Coquito Cookies

Cookies

2½ cups Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free flour or 2½ cups of your favorite GF flour blend + 5/8 tsp xanthan gum (omit if your flour blend already contains)

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp kosher salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground nutmeg

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (omit salt if using salted butter)

1½ cups sugar

2 eggs, at room temperature

1 tsp coconut extract

1½ tsp rum extract

1 tsp GF vanilla (or vanilla bean paste) (See Notes)

Icing

1½ cups sweetened coconut flakes (for garnish) (See Notes)

2 cups powdered sugar

¼ cup water

In large bowl, whisk together GF flour, xanthan gum (if using), baking soda, salt, cinnamon & nutmeg. Set aside.

In small bowl, whisk together eggs, coconut extract, rum extract, & vanilla. Set aside.

In large mixing bowl, cream butter & sugar until light & fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).

Slowly pour whisked egg mixture into butter mixture, beating until completely combined.

On low speed, add flour mixture a little at a time, just until combined (dough will be sticky).

Cover & chill for at least an hour, until dough can be easily handled.

Roll dough into about 1½ inch balls (about 1 heaping tablespoon). Place on baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Flatten balls to about ½ inch thick with the bottom of a glass or the heel of your hand.

 Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes, until edges are lightly brown & center is just set. Then remove to wire rack to finish cooling. (*Save the parchment paper & put it under your wire cooling rack. That way when you ice the cookies, you won’t make a mess on your counter!)

While cookies are cooling, you can toast the coconut & make the icing.

Toasting coconut flakes

Place in dry large skillet, cook over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes until they are golden brown. Stir frequently to keep from burning - once they start to toast, keep stirring, it doesn’t take long to be perfectly toasted! When toasted, transfer to plate to cool.

 Icing

In small mixing bowl, whisk together powdered sugar & water until smooth, thin glaze forms. Add the water in increments as it usually doesn’t take the entire amount to reach the right consistency – you want it runny, but not too watery. (If the consistency isn’t quite right, just add a little more powdered sugar or water until you get the consistency you want.)

Pour & spread over cooled cookies about 1 tsp or so of the glaze. Then sprinkle with some toasted coconut. I ice a few cookies, then add the toasted coconut - otherwise the icing sets & the coconut doesn’t stick very well.

 Notes:

This recipe is based on one from food52.com/recipes/86944-coquito-cookie-recipe.

Coquito is a Puerto Rican drink, traditionally seen around the holidays. It may be compared to spiked eggnog – but much better, in my opinion!

The original recipe calls for vanilla bean paste. It adds a nice touch as you can see the flecks of vanilla bean, but it is more expensive than regular vanilla & I found the taste to be the same with both types of vanilla.

You can substitute shredded coconut, but it just doesn’t work as well. I found it much more difficult to get it perfectly toasted.