From Diana Rattray,

Cream cheese drop cookies with vanilla, coconut, and candied cherries.

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 cup butter
* 2 packages (3 ounces each) cream cheese, room temperature
* 1 cup granulated sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 1 egg
* 2 tablespoons milk
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup toasted coconut*
* pecan halves or halved candied cherries

PREPARATION:
Cream together the butter, cream cheese, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Add egg and milk; beat well. Stir in the flour and toasted coconut. Drop cookie batter from teaspoons onto ungreased baking sheet then press a pecan half or cherry half into the top of each. Bake at 325° for 18 to 20 minutes. Remove cookies to a rack to cool.
Makes about 5 dozen cream cheese cookies.

*To toast coconut in the oven, spread coconut on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake at 325°, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

This cookie is a good patner for a cup of tea when we relax with family

Gene’s favorite cookies - other than springerles

2 (3 oz) pkgs. cream cheese
softened
1 cup margarine, softened
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups flour

1 - Combine ingredients in a large bowl,stir well until mixture forms ball.
2 - Knead in bowl or on floured surface 1-2 min.[adding additional flour if needed to make smooth, pliable and non-sticky dough].
3 - Shape dough into one or more smooth balls,cover and refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.
4 - Follow instructions on page 1.Using cookie stamps, recipe makes 4 dozen cookies.
5 - Bake about 5-15 minutes in a 350 degree oven until edges show a slight browning.

Hints:
Try various flavors - oil of cinnamon, almond,
lemon,or orange. Tint dough with food coloring.
Brush melted chocolate on the underside of the cookies.

Instructions for Molding Cookies
in Deep Cavity Molds

A - Dust the mold cavity with powdered sugar.
Remove excess sugar and save for redusting mold.
B - Press a portion of chilled dough into the cavity.
Cut away excess dough.
C -Holding your hand at the top of the mold,with the dough-filled cavity facing down,slam the bottom edge of the mold against the work surface so as to cause the cookie figure to loosen and release.
Some molds may require your guiding the partially released cookie to the cookie sheet.