Santa’s Whiskers Cookies

I love slice and bake cookies ❤️ And these Cherry Coconut Shortbread Cookies do not disappoint. They’re crumbly, buttery, and hearty. Chewy thanks to the cherries and crunchy from the pistachios.

Rolled in shredded coconut that then softly toasts in the oven, they’re full of flavour despite their humble appearance.

These sweet shortbreads are affectionately nicknamed ‘Santa’s Whiskers‘ because of how the coconut strands stick out like Santa’s beard – making them an absolute must for Christmas.

You can make the cookie dough in minutes, roll it and stick it in the fridge. Once you are ready, as the name suggests, you can just slice the dough and bake the cookies. It also means you can easily make the dough ahead of time.

Try them and see why I’ve added them to my Christmas cookie collection for good.

Why you will love this recipe

• Quick and easy: The dough for these Santa’s Whiskers comes together in minutes. But it produces a very beautiful, buttery shortbread.
• Customisable: My cookies are filled with glaced cherries and pistachios. But you can easily substitute your favourite things like chocolate chips.
• Egg-free: You don’t need any eggs to make these Cherry Coconut Cookies which is great for allergies and also when you run out of eggs!
• Make-ahead: The cookie dough can be made days in advance, so you can slice and bake them fresh as needed – perfecting for last-minute holiday entertaining.

You only need a few pantry staples to make a batch of these slice and bake cookies. Here’s a list of the key ingredients, including any substitutions you can make.

• Caster sugar: This fine white sugar gives these cookies sweetness and crunch. If you don’t have access to caster sugar, granulated sugar or white sugar will work.
• Vanilla extract: You can also swap vanilla extract for almond extract if you prefer.
• Glaced cherries: I’ve used red glaced cherries in this recipe, but you can use red or green ones. I love the pop of colour and the chewiness they add. You could also use maraschino cherries or dried cherries also work really well. Otherwise, you could sub in chocolate chips (white chocolate chips would be amazing) or any other dried fruits you prefer.
• Pistachios: To continue the Christmas theme, green pistachios are used. You can use another nut if you prefer, or another mix-in if you want to make these cookies nut-free.
• Shredded coconut: Shredded coconut is used to coat the outside of the cookie dough log. Once baked, it becomes toasty – and it’s the feature the cookies were named after. I recommend choosing an unsweetened shredded coconut. Desiccated coconut would work in a pinch too.

Make-ahead and storage instructions

Storage: You can keep baked shortbread cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They keep really well for up to 5 days.

Make-ahead: Make the cookie dough a day or two in advance and store it in the fridge until you are ready to use it. Then you can slice and bake the cookies as needed.

Freezer instructions: Alternatively, you can cover the entire cookie log in plastic wrap and place it in a ziplock bag in the freezer. Then simply let the dough thaw at room temperature for 15-30 minutes or until you can easily slice it. Then just bake as per the instructions below.