Coquito Cookies by Reina Gascon-Lopez - Recipe Print View

Step 1

Heat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. While the butter and sugar are working, in a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, coconut extract, rum extract, and vanilla. Slowly pour into the creamed butter and sugar mixture, beating until fully combined. To avoid making a mess, turn the mixer off and carefully add the dry ingredients into the bowl. Turn on at the lowest speed and beat until just combined, making sure no floury patches remain. The dough should appear sticky and tacky. Chill the dough for at least an hour in the fridge. Using a tablespoon or small measuring scoop, scoop and roll the cookie dough into balls about 1½ inches in diameter. If your dough is very soft, you may want to use wet hands to roll the balls. Place on the prepared baking sheets spaced 3 inches apart. If you don’t want to bake all of the cookies at once, simply freeze the rolled dough balls and portion them in a plastic freezer bag for another day. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then flatten and bake as you would with fresh dough. Using the bottom of a cup or mug, or just the palm of your hand, flatten each dough ball into a round, uniform shape about ½ inch thick. Repeat with the rest of the cookies. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the edges are light brown, rotating the pan halfway through. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and tap them on the counter a few times to release the cookies from the parchment paper. Let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then remove the cookies to place on wire baking racks to cool completely before glazing. Make sure to keep the parchment and place it underneath the wire rack for easy cleanup when it’s time to glaze and garnish the cookies. Make the icing: To toast the coconut flakes, place them in a dry large skillet or frying pan. Cook over medium heat until they’re a light golden brown color, 3 to 5 minutes, making sure to stir often to keep from burning them. Transfer to a plate to cool. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the sifted confectioners' sugar and water until it forms a thin, smooth glaze. Pour and spread a heaping teaspoon of glaze onto each cookie. Sprinkle each glazed cookie with some toasted coconut flakes. Enjoy!