Santa's Whiskers

I'm always on the lookout for new or unusual cookies to make around the holidays. The recipe I'm about to present is most definitely a unique one but by no means is it new (at least to my family). Santa's Whiskers is a very old recipe, but made with many classic ingredients. The base is a regular butter cookie dough but has additions of sweetened coconut, chopped pecans and the fancy red and green candied cherries. The preparation is very simple and baking is even easier. These are 'slice and bake' cookies, meaning you form the dough into logs, then slice evenly and bake. If you are not a fan of coconut, then you will have to stay away from these, because coconut goes in the dough and also on the outside of the cookies, too. You want these cookies to be soft and chewy, so place a piece of bread in the cookie tin to help keep them that way. However, if you like them crisp, by all means, store them normally or in cold storage; the cookies will soften by themselves over time but initially they will be crisper.

Santa's Whiskers

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 tbsp. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

2½ cups flour

¾ cup finely chopped red and green candied cherries

½ cup chopped pecans

¾ cup flaked sweetened coconut, plus more for rolling

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in the milk and vanilla.

Add the pecans, cherries and flour. Blend just until all the flour disappears.

Form the dough into two 8" rolls. Roll them in flaked coconut; you may have to press a little to make the coconut adhere. 

Wrap both rolls in plastic wrap. Chill the dough well - at least a minimum of 4 - 8 hours, or better yet, overnight. 

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Slice the dough into ¼" slices. Place the slices on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Remove the cookies to racks and let cool completely. Store in a cookie tin with a tight fitting lid. Make sure to put a piece of bread in the tin to help soften them. These cookies, like many butter cookies, taste infinitely better after they've 'aged.' For best taste, let these sit in a cool or cold place for at least a week before serving.

Makes around 5 dozen