This is an old fashioned tender, cakey cookie. The sweet citrus batter is loaded with coconut, tart cherries and diced orange slice jelly candies. The coconut flavor is subtle but adds a nice texture.
My virtually adopted daughter, Lorraine, Not Quite Nigella sent me a delightful cookie cookbook, Betty Crocker’s Cooky Book, last Christmas. It’s a reproduction of the 1963 cookbook with the original recipes, illustrations and baking tips. I thought it would be fun to bake another recipe from this cute cookbook for this week’s 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies post so I asked my son to pick a recipe from the Cooky Book.
He chose Coconut Cherry Cookies which really surprised me because I didn’t think he was a big coconut fan. The recipe also included candied cherries and citron (I don’t know if he even knew what those are.) Since I knew that my husband would turn down a cookie that reminded him of fruit cake, I decided to substitute dried cherries and diced orange slice jelly candies.
I was a little nervous that the orange slices would be too sweet in the cookie, but the flavor was subtle and they were a great contrast to the tart cherries. My sons and I give this cookie two thumbs up. If you like a tender, cakey cookie, this is a fun one to try.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 teaspoon grated orange rind
- 3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup chopped dried cherries
- 1/4 cup chopped orange slice jell candy
- 1 cup shredded coconut
Directions
- Heat oven to 400º. Mix butter, shortening, sugar, and eggs thoroughly. Stir in sour cream, lemon extract and orange rind. Mix dry ingredients together; mix into butter mixture. Add cherries, orange slices and coconut. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls on ungreased baking sheet. Flatten slightly. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Tip: I used a little bit of flour on the cutting board to make dicing the orange slices easier.
Notes
adapted from Betty Crocker's Cooky Book
If you’re interested in joining us for 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies contact Brenda, Meal Planning Magic, mealmagic at gmail dot com. Be sure and check out all of the fabulous cookies the other 12 weeks of Christmas Cookies (and sweets) bakers baked up for this week.
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I love to bake, especially cookies, cakes, and pies. I’ll post my adventures in the kitchen, my favorite new recipes, as well as our family favorites.
Delicious looking and sounding! I’d love one now with my tea.
CCeers,
Roosa
Great recipe.
Perfect for Christmas!
What an interesting combination of flavors but I’m glad to hear they turned out great! My list of to-try cookies is growing longer by the minute!
These cookies look amazing Barbara, xxxgloria
Very original these cookies look great bsssMARIMI
—Barbara,
I am making several of your cookies over the holidays….Including these little gems. OOOOOh. Loooove Lorraine (Not Quite Nigela) as well. xxx
The first thing that popped into my head when you said ‘cakey’ cookie was… ooh you could sandwich them together with icing like a woopie pie! Cherry and coconut sounds very festive.
They don’t spread very much, so be sure and flatten them well if you want to make whoppie pies. I think a citrus icing would be fabulous in the middle.
I am really intrigued by the orange slices. I know that my kids would love them in cookies (I would probably have to keep them from swiping them before they made it into the cookies!).
I think half the bag was eaten before I made the cookies.
Luckily you don’t need very many for 1/4 cup.
Consider yourself pinned! My mother in law would love these… they have all the goodies she loves to eat. Thanks for sharing.
ButterYum
Thanks for the pin!
I’m always looking for a new cookie recipe. I think the dried cherries and orange slices are a very creative combo and I love the addition of the coconut.
I just found your blog tonight via an old link up from another site! Great blog! Look forward to reading more!
Thanks! I hope you come back often.
These would great for the holidays!
Oh the jelly candies are so fun in this cookie! I’d love to give these a try!
What a neat recipe.
These look and sound delicious!
What a yummy idea to add the orange slices. Great combo of flavors with the coconut, cherry and orange candy!
These cookies are unique, especially with the orange jelly candies added. Fun and festive! I have that cookbook too:)
I’m so glad that you’ve found the book useful mum!
And I always look forward to your Christmas cookie round up-if I ever need a cookie recipe, I always go to you! 
xxx P.S. I wish you could be here for Halloween! 
Wow, these cookies look amazing. I love the way you substitute the ingredients with orange jelly candy! Who can resist a cookies that’s so gorgeous! Very festive color for the season too.
Delightful cookies, but having to stop at one or two would be impossible!
I love these, Barb – so much fun seeing what cookie you come up with each week. I was just thinking, do you think I coud use my remaining orange pate de fruits from the candy challenge as the ‘orange jelly candy’?
Thanks Lisa! You could probably use them if they set up really well. I guess you could test one in a 400º oven and see if it melted. Sounds like something fun to try.
I love anything coconut! Those cookies sure look tempting!
Cherries and coconut. Mmmm I like that. I wish I could have few from your batch in an instant!
I agree..that was what I thought-cherries & coconut..UMM!! I really need to find you on Twitter & Pinterest!
I didn’t know you were “Not Quite’s” virtual mother! I love her blog. Her life is pretty much the exact opposite of mine and it is so much fun to travel along with her. Plus she’s a Twin Peaks fan, so that pretty much sums it all up there!
These look amazing. Going on my Christmas list!! I am so excited for the holidays this year…
xxoo,
RMW
What an interesting combination. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen those orange slice candies in a cookie before! They look great, though!
Another cookie winner, Barbara! Unusual and they look marvelous.
Your description of the texture of these cookies makes me want to dive right in. Love the coconut cherry combo
I do love a cakey cookie! These look great.
that’s a nice combination !
Glad to hear and hear this thin and I could say what an interesting combination of flavors. My list of to-try cookies is growing longer by the minute too. Aside from this, these cookies look amazing. I love the way you substitute the ingredients with orange jelly candy. Who can resist a cookies that’s so gorgeous and very festive color for the season too.
I just love recipes that stand the test of time. Looks like a really festive cookie for the holidays.
I love those jellied orange slices, but would have never thought to put them in a cookie! These sound really yummy- you can’t have too many good cookie recipes!
Wow! These look amazing! Just got back from NYC last night so catching up on visiting my favorite blogs. I love the combination of the cherries with the coconut! Dreamy and so sweet and rich!
You came up with some great substitutions for this cookie and it would hit right in with the best of Christmas cookies. I couldn’t participate this year, to many irons in the fire. But I’m happy I get to see so many great cookies from the hop.
Love the coconut, cherry and organe candy combo here. They look so pretty and festive and of course, yummy!