When I moved to Panama from landlocked Missouri in May 2021, I couldn’t wait to hit the beach. It had been at least a year and a half since I last felt sand beneath my feet.
I planned a weekend trip with friends, and we stayed at a beach house in Nueva Gorgona.
When we got off the bus early Saturday morning, the first thing on our to-do list was buying snacks. We loaded a shopping basket with the necessities— sandwich ingredients, chips, beer, and cocadas.
I had never tried the sweet, caramelized coconut cookies before, but they instantly became my favorite beach snack. Now, every time I go to the beach with friends, we buy packages of them to last the whole trip.
I’m sharing a recipe I found so you can try them for yourself. If you’re going on a beach getaway in Panama, cocadas are a must-bring…
Ingredients
- 3 cups freshly shredded coconut
- 400 grams honey
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Orange peel
Directions
Combine the honey, water, and cinnamon in a saucepan and cook for five minutes.
Add the shredded coconut and orange peel and cook on low heat for 30 minutes.
When thin grooves appear in the mixture and it no longer sticks to the bottom of the pan, remove the cinnamon stick and orange peel.
Use two spoons to form small balls and place them on a baking sheet. Allow to cool. You can place the tray in the fridge to make the cookies firmer.
Enjoy cold or at room temperature.
¡Buen provecho!
Sincerely,
Gabrielle Wells
Contributor, In Focus: Panama
