When I taste one of these, I know it's Christmas!

DANISH BUTTER COOKIES

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup FINELY grated coconut
few drops yellow food coloring, if desired
3 cups sifted flour (measure after sifting)

Preheat oven to 400.Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in coconut and food coloring if using, combining well. Gradually add flour, blending to make a smooth dough.Take a handful of dough and roll between the palms of your hands to made a log about 3/4" in diameter. Place dough on waxed paper lined cookie sheet. Press with forefinger or thumb, forming a flat strip with side ridges about 1/8" thick. Continue making logs and flattening them adding additional logs to the ends of previous strips to make strips the length of the cookie sheets.Bake at 400 until lightly browned. Remove from pan and loosen cookies immediately by running a thin spatula under strips.

Brush while still warm with the following glaze:

2 Tablespoons rum or 1 Tablespoon water & 1 Tablespoon rum extract blended with 3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar.

Cut cookie strips on the diagonal to make diamond-shaped cookies. (More or less.) Cool on wire racks.