Coconut cookies

Name: Coconut cookies - Anisoara O.
Ingredients: For the cookies: 120 g margarine; 70 g sugar; 1 egg; 1 teaspoon vanilla essence; 220 g flour; 20 g coconut flakes; 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon salt. For the icing: 200 g powdered sugar; 4; 5 tablespoons milk. For decoration: colored candies; coconut flakes.

Dessert - Coconut cookies by Anisoara O. - Recipia

I usually make these coconut cookies when I feel like something quick, yet homemade. I especially like to make them when I have unexpected guests or simply want to use a bag of coconut flakes that has been sitting in the cupboard. The recipe is not complicated and goes smoothly if you follow the steps. The cookies turn out quite a lot and keep well for a few days. The glaze is simple, and the decoration can be adapted based on what you have on hand. Quick Info Total time: approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes (includes cooling and baking) Preparation time: 20 minutes (excluding cooling times) Baking time: 10-12 minutes per tray Servings: about 45 cookies (depends on the size of the cutter) Difficulty: easy-medium Recipe type: dessert, homemade cookies Ingredients For the cookies: 120 g margarine 70 g sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 220 g flour 20 g coconut flakes 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt For the glaze: 200 g powdered sugar 4-5 tablespoons milk For decoration: Remaining coconut flakes and colored candies, as desired Preparation method 1. I started with the base: mix the margarine (at room temperature) and sugar together until you get a slightly frothy cream. This takes 2-3 minutes, and the sugar does not need to fully dissolve. 2. Add the egg and vanilla extract, then continue mixing until everything is homogeneous. 3. In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and coconut flakes. 4. Half of the flour mixture is added to the margarine mixture. Mix just enough to incorporate, no more. 5. Remove the mixer. Add the rest of the flour and mix by hand, but do not knead too much. It just needs to come together. The dough will be quite dense but should not be overworked. 6. Divide the dough into two pieces, flatten each one, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. 7. After cooling, roll out each piece of dough one at a time on a lightly floured surface, into a thin sheet (about 3-4 mm). Cut out cookie shapes with whatever you have on hand – they can be special shapes or even a glass. 8. Place the cookies on trays lined with baking paper. I space them slightly apart, as they don’t puff up much while baking. 9. Put the tray with cookies in the freezer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. 10. Bake the cookies one tray at a time until they become slightly golden at the edges. It takes about 10-12 minutes for me, but I keep an eye on them, as they can brown suddenly if you forget about them. Some may color more, but it’s no problem if you don’t leave them too long. 11. Let the cookies cool completely in the tray or on a rack. 12. For the glaze, mix the powdered sugar with 4 tablespoons of milk. Gradually add more milk if needed, until you have a thick consistency, similar to sour cream. It should not be too liquid, otherwise the glaze will run off the cookies. 13. On the completely cooled cookies, place a teaspoon of glaze and spread it with the back of another teaspoon. 14. Sprinkle coconut flakes or colored candies on top, as desired. Let the glaze set at room temperature. Why I make the recipe often These coconut cookies are quick, do not involve many ingredients or complicated techniques. They are made from things I usually have at home. They are crunchy, do not soften quickly, and stay good for a few days. If I decorate them, I sometimes use them for gifts or for guests. Tips and variations Tips If the dough is too soft to roll out, leave it in the fridge a little longer. The coconut flakes should not be too finely chopped, but not too coarse either. Do not leave the cookies in the oven too long – they can darken on the bottom but still taste good. Substitutions Margarine can be replaced with butter with 82% fat, but the texture will be slightly different. White sugar can be partially replaced with brown sugar, but the result will be more rustic. Variations You can add a little lemon zest to the dough if you want an extra flavor. For the glaze, you can use only powdered sugar and water if you do not want milk. They can also be decorated with chopped almonds or other types of seeds. Serving ideas Glazed cookies go well with tea or coffee. They can be packaged in bags for small gifts. They can also be left without glaze if you want something simpler. Frequently asked questions How thick should the dough sheet be? Generally, about 3-4 mm. If you make it too thick, the cookies will be fluffy, not crunchy. Can I omit the glaze? Yes, the cookies are good even without it, but the glaze makes them more visually appealing and adds a bit of sweetness. Can the cookies be frozen? The raw dough freezes well, but I do not recommend freezing baked, glazed cookies – the glaze becomes sticky upon thawing. What can I use to cut the cookies if I don’t have special shapes? You can use a glass with a not too wide mouth or even a knife for square or rectangular shapes. Nutritional values Approximately, for one cookie (if you get 45 from the recipe): about 60-65 kcal, of which 2 g fat, 10 g carbohydrates, under 1 g protein. The value depends a lot on the size of the cookies and how much glaze you add. They are quite sweet and contain carbohydrates from flour and sugar. Storage and reheating The cookies are stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5-6 days. They do not need to be reheated. The glaze hardens, so they do not stick together if you place them in separate layers with paper. If they are not glazed, they can last even longer. If they become too hard, I do not recommend reheating – it is not necessary.