Poor fruitcake. It has been the butt of many Christmas jokes for years. Traditional fruitcake has been around since the Middle Ages, although the European versions are more like fruit-studded breads (think Italian pannetonne or German stollen). British and American fruitcake are more like the dense cake-like loaves that most of us are more familiar with today that have a reputation for being bricklike, indestructible, and lasting for years. We’re skipping the alcohol in these cookies that were the surprise hit of my holiday baking this year, although some folks add a bit of bourbon or whisky to the batter. I loved these cookies that are laden with so much candied fruit and nuts that they are a texture-lover’s dream. They were sweet but not cloying and very soft to the point of being almost cake-like in the best possible way. I have also seen these called “fruit Lizzies” or “Christmas Lizzies” although I don’t know where that name came from. We just call them fruitcake cookies.
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
All-purpose flour Salted butter Brown sugar Eggs Candied cherries – You can buy these at the grocery store during the month of December or order them online other times of the year. You can get them mixed or separate and you can use one or both colors since they taste the same. Candied pineapple – This is easier to find year round and I can typically locate it in the bulk area or next to the dried fruit like raisins and dried apricots. Dates Raisins Nuts – I used a mix of walnuts and pecans for variety but you can use one or the other. Cinnamon Baking soda Vanilla extract Milk
How to Make Fruitcake Cookies
Tips for Success
Feel free to customize. If you don’t like one or more of the fruits, feel free to leave them out and replace them with more of another type of fruit. Any mix of chopped, dried or candied fruit will work in this recipe. The candied cherries, dates, raisins, and pineapple are traditional for fruitcake, but dried apricots and mangoes would work just as well. Don’t overbake. You don’t want to dry these cookies out or they won’t be soft and moist. They should just be browned around the edges and no longer shiny on top when they are done and they will continue to set up on the cookie sheet after they are removed from the oven.
How to Store
These cookies will keep well in an airtight container on the countertop for at least a week. The sugar in the candied fruit helps them last quite a while tasting fresh. If you glazed the cookies, I would recommend placing a piece of parchment paper or waxed paper between layers so the cookies don’t stick. You can also freeze the cookies for 3 months. Just thaw on the counter for a couple hours before serving.
More Cookie Recipes
Oatmeal Rolled Sugar Cookies Soft & Chewy Molasses Cookies Cinnamon Walnut Raisin Rugelach Soft & Chewy Gingerbread Men Cookies
Toffee Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Mexican Wedding Cookies (Russian Tea Cakes)
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