
Gingerbread Coconut Llama Cookies by Baking The Goods.
Man, it’s been dark times lately. Between ongoing natural disasters, an unstable government, fake out missile threats, sexual predators lurking behind desks, cameras and stethoscopes and all that “fake news”, it’s enough to make anyone hide under the covers and call for their mommy. I’m doing my best to stay optimistic but I’ve got to admit, all of the bad news has been bad for my sunny disposition.
I was so over 2017 and ready to greet 2018 with open arms and a sunny smile wide enough to outshine all of the depressing shit that went down in 2017. Unfortunately, throughout January, I’ve felt my smile shapeshift into more of a concerned grimace laced with undertones of fear and uncertainty. It’s not a good look.
So, I am working on small ways to lighten the heavy mood, I’m seeking silliness and real life LOLs. Baking cookies is obviously a quick way to turn that frown upside down. But, I wanted to go beyond a flashing smile. While making these goofy little Gingerbread Coconut Llama Cookies I found myself giggling over their oddly shaped bodies and wild coconut fur. And after hours of entertainment, I can safely say these Gingerbread Coconut Llama Cookies are undeniable smile inducers. I mean, just look at these fluffy little stinkers and try not to crack a smile. It’s. Not. Possible. You can taste the happiness too. These llama shaped cookies
I first developed these darling little Gingerbread Coconut Llama Cookies between evacuations in December, I’d hoped to post them as a holiday recipe, but you know, life and mother nature had other plans. I figure it’s still winter and we could all use a warm up from those wintery spices
It’s funny how during hardships it’s the small things like a simple smile, a safe place to sit and savor a warm mug



By whisking the finely zested



Once all of the ingredients have been added, the dough should just come together in the mixing bowl



Roll the cookie dough out to 1/4″ thickness and then use the darling Llama cookie cutters



Place the cut & chilled llama cookies on a parchment paper



This royal icing recipe uses the fresh squeezed orange juice of the orange used in the cookies. You will need a pastry bag



Once the cookies have cooled, decorate them with the royal icing using a pasty bag and small, round icing tip



So many little Gingerbread Coconut Llama Cookies all lined up and ready to make you smile.



These two! <3 <3



Those long lashes and that little pout are too much!



And this little guy, sooo fancy!



These little Llamas are BFF’s.



These is always a black sheep in every family.



These Gingerbread Coconut Llama Cookies lived happily ever after.

Gingerbread Coconut Llama Cookies
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 dozen small llamas
Description
These darling Gingerbread Coconut Llama Cookies with textural semi-sweet coconut set against rich molasses & ginger, cinnamon spices will warm you right up.
Ingredients
GINGERBREAD COOKIES
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 medium orange (-zested)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (- at room temperature)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1 large egg (- at room temperature)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
ROYAL ICING
- 2 cups powdered sugar (- sifted)
- 1 large egg white
- 2 tablespoons orange juice (- freshly squeezed & strained)
- 1 cup shredded coconut flakes
Instructions
GINGERBREAD COOKIES
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, salt, cardamom & orange zest. Save the orange for the icing. *adding the zest to the dry ingredients keeps it from clumping together in the cookies.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times.
- With the mixer on a low speed, slowly add the egg, vanilla and molasses. Stir until it’s just mixed in. Scrape down the sides of the bowl a couple of times.
- Slowly stir in the dry ingredients and mix until just blended. Scrape the bowl and turn the dough out on a clean, lightly floured surface.
- Gather the dough into 2 balls and flatten into smooth disks about 1 1/2″ thick. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes up to overnight.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out a dough disk to 1/4″ thickness. Dip the llama cookie cutters in flour and stamp out shapes. Gather the scraps together, re-roll and cut out more cookies until the dough is all used up. Repeat with second dough disk. Place cookies closely on a lined baking sheet and chill in the fridge or freezer for at least 30 minutes, until cookies have firmed up.
- While the dough chills, preheat the oven to 350° F.
- Place cookies on lined baking sheets 2″ apart and bake for 8-10 minutes until cookies are slightly firm to the touch but still soft on the inside. Allow to cool slightly on baking sheets then transfer to a cooling rack.
ROYAL ICING
- Place the coconut in a shallow bowl and set aside.
- Sift the powdered sugar in a mixing bowl. Whisk in the egg white and 2 tablespoons of the strained juice from the reserved orange, whisk well until smooth and glossy. The icing should slowly stream off the whisk in a smooth ribbon. If the icing seems too thick, add more orange juice, 1 tablespoon at a time. If it’s too thin, add more sifted powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Cap your pastry bag with a small, round pastry tip. Outline the cookies to create a barrier and prevent the icing from running down the sides of the cookies. Then flood the cookies with icing right away for a smooth, eggshell finish.
- While the icing is still wet, gently dip the exposed icing into the shredded coconut flakes so they stick to the iced areas of the cookies. Place on a cooling rack to set for at least an hour before serving.
Notes
*These cookies can be frozen and baked later. Just cut the llama shapes and chill in the freezer on a lined baking sheet. Once they are solid, transfer to a freezer baggie and store up to 2-3 months.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Cookies