#279 - Coconut Cream Cheese Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 cup butter
2 - 3oz. packages Philly cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup white sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
2 TBSP milk
2 cups flour
1/2 cup toasted coconut (spread coconut on a baking sheet in the oven in a single layer--bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally)
pecan halves or halved candied cherries

In a mixer, beat together the butter, cream cheese, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Add egg and milk--beat well. Remove from mixer and stir in the flour and toasted coconut using a wooden spoon. Drop teaspoonsful onto ungreased cookie sheets, then press a pecan half or cherry half into the top of each cookie. Bake at 325 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes. Remove cookies from oven, wait 5 minutes before removing from cookie sheets. Allow to cool completely.