Description
Santa’s Whiskers Cookies are delightful, festive treats featuring buttery dough studded with red candied cherries and crunchy pecans, all rolled in flaked coconut for a snowy finish. Perfect for holiday gatherings, these cookies combine chewy, nutty, and fruity flavors with a tender texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup red candied cherries, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
Coating
- 1 cup flaked coconut
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: In a large mixer bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy. Add the granulated sugar and beat until the mixture is fluffy. Incorporate the milk and vanilla extract, mixing well to combine all wet ingredients.
- Add dry ingredients and mix: Gradually add the all-purpose flour to the butter mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in the finely chopped red candied cherries and pecans by hand to evenly distribute them throughout the dough.
- Shape the rolls and coat: Divide the dough into three equal portions and shape each into a 7-inch long roll. Roll each log in flaked coconut, pressing lightly to coat the surface evenly.
- Chill the dough: Wrap the coconut-coated rolls tightly in plastic wrap and chill them in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours to firm up for slicing.
- Preheat the oven: When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Slice and bake: Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and unwrap. Using a sharp knife, cut the rolls into 1/4-inch thick slices. Place the slices on an ungreased cookie sheet, spacing them evenly.
- Bake the cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12 minutes or until they are lightly golden and cooked through.
- Cool the cookies: Transfer the baked cookies to wire racks and let them cool completely before serving or storing.
Notes
- For extra flavor, toast the pecans lightly before chopping and adding to the dough.
- You can substitute flaked coconut with shredded coconut if preferred; just ensure it is unsweetened to balance sweetness.
- Ensure dough is chilled thoroughly to get clean, uniform slices without cookies crumbling.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week or freeze for longer storage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 110 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 30 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
