RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Santa's Whiskers Cookies

The holiday season doubles as cookie season. Indeed, there's no shortage of baking opportunities in December. Various cookies make the rounds, and if you are tasked with bringing cookies to a function, you might be interested in something a little different.

Santa's Whiskers likely get their name from the coconut on these cookies, which resemble Santa's beard. Maraschino cherries also add some jolly red to the cookies, making them perfect for Christmas. Try this recipe from Butter, Flour, Sugar, Joy (Sourcebooks) by Danielle Kartes.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

1 cup butter, softened

1 12-ounce jar pitted maraschino cherries, strained and stemmed

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sweetened shredded coconut

DIRECTIONS:

In a stand mixer, with a hand mixer, or by hand, cream the sugar and butter until light and fluffy.

Add the cherries, vanilla, almond extract, and salt. Mix thoroughly. Fold into the flour and mix until it forms a crumbly but moist dough.

Lay a 16-inch sheet of parchment paper onto the counter. Sprinkle 1 cup of the coconut on the center in a loose rectangle, ensuring it does not reach the edge of the parchment. Place the cookie dough on top, flattening a bit with your fingers, and sprinkle the remaining coconut over the top of the dough.

Form the dough into a 12- to 14-inch log, about 3 inches thick. Press the coconut around the log and roll to make the log an even cylinder.

Roll the parchment up with the dough inside and twist the ends. Chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice cookies in 1/4- to 1/2-inch rounds, place on the prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart, and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Allow to cool before serving. Store in an airtight container.