The merriest of all Christmas cookies! Santa’s Whiskers Cookies are soft slice and bake cookies flavored with almond, studded with cherries, and rolled in coconut.
Can you believe it’s already day 4 of 2018 Sally’s Cookie Palooza? If you’re just joining us, here are all the recipes published so far this week:
- Peppermint Bark Cookies
- Spritz Cookies
- Christmas Cookies in a Jar (with free printable!)
Today I’m sharing an adorably named slice and bake cookie known as Santa’s Whiskers Cookies. My sister-in-law told me about these cookies last Christmas and I waited all year to bake them. Rolled in coconut, these almond flavored cookies are bejeweled with festive cherries and baked until golden around the edges. Aren’t they pretty?
Let’s talk about Slice and Bake Cookies. There are many cookies I obsess over, but if one type of cookie were to win 1st place… it would be the slice and bake cookie.
Slice and Bake Cookies
I love baking slice and bake cookies because sometimes I don’t feel like rolling 2 dozen cookie dough balls. Who’s with me? Instead of rolling each individual cookie, you roll the cookie dough into logs, then slice the logs into discs. These discs are your cookies. It’s literally so easy. Here are some you can try:
- Toasted Hazelnut Slice and Bake Cookies
- Sprinkle Slice and Bake Cookies
- Dark Chocolate Orange Slice and Bake Cookies
- Salted Pistachio Chocolate Slice and Bake Cookies
- Pecan Shortbread
- Pinwheel Cookies
- Cranberry Orange Icebox Cookies
- Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies
- A mint chocolate version, a maple walnut version, and a vanilla spice version in Sally’s Cookie Addiction
- Icebox Slice & Bake Cookies – 1 Dough, 5 Flavors
All the Good Stuff About Santa’s Whiskers Cookies!
- Easy ingredients: sugar, flour, butter, egg.
- There’s no leavener, so the cookies are extra dense and buttery.
- 1 bowl recipe.
- Since you’re slicing the dough, you control the thickness.
- Soft and thick in the centers!
- So festive with cherry and almond.
- Crunchy crumbly toasted coconut edges = coconut is Santa’s “whiskers” 🙂
- Make ahead. Make the dough, roll into logs, chill for up to 5 days, slice then bake.
I have some success tips for you. First, divide the cookie dough in half and roll into 2 logs. Smaller logs are easier to roll in the coconut. Chilling the cookie dough logs is imperative to the recipe. The cookie dough is very buttery and without time in the refrigerator, the cookie dough will spread all over the cookie sheets. Remember that chilling is the #1 tip for how to prevent cookies from spreading. You could even shape this cookie dough into logs and freeze. Simply thaw in the refrigerator for an hour or two before slicing and baking.
*Santa Claus does not have whiskers. The whiskers = his beard and mustache!*
I used maraschino cherries and green candied cherries; I found the green cherries in the holiday section of my regular grocery store. If you can’t get your hands on green cherries, just use red maraschino cherries or add some pistachios or green sprinkles. At the very last minute, I decided to garnish the cookies with melted white chocolate. Optional, of course, but since this is a Christmas cookie—it made for an extra special accessory!
Could these cookies BE more jolly? Cue Chandler Bing’s voice.
Santa’s Whiskers Cookies
- Prep Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours
- Yield: 2 dozen cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
The merriest of all Christmas cookies! Santa’s Whiskers Cookies are soft slice and bake cookies flavored with almond, studded with cherries, and rolled in coconut.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2/3 cup (133g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (63g) finely chopped maraschino cherries (I used a mix of green and red)*
- 1 cup (80g) sweetened shredded coconut, for rolling
- optional: one 4-ounce white chocolate baking bar and extra coconut for topping
Instructions
- In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until combined and creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract on high speed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed, and continue to beat until fully combined. On low speed, beat in the flour and salt until combined. The cookie dough will be thick and slightly sticky. Switch to low speed and beat in the cherries *just* until combined. Too much beating will turn the cookie dough pink. (Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing!)
- Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and, with floured hands, divide or cut into two. Shape each half into an 8-inch log, about 2.5 inches in diameter. The measurements don’t have to be exact. Roll each log in the shredded coconut. Tightly wrap the logs in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours and up to 5 days. Chilling is mandatory for this cookie dough. I prefer to chill mine for 4 hours or even overnight—the colder the dough, the thicker the cookies.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (Always recommended for cookies.) Set aside.
- Slice each log into 12 equally thick cookies and place cookies on baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
- Bake the cookies for 13-14 minutes or until brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- If desired, drizzle the cooled cookies with white chocolate. Melt the chopped white chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave in 15-second increments, stopping and stirring after each until completely smooth. Drizzle on the cookies. Sprinkle with extra coconut, if desired. Allow chocolate to set completely in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: Baked cookies freeze well up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature, if desired, before serving. You can make/assemble the cookie dough logs and chill in the refrigerator for up to 5 days (see step 2). Cookie dough logs freeze well too, up to 3 months. Allow the logs to thaw overnight in the refrigerator then continue with step 3.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Cooling Rack | Double Boiler (optional for melting chocolate)
- Cherries: I used maraschino cherries and green candied cherries—I found the green cherries in the holiday section of my regular grocery store. If you can’t get your hands on green cherries, just use red maraschino cherries or add some salted or unsalted pistachios or green sprinkles. Dried cranberries or dried cherries are a wonderful substitute for the red cherries too! Stick with around 3/4 cup – 1 cup total add-ins. If using maraschino cherries packed in juice, lightly blot before or after chopping.
- Nuts: Santa’s Whiskers Cookies typically contain nuts, but I skipped the nuts in this recipe. If desired, use half chopped pecans, walnuts, almonds, or pistachios and half chopped cherries. Stick with around 3/4 cup – 1 cup total add-ins.
- Be sure to check out my top 5 cookie baking tips AND these are my 10 must-have cookie baking tools.
Reader Comments and Reviews
??? Shape each half into an 8-inch log, about 2.5 inches in diameter. The measurements don’t have to be exact??? I just made a batch of these. I know you say the measurements don’t have to be exact, but I’m wondering if the diameter was meant to say 1.5 inches… my logs were about 1.25-1.5 inch diam. I made these last year and were so good, even without the drizzle. I also used half pistachios/half dried cranberries. Baking up today…fingers crossed! Also going to try your cranberry bundt cake…could I make without filling? Will be using a Grand Marnier glaze! 😉
Wondering if this cookie could be made with almond flour! Getting my Christmas cookie list together and might try!
Hi Patti, we don’t recommend almond flour here. It has very different baking properties than all-purpose flour and isn’t always a 1:1 swap. Best to stick with all-purpose flour here!
I found these cookies exceptionally bland. I wish I would have listened to the others that commented on the egg. It’s not included in the original Santa’s Whiskers recipe and they are so much better.
I wanted to love this recipe so much but there just didn’t seem to be enough cherry flavor. They still tasted like a good almost shortbread cookie, but I was disappointed with the lack of cherry flavor.
Hi Kate, thank you for giving these a try! If you wish to try them again, you could try replacing some of the almond extract with some cherry extract for even more cherry flavor. Thanks again!
Not much taste. Everyone that tried one commented that they needed something more. Tasted like flour! Cherries do not have much taste.
Just made these and tried one, amazing! I’d never heard of this cookie before, but it did not disappoint. Debating the white chocolate drizzle right now, but I was wondering, why does adding chocolate make the cookie not last as long at room temperature?
Hi Julia, I find the white chocolate, after a few days, tastes better after it has been refrigerated. Let me reword that in the recipe, because you can certainly keep them at room temperature.
Santa’s Whiskers have been one of my favorite cookies since I was a child, and now they are my children’s favorite!! I had never come across the recipe anywhere other else!
Our recipe is very slightly different – we only use red and/or candied cherries (no maraschino cherries because the juiciness tends to turn the dough pink, we also 1/2 cup of chopped pecans, and ours are flavored with just vanilla instead of almond. We like to call the ones with red cherries Santa’s Whiskers and the ones with green cherries Grinch’s whiskers.
These are delightful little cookies from my childhood!! Glad to have the recipe.
This recipe is so interesting. Mine is really different-no eg but I use 2 TB milk.actually the recipe calls for 1TB milk but it was super dry and would stick together. I also use just 1 tsp of rum flavor and they’re amazing! I these cookies!!
This is my new “go to” recipe for these cookies! The almond extract really makes these something special. I love packing in the mix ins so I used 1 cup chopped maraschino cherries and 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips. I sent most of the finished cookies off with my boyfriend to his office where they received high praise from his coworkers.
Hello! I’m thinking chopped /sliced almonds would work instead of coconut on the outside? Allergic to coconut… thanks!
Hi Elisha, crushed almonds, walnuts, coarse sugar, or white sprinkles would all be good alternatives. Enjoy!
We’re on year TWO of making these for the holidays. They are unique and DELICIOUS. A favorite with the kids and adults. They are now apart of our holiday cookie lineup every year!
I’ve made this recipe a couple years in a row now, and the flavor is delicious but I always have trouble with the shaping. The only way I can get a log measuring 8” by 2.5” is if I leave the dough together instead of splitting it into two, which means that to get 2 dozen I have to double to recipe. Any idea what I’m doing wrong? Thanks!
I totally LOVE your recipes and more importantly, your tips and advice for perfecting everything!! You’ve actually made a ‘baker’ out of me! I love to cook, but haven’t ever been too excited about baking…..you’ve changed all that!! This recipe is a-ma-zing!! I do have another comment though: I’d so appreciate if you could print the comments beginning with the newest ones and working back to older ones….opposite of how they are currently listed. I’m always wanting to see what everyone is doing TODAY as a result of all the prior comments and hints. This is just a personal thought. Otherwise, a fantastic recipe site. Thank you.
You read my mind, Corinne! That’s actually an update I’m making to the site with my design team in the new year. I agree with you, and I’m so excited for that little update! Thank you for your suggestion, and for trusting my recipes!
My mom used to make these cookies for us at xmas time when I was a kid, using strands of coconut to make the “whiskers.” These are a bit thicker than I remember but actually taste much better, even without the traditional nuts. Will make again! Might slice a little thinner next time.
Sally: This has never happened to me either here,or anywhere else when printing this recipe out. Step #3 was blocked off with a AD ! I did the next
best thing & wrote #3 down in a space on the page. Thought you should be
aware that this is happening.
Will definitely try this recipe out.
Sandra W.
Hi Sandra, that should absolutely not be happening. I never allow pop-ups (even email sign up pop-ups!), and we are strict about ad placement. Would never want it to cover up my content, either. Were you on a mobile device? Letting our ad network know about this so they can look into it. So sorry for the trouble!
Just took the first cookie sheet out.
Cooled a bit not even drizzled with the white chocolate…Oh, my stars!!!! These are so filled with cherry and almond flavor. Thought about adding more almond to the white chocolate but seriously that might be too much. I will make a sample one just so I know the difference. These are definitely worth trying. 5 Stars and 2 thumbs up! That good!
Hi Sally,
I would love to makes these for my cookie boxes this Christmas, but I live in Belgium and am having trouble finding maraschino cherries. Would dried cranberries & pistachios work?
Love the site. Your recipes are the best! 🙂
Hi Kat! Dried cherries or cranberries are a wonderful substitute for the cherries. We haven’t tested pistachios, but don’t see why they wouldn’t work!
When I rolled the log in coconut, the very little coconut stuck. Any suggestions?
Hi Lisa, Are you using sweetened shredded coconut? That stuff is pretty sticky, so it should stick if you’re applying enough pressure when rolling.
The original recipe called for rolling the logs in an egg white wash or brushing with an egg white wash before rolling in coconut. This helps the coconut to stick to the dough.
I was a bit surprised by this recipe. It’s my all time favorite cookie, I was always in the kitchen with my Grandma and couldn’t wait to make these with her. I saw your high rating so I checked it out. Never have I ever seen a recipe for Santa’s Whiskers with egg in it. I read it again in case it was my eyes trying to fight the narcolepsy bringing its ugly head to the top telling me we goin’to sleep quit fighting me!! I’m contemplating trying it, but I’m not sure. Maybe do a blind taste test and see how they do next to the decades old tried and true. I’m curious how the texture of the dough and cookie differ from the traditional dough and cookie. Fingers, eyes and legs crossed!
The cookies tasted fine, but the coconut (whiskers) didn’t stick well at all…..even though I chopped the coconut as someone else suggested.
Would it work to add white chocolate chips in the dough instead of drizzling it?
Hi Mary Beth, if you can find mini white chocolate chips, that would be ideal. Regular size chips may make it a bit difficult to cut the cookies with their smaller size. Let us know if you do give it a try!
This is one of my favourite cookies for Christmas, and this recipe is definitely the best.
I find glazed cherries hard to manage when chopping, so I drained the syrup off, then tossed the green cherry pieces in a bowl with a little flour as I chopped them. It worked really well to keep them from sticking together. Then I added the green cherries to the flour required for the recipe, and stirred it into the batter by hand before stirring in the maraschino cherries. Stirring the cherries in by hand helped keep the bits of fruit in nice chunks.
My old (very old – 35 years?) electric knife worked well cutting the slices of chilled dough.
Thank you for this lovely recipe and for all the helpful comments you’ve provided to help us make perfect Santa’s Whiskers!
on Santa’s Whiskers, it has 2 cups flour (250 g) is that correct, mixed up, is it 250 g, or 500 g 1 cup equals 250 g or not
Hi Louise, you’ll need 2 cups (or 250g total) of all-purpose flour for this recipe.
My childhood favorite!! So excited to be baking these this year!!
Oh my yum! I have been making Santa’s Whiskers pretty much my whole life, but this recipe is going to be replacing my family one. LOVE the use of almond extract instead of chopped pecans A) Because I am just a sucker for all things almond flavored and B) I love the texture of the cookie with just the cherries in it. I also like your direction to keep them on the smaller side, looks great and gives a nice coconut to cookie ratio. Thanks for this gem!
Would dried cherries work in this, or does it need the moisture of the glacé cherries?
We’ve always used the dried. Maraschino cherries are too wet and it’ll turn the dough pink. I know from experience one year tried to substitute.
I made these cookies for Christmas and they were easy to make and delicious!! I’ll be making them for Valentines Day using only the red maraschino cherries. Thank you for the recipe!! This one is a keeper!
Dried cherries sound yummy! I first learned the recipe using dried cranberries. So to find it here on line and hear cherries being used…..wow,
I’m right along with you, I’ve been making these for the same time. I can’t for the life of me remember where I found the recipe. I have always used red and green candied cherries. Even people that don’t like coconut love these.
Santa’s Whiskers came from Betty Crockers Christmas Cookie book. I believe it was published in the sixties but it may have been the seventies. Thanks for the recipe and the visit down memory lane!
OMG many years ago I lost this recipe. It was one of my favorites. Thank you for this. I just found it and I’m so excited to make it again!!
Hi! Do you think it would work if I did an egg wash on these and sprinkled on some coconut before baking? Instead of the white chocolate and coconut after baking. These are such festive, delicious cookies. Thank you!
Hi Marla, I can’t see why that wouldn’t work. Keep a close eye on them though– don’t want that coconut on top to burn.
Can this recipe be doubled? Thanks!
Hi Allison, I’m just seeing your comment/question now so my apologies on the delay responding to you. Yes you can double this recipe.