Santa’s Whiskers Cookies
Santa’s Whiskers Cookies are filled with festive red and green cherries and coated in coconut that toasts while they bake. These cheery Christmas Cookies are perfect for the holidays!
My mom got this recipe from a friend many years ago. She always added the pecans, so I never tried them as a kid due to my allergy. A few years ago I requested that she make some without nuts so I could try them. I had been missing out all these years!
These cookies consist of a buttery cookie base, and the chopped candied cherries give them a chewiness, which is nicely complemented by the crunchy coconut exterior. Plus, aren’t they so festive?! These cookies have now become a part of my Christmas baking tradition!
Recipe Details
The dough is a basic cookie dough with the addition of chopped red and green candied cherries. It is shaped into a log and rolled in coconut, then chilled for at least 2 hours.
After being chilled, the log is cut into 1/4-inch thick slices.
The cookies are arranged onto an ungreased cookie sheet. I used a silpat here.
When the cookies bake, the coconut gets toasted, and you’re left with a chewy yet toasted cookie with red and green colors!
Hope you have a wonderful holiday season!
UPDATE: We’ve made these with only green cherries and called them Leprechaun Whiskers for St. Patrick’s Day and have talked about using only red cherries and calling them Cupid’s Whiskers for Valentine’s Day!
Gluten Free Candied Fruit Cookies
I have good luck using a measure for measure gluten free flour like Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour in place of all purpose flour in baking.
Looking for More Christmas Cookies?
Check out these other Cookie recipes perfect for Holiday baking:
Nut Free Linzer Cookies
Classic Butter Spritz Cookies
Chewy Oatmeal Cookies
Pastel Christmas Sugar Cookies
Snowflake Gingerbread Cookies
Dark Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies
Brown Sugar and Spice Cookies
Santa’s Whiskers Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 3/4 cup finely chopped red and green candied cherries (about 1/2 of small container of each)
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
- 3/4 cup coconut
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Cream butter, sugar, milk, and vanilla extract.
- Add flour, cherries, and pecans (if using).
- Form into 2 rolls each 2 inches in diameter and 8 inches long. Roll in coconut.
- Wrap in waxed paper. Chill several hours.
- Slice 1/4″ thick, place on ungreased cookie sheet.
- Bake for 10 – 12 minutes.
The Ava-Santa picture is a classic!
Love the name! The coconut whiskers are so cute! Thanks so much for linking up! 🙂