Coconut Snowman Cookies

Coconut Snowman Cookies are simply adorable! They’re also very easy to make, inexpensive, and delicious too! The base of the cookie melts in your mouth! Using mini chocolate chips for his eyes and mouth, and an orange candy-coated chocolate for his nose, these cookies are almost too cute to eat!

If you spend as much time as I do looking for recipe inspiration online, I’m sure you have seen a recipe or two for cookies similar to these Coconut Snowman Cookies. Pinterest is one of my go-to places for such recipes. Not one to do just one thing at a time, often, I’ll scroll through Pinterest while watching a movie. And, if I’m not doing that, I’m crocheting or cross stitching. I cannot possibly fathom sitting and watching without doing something else at the same time!

Anyway, that’s a discussion for another time. Right now, we have to discuss these cookies, but first, I have some very sad news. Today is the last day of Lord Byron’s 24 Cookies of Christmas – Volume 5! Yes, Dear Reader, once again, we have plowed our way through another year of delicious holiday cookies. Not including today’s recipe, how many of them have you made? Or how many of them have you saved or printed for later? I hope you’ve been able to find a few new recipes to add to your own recipe boxes.

So now that the sad news is out of the way, how about some good news? I always have good news, because no matter what life may bring, there’s always a silver lining if you look hard enough! My good news is this – this coming Monday is the first day of a brand new holiday series here at Lord Byron’s Kitchen! Yes!!! I hope you’re up for it! How does this sound; Lord Byron’s 12 Christmas Snacks and Treats Series?

You already knew that was coming, didn’t you? If you have been reading through my Christmas posts right from the beginning of this year, you might remember me making such a promise. I think I said something about posting a new recipe for 60 days straight or something along that line. Well, so far, I’ve kept my promise!

So that’s 12 Edible Wreaths of Christmas, 12 Bars & Squares of Christmas, 24 Cookies of Christmas – Volume 5, and now 12 Snacks & Treats of Christmas. And, believe it or not, I’ve already started planning for next Christmas too!

EVERYONE LOVES A SUGAR COOKIE!

I have shared a sugar cookie recipe once or twice before. It is one of those cookies that lends itself to many holidays and special occasions. When you really think about it, the sugar cookie base is not specifically Christmas at all. You have probably seen them in grocery stores, sitting close to the checkout lines. They are whimsical and brightly coloured so that they catch your eye.

More importantly, they’re most often set on a lower shelf so that they catch the eye of children. Did you know that marketers will often strategically place items at the same height as the little seated area of your grocery buggy? Yes, they want your kids to not only see it but reach for it as well! Store-bought sugar cookies are fine, but I prefer to make my own. That way, I know they’re fresh!

I made these exact same cookies for Canada Day, but used only red and white frosting. They were also a great treat for Easter, especially with drizzled candy melts! Holiday Sugar Cookies can be featured at any event. All you need to do is change up the colour of the frosting and use holiday-specific sprinkles!

LORD BYRON’S 24 COOKIES OF CHRISTMAS – VOLUME 5

Were you as excited about this year’s cookie countdown as I was? This was the fifth consecutive year; can you believe that? Each of the previous years has included 24 cookies and this year wasn’t any different. I shared a new Christmas cookie recipe each and every single day for 24 days – even on Saturdays and Sundays!

You might be asking yourself, how many Christmas cookie recipes could one possibly have or need? Well, I say you can never have too much of a good thing. And, I love having lots of choices. Who wants to bake the same holiday cookies year after year?

If you have missed one of these recipes, don’t worry, they are all posted to Lord Byron’s Kitchen. Click on the “Christmas” tab and you’ll see them all there. If you have not yet subscribed to Lord Byron’s Kitchen, I encourage you to do so. That way, every time I share a new recipe, it will be emailed directly to you. You won’t have to bother to come looking for it! Now, let’s get into the last recipe in this series – these cute Coconut Snowman Cookies!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Butter – Make sure your butter is at room temperature!
• Sugar – Sugar will caramelize when baked, which will help to brown cookies and cakes.  In cookies, the sugar will help the dough to spread, and will create a crispness to the bottom of the cookie.
• Eggs – Whenever you set out to bake, make sure your eggs are at room temperature too – just like your butter!
• Coconut Extract – If you don’t have coconut extract, you can use vanilla extract instead.
• Flour – No need for anything special. Just use regular all-purpose flour. I have not tried this recipe with any other type of flour.
• Baking Powder – This is used to increase the volume of the batter and to add texture as well.
• Salt – In baking it helps to enhance and balance sweetness. 
• Confectioner’s Sugar – This superfine sugar is sometimes called powdered sugar.  It is used in frostings quite often.  When dusted lightly onto cakes and cookies, it adds just a touch of sweetness, but more importantly, it looks very visually appealing!
• Milk – When a baking recipe requires milk, I always use whole milk, unless otherwise stated. 
• Coconut
• Mini Chocolate Chips
• Orange Candy-Coated Chocolates

GETTING THAT PERFECT FROSTING

I have found that when it comes to the frosting on a sugar cookie, there’s just no way to do it that will please everyone. So, I say, please yourself. If you like thick frosting, then go for it! If a thin frosting is more your thing, then go for that instead!

The frosting is very easy to make. All you need to do is put the confectioner’s sugar into a bowl. Add a scant amount of milk, and use a fork to mix it. Mix it until there are no visible lumps. Once you get the consistency the way you want it, it’s time to dunk your cookies into the coconut.

Use less milk for a thicker frosting or more milk for a thinner frosting. As you can see from the photos, I used a frosting that was thick enough to stick to the cookie with almost no drizzling down the side of the cookie. If the frosting is thin enough to run, it will take the coconut with it. A thicker frosting will keep the coconut in place and will also make it easier to stick the mini chocolate chips to it, capturing them into the frosting.

HOW TO MAKE COCONUT SNOWMAN COOKIES

Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside. In a large bowl, use a mixer to beat together the butter and sugar until creamy and light yellow in colour. (About 4-5 minutes.) Add the eggs one at a time and beat into the butter and sugar mixture. Finally, beat in the extract.

Next, sift in the flour, salt, and baking powder. Beat into the wet mixture until well combined. Portion the cookie dough into heaping tablespoons. Roll into a ball and place onto the prepared baking sheet. Press down on each ball until the ball is flattened to just over 1/4 inch thick. (I used the bottom of a drinking glass.)

Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling. Once completely cooled, stir the milk into the confectioner’s sugar until a smooth frosting is formed. Transfer the coconut to a wide, shallow bowl and set that aside too. Next, set out a small bowl with the mini chocolate chips and the orange candy-coated chocolate.

Working with one cookie at a time, dip the cookies facedown into the glaze. Lift the cookies straight up and allow the excess glaze to fall back into the bowl. I like to shake the cookie gently to help it along. Next, while holding the cookie by the sides, use your free hand to generously sprinkle the coconut over the top, allowing the excess to fall back into the bowl.

Place the cookie back onto the cooling rack and top it with two mini chocolate chips for the eyes and five mini chocolate chips for the mouth. Place an orange candy-coated chocolate in the middle for a nose. Allow frosting to fully dry before packaging cookies.

CANDIES, CANDIES, AND MORE CANDIES!

I know I use M&Ms quite often in many of my baked goods, but there are other candy-coated chocolates out there that you can use. Here in Canada, we have something called Smarties. I think in the United States, smarties are those flat, pressed-powder-like candy that comes in a cellophane-wrapped roll. They’re often found in large bags for Halloween treats. In Canada, smarties are candy-coated chocolate much like the popular M&M. You can use whichever you prefer, as long as they’re orange!

THE TYPE OF COCONUT IS IMPORTANT

When it comes to coconut to bake with, there are two kinds – sweetened and unsweetened. Those two types can be found in different levels of fineness and coarseness. It’s important to use unsweetened coconut for this recipe. Otherwise, with the addition of both granulated and brown sugar, these Coconut Snowman Cookies may be too sweet to eat!

You’ll want to use unsweetened coconut. The size of the shredded coconut won’t make a difference to the taste, but it certainly will make a difference to the look. The longer shreds of coconut might make for a messier snowman and you want your delicious cookies to look just as amazing as they taste!

Depending on the brand, some coconut is shredded, grated, or desiccated. Shredded usually refers to larger pieces, while grated tends to be smaller. Desiccated has nothing to do with the size of the pieces but means the coconut is dried or the moisture has been removed. In most cases, you will find a fine or medium grade. Medium is my personal coconut of choice in most cases and it is what I used here.

STORING, PACKAGING, & FREEZING

When it comes to most cookies, they taste best at room temperature, but they don’t hold up well to being left out on your countertop for long periods of time. Cookies will stay fresh in a cookie jar or food-safe container with a lid for 3-5 days if left to sit on your kitchen countertop. You can store them in a food-safe container in your fridge. When you want one, two, or half a dozen, take them out of the container and place them in a single layer on a plate. Let them sit at room temperature for 5 minutes and they’re ready!

If you plan to freeze your Coconut Snowman Cookies, you certainly can! Once completely cooled, pile them into a clean, food-safe container. The container must be freezer friendly! You’ll want to ensure a very tight-fitting lid too. I use these quite often when freezing baked goods. I like to place a sheet of plastic wrap over the top of the container before pushing the lid on. This helps to create a better seal. The goal is to keep all of that freshness locked in!  

You can freeze these cookies for up to three months. If you plan to give previously frozen cookies as a gift, I would lay them out on a wire cooling rack to thaw completely. If packaging, wait until the condensation has evaporated. Once thawed, pile into cellophane bags and tie with a ribbon, or stack in a cookie tin/box.

QUESTIONS?

If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down to follow me and never miss another recipe!

Finally, as I stated previously, this is the last cookie in this series. However, I will be posting a new recipe on Monday in my new series called Lord Byron’s 12 Snacks & Treats of Christmas! If you miss one, don’t fret. You can find my entire collection of Christmas Recipes right here! There are over 200 Christmas recipes and counting. There’s something for everyone! Cheers!