Bready or Not Original: Fruitcake Cookies

These Fruitcake Cookies turned out gorgeous AND delicious, but could’ve been a total disaster.

I completely rewrote a base recipe for these cookies before I even got to the kitchen. Once I started combining ingredients, I realized I had a major problem.

I had too little dough to hold my fruit and nuts. Uh oh! If I continued as planned, they would not be the slightest bit cohesive.

So, I winged it. I added more flour, more brown sugar, another egg. The dough became cohesive. I baked the first batch. They stayed cohesive.

Whew! The cookies were saved. Not only saved, but absolutely delicious. The combination of ingredients brings all the best elements of fruitcake without all the fuss.

Want more fruitcake? Here’s my recipe for Mini Loaves–which wouldn’t be ripened by Christmas, unfortunately–and also another Fruitcake Cookies recipe, this one like oatmeal cookies. I also have a recipe for brownies that uses candied cherries and one that uses candied orange peel in delicious scones. Keep in mind that a lot of fruitcake ingredients can be found for fabulous clearance prices after Christmas, so bake up these recipes in the new year! Good food shouldn’t be confined to one season.

Print Recipe

Bready or Not Original: Fruitcake Cookies

The fruit listed in the ingredients is a suggestion. Customize these cookies however desired, to not exceed 2 1/2 cups. The result is a crisp, chewy cookie packed with fruit and nuts (but not too packed). Be sure to include the almond extract; that small amount adds some major oomph. Makes 40 cookies using a tablespoon scoop.

Course: Dessert, Snack

Keyword: cookies, holiday

Servings: 40

Author: Beth Cato

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup dried apricots finely chopped
• 1/4 cup dried dates finely chopped
• 1 cup candied cherries coarsely chopped
• 1 cup walnuts and/or pecans, coarsely chopped
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter 1/2 stick, softened
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
• 2 eggs room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment.
• Combine fruit and nuts with 1 cup of flour, coating everything. This will prevent the fruit from sinking as the cookies bake.
• Cream together the butter, shortening, and sugars. Add the eggs with the vanilla and almond extract. Stir in the remaining flour with the baking soda and salt.
• Stir in the fruit/nut/flour mixture until just combined.
• Drop dough by tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

OM NOM NOM!