Description
These festive Fruitcake Cookies are a chewy, buttery twist on the classic fruitcake, packed with colorful candied cherries, pineapple, pecans, and a hint of warm holiday spices. Perfect for Christmas cookie platters or cozy winter treats, this easy recipe brings nostalgic flavors to your holiday baking lineup.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 3 large eggs
- 1/4 cup orange juice
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Fruit & Nuts
- 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
- 1 cup chopped red candied cherries
- 1 cup chopped green candied cherries
- 1 cup chopped candied pineapple
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy cleanup.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This ensures your cookies are tender and well mixed.
- Add Eggs: Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. This helps with structure and a smooth, cohesive dough.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. This evenly distributes the leavening and spices through the batter.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, mixing just until combined. Be careful not to overmix to keep the cookies tender.
- Fold in Fruit and Nuts: Gently stir in the pecans, red and green candied cherries, candied pineapple, and orange juice until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Portion Cookies: Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow room for spreading.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 18–20 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are just set.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely for the best texture.
Notes
- For a softer texture, slightly underbake the cookies and let them finish setting on the baking sheet.
- If you don’t have both colors of candied cherries, use all red or green.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, or freeze for longer storage.
- Add a splash of rum or brandy to the dough for a classic fruitcake flavor twist.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 85 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 18 mg