GLAZED COCONUT-ALMOND RUM BALLS

Based on the classic Mexican Wedding Cakes, these Coconut-Almond Rum Balls are a delicious deviation from the norm. I was disappointed that the coconut flavor didn’t come through more, but the toasted coconut on the outside of the cookie makes up for that. Fussy hubby gave these two thumbs up, way up, and he’s not a coconut fan.

If you don’t have, and don’t want to buy, coconut oil, just sub butter. You can also sub vanilla extract for the vanilla powder, if you want. (I’ll have a post coming soon on how to make your own vanilla extract and vanilla powder.) If you’re looking for something a little different for your Christmas cookie tray, try these.

Glazed Coconut-Almond Rum Balls Source: Judy’s Kitchen Rating: 8.5 out of 10 PRINTABLE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS: Cookie: 1 cup toasted slivered (not sliced) almonds 1/4 cup sugar 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter 2 Tbsp. coconut oil (or butter) 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 tsp. sea salt 2-1/2 Tbsp. coconut-flavored rum (or 1/4 tsp. coconut flavor + 1/4 tsp. rum flavor + 2 Tbsp. coconut milk, water or cow’s milk) 1/2 tsp. vanilla powder (or vanilla extract) Glaze: 2 Tbsp. butter 1 Tbsp. cream cheese 1 cup confectioner’s sugar 1 Tbsp. or more coconut-flavored rum (or dash of coconut & rum flavors + milk) 3/4 cup dried sweetened coconut flakes, toasted* Heat oven to 350F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. In work bowl of food processor, combine all ingredients. Pulse several times to mix, then pulse till mixture comes together and forms a dough. Turn out onto lightly floured board. Using rounded teaspoonfuls of dough, roll dough into ball with hands and place on baking sheet, 1” apart. Bake 11-13 minutes, or till dough is set but not browned. Underside of cookies should be lightly browned. Let cookies cool on pans for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to finish cooling. Make glaze: In small microwaveable bowl, heat butter & cream cheese on high in 10-second intervals, till melted. Beat in confectioner’s sugar and rum, using enough rum to bring mixture to a thick glaze consistency. Dip tops of thoroughly cooled cookies in warm glaze, then into toasted coconut. Allow glaze to set before storing or freezing cookies. Yield: 30 cookies *To toast coconut, spread flakes onto a pie plate and place in 325F oven. Check coconut after 8 minutes. If edges are starting to brown, stir with spatula to redistribute. Once coconut starts to brown, check it every couple of minutes and stir. It will take close to 20 minutes to completely toast it to a nice golden brown. If it is browning too quickly, turn oven heat down 25 degrees. Cool pie plate on wire rack. Coconut will crisp up as it cools.