Pink Cherry Coconut Cookies Aka Santa's Blushing Whiskers

Total Time: 32 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 12 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 108
• 3/4 cup sweet unsalted butter, at room temperature (no substitues)
• 3/4 cup shortening (such as crisco - use the kind)
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cherry extract (or any other red berry flavored extract)
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 cups red maraschino cherries, drained,finely chopped
• 9 drops red food coloring, approximately
• 1 1/2 cups dried shredded coconut

Recipe

• 1 cream together butter and shortening.
• 2 add sugar, baking soda, salt and beat to combine, scraping down the sides as needed.
• 3 beat in egg, egg yolk, milk, and extracts.
• 4 grab a wooden spoon, and stir in flour, one a cup at a time (using a mixer now would toughen the dough).
• 5 mix in food coloring (enough drops to tint dough pink) and cherries (make sure they are very well drained).
• 6 divide dough into 3 portions, and then form each portion into a 10" log and roll in coconut so that the outside of the dough is covered (press with your fingers if needed).
• 7 wrap well in wax paper and chill at least 4 hours until very firm.
• 8 preheat oven to 375f.
• 9 slice off 1/4" thick rounds and bake on parchment lined baking sheets 2 inches apart for approximately 12 minutes.