Description
My family loves Italian cream cake, so I created this cookie to be an easy, cute, and snack-sized dessert with all of the flavor of a slice of Italian cream cake. This is the first recipe I’ve ever created, and every time I make it for family or friends, it is a big hit!
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup white sugar
- 2 eggs at room temperature, separated
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup salted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ cup shredded sweetened coconut, or to taste
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans
Instructions
- Combine butter and sugar in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer on high speed until creamy
- about 2 minutes. Add egg yolks
- vanilla
- and almond extract; beat until combined. Add flour and salt; mix until just combined. Stir in coconut
- making sure it is evenly distributed throughout the dough. Refrigerate dough for about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile
- make the frosting. Beat cream cheese and butter together until creamy. Add vanilla and almond extract
- then gradually stir in powdered sugar until frosting is creamy. Stir in coconut. Refrigerate icing to infuse the flavors
- about 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Beat egg whites in a small bowl until bubbly and frothy. Pour pecans into a shallow bowl.
- Shape the cookies by rolling the cold dough into 1-inch balls. Dip dough into the egg whites then roll in the pecans until covered. Arrange on the prepared baking sheets. Gently press down with your thumb to make a small well in the center of each cookie.
- Bake in the preheated oven until slightly firm
- about 15 minutes. Allow to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes to firm up. Move cookies to a wire rack. Cool completely before filling with frosting.
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins
Servings: 20