others to join us.

Beetlejuice is the iconic 1988 classic by Tim Burton starring Michael Keaton, Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis and Wynona Ryder.  It is a goofy and fun film that I had not seen since it first came out.  It does have a large following, I am just not one of the followers.  It is kind of like slapstick comedy to me....I know that it is supposed to be funny.  I catch all the one liners and I know when I am supposed to laugh but.....it just isn't that funny to me.  Nor are the 3 stooges, Airplane, Monty Python, Blazing Saddles and all those hundreds of other movies that I watch my husband crack a gut at while I shake my head wondering how he can find something so stupid so funny.

We moved this month so I finally sat down to watch this movie again on October 30th.  Deadline for submissions is today.  I don't normally wait until the last moment and I almost skipped this month but I love this group and didn't want to miss out on the fun.

There is not a lot of food in this movie.  There are bugs eaten several times.  There is a shrimp cocktail that comes to life.  There is a scene in the kitchen that shows some veggies and a loaf of bread and there is a zagnut bar that comes crashing up through a grave with Beetlejuice.

I have never eaten a zagnut bar.  I am not even sure they make them anymore.  I did a google search and found that it is a candy bar made by the Hershey company that contains peanut butter and coconut.  I like peanut butter and coconut.  I have peanut butter and coconut in the house.  I decided to make zagnut cookies.  These are peanut butter cookies with  toasted coconut added to the batter.  I don't know if they taste anything at all like a zagnut bar but I do know that they are absolutely scrumptious.  YUM!!!  Look for the round up of all the Beetlejuice inspired creations in a day or two at Kahakai Kitchen.

Zagnut Bar Cookies

2 sticks butter, room temperature
1 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1 c. peanut butter
2 eggs
2 c. flour
2 t. baking soda
pinch of salt
1 c. toasted coconut

Place the butter, both sugars and peanut butter in the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Mix on med high speed until creamy.  Add the eggs beating well after each.  Add the flour, baking soda and salt.  Mix on low speed until combined, then increase speed and beat until light and fluffy.  Reduce speed to low and stir in the coconut.

Drop rounded tablespoons full onto parchment lined baking sheets.  Bake in a preheated 375* oven for 10-12 minutes.  You should get approx. 80 cookies.  Print Recipe