When I was a child, my mother made homemade fruitcake every year. It was a big production. and all of us kids helped. Her recipe was a mix of 2 recipes that she combined. Unfortunately, she never wrote down how she combined them. Her fruitcake was outstanding and like no commercial fruitcake I’ve had. To me fruitcake is part of classic Christmas to me.
Many of us love to bake Christmas cookies. Today’s recipe is a fun traditional fruitcake cookie. It’s great how easy it is to personalize to your family’s taste. It’s made with candied or dried fruit, raisins, nuts, cinnamon, and vanilla. For nut-free, substitute chopped dates or other fruit. If someone can’t eat cinnamon, substitute ginger or nutmeg. If you like the optional addition of rum, bourbon, brandy, or sherry, simply add 1-2 tablespoons of your desired alcohol to the cookie dough at the same time that you add the egg and vanilla. If you find the dough too dry, add a tbsp of milk of your choice, a tbsp at a time.
Fruitcake Cookies
Use organic when available. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
Fruitcake Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup flour
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup candied cherries chopped
- 1 cup candied pineapple chopped
- 1 cup pecan pieces or chopped pecans (or favorite nut)
- 1/2 cup butter/margarine (1 stick room temperature)
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt (omit if using salty nuts)
- Option nut free: substitute candied or dried fruit for nuts
- Option 1 to 2 tbsp rum, bourbon, brandy or sherry
Instructions
- Line cookie sheet with parchment paper
- Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C)
- In large bowl mix flour, baking soda, and cinnamon
- In separate bowl beat butter and sugar together with electric mixer until fluffy about 5 minutes
- Add egg and vanilla to butter/sugar; beat well
- Add 1/3 of flour mix to butter/sugar and mix well
- Add 1/3 of flour mix two more times and mix well each time
- Stir in nuts, pineapple, cherries, and raisins until thoroughly mixed
- Drop spoonful of dough 2 inches apart onto cookie sheets.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until bottoms are lightly brown
- Cool on counter until room temperature
Enjoy!
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I find fruitcake a bit heavy but these cookies sound delicious! Perfect to put out for Santa on Christmas Eve 🙂
#MMBC
What a delicious treat for Christmas. Christmas cake and cookies are two of my favourite things so to combine them is just brilliant.
I never thought of fruitcake cookies. What an interesting idea!
Unfortunately for me I hate fruitcake but I might like these cookies.
Have a wonderful day Carol
Cruisin Paul
Try making them with dried fruit versus candied fruit. Do you like dried cherries, cranberries, etc?
I loved your idea to incorporate such an amazing Christmas memory with your Mom into this delicious treat! Your fruitcake cookies look AMAZING!
thanks Heidi – Merry Christmas!
Oh wow! Such a wonderful way to honor your mom’s fruitcake. They looks so festive AND delicious! Thanks so much for the recipe.
-Soma
I haven’t had fruit cake since my grandmother passed. These cookies certainly brought back memories. I think I would love them. Merry Christmas and thank you for sharing at #aclwcc. Pinned and tweeted.
Sweet memories of your Mom’s fruitcake Carol. My Mother made hers every year too. These cookies look delicious, thank you! Hope you had a wonder Christmas and I wish you a very Happy New Year!
Happy New Year!