Coconut and Orange Snowballs

I made cookies!  And my house is still standing!  I don't bake terribly often.  I feel like baking has to be so precise.  I can't just cover up my mistakes with garlic.  I think the last time I made cookies was for my friend Maggie's cookie swap last year.  Fitting that I made them this year for the same party.  This year I decided to branch out and try a recipe with more ingredients.  They turned out so well that I made them twice!  And the second time I was willing to feed them to my parents, so you know they were good.

Proper Christmas dish provided by my mom.  I just use ziplock because I'm lazy like that.  

The orange and coconut flavors balanced nicely.  I was concerned that the orange would be a little overbearing since the orange extract smelled very strong and the orange I zested was gigantor.  But, it all worked out wonderfully.  They were buttery and crunchy and there was just enough powdered sugar in them to be properly sweet and also make a huge mess on my shirt.  I recommend using a napkin or eating like you weren't raised by wolves.  (I failed at the latter).

This recipe requires a stand mixer.  Also helpful would be a microplane and a sifter.

Coconut Orange Snowballs
from my mother in law (who got them from epicurious)

Ingredients:

1 ¼ c sweetened flaked coconut
1 c (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
½ powdered sugar (sifted, then measured – see need for more at last stage)
1 ½ t vanilla extract
¾ t orange extract
¾ t coconut extract
2 ¼ c all purpose flour
1 ½ T grated orange peel (from 1 orange – use a microplane)
½ t salt
1 ¾ c sifted powdered sugar (if you don't have a sifter, put it in a fine mesh strainer and shake it over a large bowl)

Method:

1) Preheat your oven to 350°F. Bake the coconut on rimmed baking sheet until light golden, stirring
occasionally, about 10 minutes.

2) Using a stand mixer, beat butter, ½ c powdered sugar and extracts in bowl to blend well.Then beat in flour, orange zest and salt. Stir in coconut.

3) Form the dough into one or two long “tubes” and wrap/cover and chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day. Soften dough slightly before shaping.

4) Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat
sheets. Using 1 level tablespoon dough (use scoop if you have one) for each cookie,
roll dough between palms of hands into balls. Place on prepared sheets, spacing 1
inch apart.

5) Bake until golden on bottom but pale on top, about 18 minutes. Transfer
cookies to racks; cool 5 minutes. Place 1 ¾ cup sifted powdered sugar in bowl. Roll hot
cookies in powdered sugar, covering completely. Cool cookies on rack. Roll cookies in
powdered sugar again, coating generously.

Can be made 5 days ahead. Store airtight between sheets of waxed paper at room
temperature.

Makes about 3 dozen