Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Step 2: Lightly grease two baking sheets, or line them with parchment paper.
Step 3: Stir together the oats, flour, sugar, salt, and coconut.
Step 4: Place the butter and syrup in a small saucepan or microwave-safe container, and cook or microwave until the butter has melted and the mixture is bubbling.
Step 5: In a medium-sized bowl, combine the baking soda and boiling water, then stir in the hot butter.
Step 6: Be prepared: the mixture will bubble up energetically.
Step 7: This is why you're using a medium (rather than small) bowl.
Step 8: Stir the butter mixture into the dry ingredients.
Step 9: Drop the dough, by teaspoonfuls, onto the prepared baking sheets. A teaspoon cookie scoop works well here.
Step 10: Leave at least 1 1/2" between them; they'll spread quite a bit.
Step 11: Bake the cookies for 13 to 15 minutes, until they're a deep mahogany brown; the cookies are meant to be crisp/crunchy and dark brown, not chewy/light brown.
Step 12: Remove the cookies from the oven, and cool them right on the pan. Store, well wrapped, for a week or so at room temperature; freeze for longer storage.
Step 13: Yield: about 3 dozen 2 1/2" cookies.
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