CHRISTMAS COOKIE: SANTA'S WHISKERS OR CRANBERRY NOELS

We all know that recipes get recycled in any number of ways - "Jane's Chocolate Chip Cookies" may actually be "Nestle's Chocolate Chip Cookies" and so on.  A number of years ago I clipped out a recipe for "Santa's Whiskers" from a local realtor's newsletter.  A few years after that I printed out a recipe on-line from Martha Stewart "Cookie of the Week:  Cranberry Noels".   A few days ago I was going through my holiday cookie recipes and realized that these two recipes are the same, with very minor revisions!  One used salted butter and no salt, while the other used unsalted butter and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  One cut down on the sugar from 1 cup to 1/2 cup.   The Martha Stewart recipe gives attribution to Kara Kuster in Chicago, who created the recipe and named it after her sister, Kim Noel.  We will never know who actually developed the recipe, or when.

Well, not to be outdone, I have combined these two recipes and am calling it "Sugar Cookies with Dried Fruit" (Okay, I'm not nearly as creative in naming things!!!).  This recipe is drawn from the other two recipes.   The cookies are very easy to make and a pretty holiday cookie.

SUGAR COOKIES WITH DRIED FRUIT  Makes about 5 dozen.
*  1 cup salted butter
*  1 teaspoon rum extract (if unavailable, use vanilla extract)
*  1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
*  3/4 cup flaked coconut
*  1/2 cup sugar
*  2 tablespoons milk
*  2-1/2 cups sifted flour
*  3/4 cup finely chopped mixed dried fruit (red & green candied cherries/cranberried/choice)

Cream butter and sugar in mixer bowl; blend in milk and rum extract .  Stir in flour, dried fruit and pecans.  Form into 2 logs, each 2 inches in diameter and 8 inches long.  Roll in coconut, pressing lightly to coat the outside of the logs.  Wrap logs in plastic wrap and chill for several hours, until firm.

Heat oven to 375º.  Using a sharp knife, cut logs into 1/4 inch-thick slices; place on ungreased baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes or until edges are golden.  Cool slightly on cookie sheet before transferring to wire rack to finish cooling.

Enjoy!!!!