Go Back
–+ servings
A close-up of golden holiday cookies piled on a cooling rack, showing toasted edges, coconut coating, and red and green candied cherry pieces.
Print

Cake Mix Santas Whiskers Cookies

These easy slice-and-bake cookies start with a white cake mix and are loaded with festive red and green candied fruit, and rolled in coconut for that classic “whiskers” look.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Refrigerate 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings 36 cookies
Calories 109kcal
Author Deb Clark

Ingredients

  • 15.25 ounce box white cake mix
  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or almond extract for a twist
  • ¾ cup finely chopped candied fruit I used a mix of candied red cherries, golden pineapple and green cherries.
  • ½ cup chopped pecans
  • 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut for rolling

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, softened butter, eggs, and vanilla. Mix until a soft dough forms. (It’ll be a little sticky but manageable.)
    Glass mixing bowl with cookie dough, chopped red and green candied cherries, and pecans before stirring. Surrounded by coconut, vanilla, and holiday decor.
  • Stir in chopped cherries and pecans.
    Raw cookie dough in glass mixing bowl with candied fruit and chopped pecans added.
  • Divide the dough in half.
    Two mounds of unshaped cookie dough with red and green candied cherries and chopped pecans on parchment paper, next to a bowl of shredded coconut and holiday decor.
  • Roll each log in shredded coconut, pressing lightly so the coconut sticks like Santa’s beard in a snowstorm.
    Two dough logs rolled in shredded coconut on a baking sheet, ready to be chilled. Holiday greenery and baking tools surround the scene.
  • Wrap each log in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1–2 hours. This helps with clean slicing and keeps the cookies from spreading too much.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Slice chilled dough into ¼-inch rounds and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
    Sliced raw cookie dough rounds with coconut edges arranged on a parchment-lined baking sheet, ready to go in the oven.
  • Bake for 10–12 minutes or until the edges are just golden and the centers are set. Cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
    Freshly baked cookies cooling on a parchment-lined baking sheet, with golden edges and colorful cherry pieces throughout.

Nutrition

Calories: 109kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 96mg | Potassium: 26mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 97IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 0.5mg
QR Code linking back to recipe