1. May also use salted butter. However, if using salted butter, omit the salt from the recipe.
2. May substitute unsweetened coconut flakes for the sweetened coconut flakes
3. Recipes with pecans always taste significantly better if the pecans are toasted. To toast the pecans, spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for around 8 minutes. Watch carefully to ensure that they don’t burn.
4. While a bit unconventional, I consistently beat in ingredients like baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt to the wet ingredients. The reason is this ensures that all ingredients are well mixed together. I’ve never detected a problem with using this technique.
5. The reason for refrigerating the dough is to allow the flour and sugars to hydrate. This results in crispier edges for the cookies. It wouldn't, however, be a disaster to skip the refrigeration.
6. If you don’t want to bake all of the cookies, form into balls and freeze in a single layer. When frozen transfer to a Ziploc bag and freeze for up to three months.