Snowflake and Ice Cookies

Coconut Layer Cake Murder

## Ingredients

* 2 cups white ***(granulated)*** sugar
* 1 cup salted butter, softened to room temperature ***(2 sticks, 8 ounces, ½ pound)***
* 3 large eggs, beaten ***(just whip it up in a glass with a fork)***
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* ½ teaspoon salt
* ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg ***(freshly ground is best of course)***
* ¼ teaspoon ground cardamon ***(if you don't have it, substitute cinnamon)***
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* ½ teaspoon coconut extract
* ½ cup milk
* ½ cup flaked coconut
* 2 cups rolled oats ***(uncooked dry oatmeal—use the old-fashioned kind that takes 5 minutes to cook, not the quick 1-minute variety)***
* 2 cups all-purpose flour ***(pack it down in the cup when you measure it)***
* 1 cup white chocolate or vanilla baking chips ***(I used Nestlé vanilla baking chips)***

**To Decorate**

* ¼ to ½ cup powdered ***(confectioners)*** sugar

## Directions

* Preheat oven to 375°F, rack in the middle position.
* Place the white sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer.
* Place the softened butter on top of the sugar and mix at LOW speed for one minute or until the ingredients are blended.
* Turn the mixer to MEDIUM speed and add the eggs. Continue to mix until the butter, sugar, and eggs from a light and fluffy mixture.
* Turn the mixer down to LOW speed again and add the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat until they are combined.
* With the mixer still running on LOW speed, add the cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamon. Mix until they are thoroughly combined.
* Don't turn off the mixer and add the vanilla extract and the coconut extract. Mix well.
* Then, with the mixer still on LOW speed, drizzle in the half-cup of milk.
* Shut off the mixer and measure out a half-cup of flaked coconut. With the mixer OFF, add it to your bowl. Then turn the mixer back to LOW speed and mix in the coconut.
* Leave the mixer running on LOW speed, and add the rolled oats. Mix them in thoroughly. Turn off the mixer.
* It's time to add the flour. Measure out 2 cups of all-purpose flour, packing it down in the measuring cup. Place the flour you measure in a small bowl so that you won't have to keep count when you add it to the cookie dough mixture.
* Turn the mixer on LOW again and add the flour in half-cup increments, beating for at least 30 seconds after each addition.

**Hannah's 1st Note: You don't have to obsess about adding precisely half-cup increments of flour. Just eyeball it and be assured that the flour police will not be knocking on your door if you're a little under half-cup or a little over half-cup.**

* When the flour has been thoroughly incorporated, shut off your mixer, scrape down the insides of the bowl, and take the bowl out of the mixer.
* Set the bowl on your counter and use a wooden spoon to give the cookie dough another stir by hand.
* Measure out a cup of white chocolate chips and add them to your mixing bowl. Stir them in with the wooden spoon and once they're evenly distributed, prepare your cookie sheets for baking.
* Prepare your cookie sheets by spraying them with Pam or another nonstick cookie spray. Alternatively, you can line the cookie sheets with parchment paper and spray. Alternatively, you can line the cookie sheets with parchment paper and spray that. I recommend using the parchment paper. These cookies tend to stick to the pan.
* Drop your cookie dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto your cookie sheet, no more than 12 cookies to a single sheet.

**Hannah's 2nd Note: We use a 2-teaspoon disher when we make these cookies at The Cookie Jar.**

**Hannah's 3rd Note: You do not need to flatten these cookies. They will spread out all by themselves as they bake.**

* Bake your cookies at 375°F for 12 to 15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. My cookies were done in 12 minutes. Once they start to brown they do so rapidly. I usually set my timer for 10 minutes and watch them carefully for the last couple of minutes.
* Remove your cookies from the oven and let them cool on wire racks or a cold stovetop burner for two minutes, then remove them from the cookie sheets and let them cool completely.
* To decorate, if you wish, sprinkle them with powdered sugar.

Yield: 5 to 6 dozen delicious cookies that everyone will like.

**Hannah's 4th Note: I've never met anyone who could eat only one of these cookies!**