Christmas Fruit Nut Wreath Cookies

1 cup soft butter or margarine
1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 egg
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup finely chopped red candied cherries
confectioners' sugar icing, thin
flaked or shredded coconut (tinted, if desired)

PREPARATION:

Beat butter until creamy; add sugar gradually, beating until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Sift flour and baking powder together; stir into butter mixture. Stir in oats, nuts and chopped cherries. Shape into wreaths. Bake on ungreased cookie sheets in a 350 degree F. oven for 12 to 15 minutes. When cool, frost with a thin confectioners' sugar icing. Sprinkle with coconut and decorate with additional chopped pieces of candied cherries.
Makes about 3 1/2 dozen.

To tint coconut, put coconut in a plastic storage bag. Add a few drops of food coloring and shake well until coconut is evenly tinted. If using paste color, thin a dab with a few drops of water first.

For thin icing, mix about 1 1/2 cups of confectioners' sugar with 2 tablespoons of milk. Add a little more milk to thin more, if necessary.