Fruitcake Cookies

User Reviews

5.0

21 reviews
Excellent
  • Prep Time

    20 mins

  • Cook Time

    20 mins

  • Additional Time

    16 hrs

  • Total Time

    40 mins

  • Servings

    40 cookies

  • Calories

    193 kcal

  • Course

    Dessert

  • Cuisine

    American

Fruitcake Cookies

Two Christmas dessert favorites, fruitcake and Christmas cookies, unite in this slice-and-bake Fruitcake Cookie recipe. Customize this homemade cake-like Christmas cookie recipe with your favorite dried fruits, nuts, and liquors.

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Ingredients

Servings
  • 8 ounces dried figs stem trimmed and coarsely chopped (see note 1)
  • 6 ounces walnuts chopped (about 1 1/2 cups, see note 3)
  • 4 ounces raisins
  • 4 ounces candied cherries chopped (or dried cherries)
  • 2 tablespoons brandy (see note 2)
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • salt
  • 1 pound butter at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup superfine sugar (see note 4)
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
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Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, mix together the figs, walnuts, raisins, cherries, brandy, honey, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit overnight (at least 8 hours) at room temperature to soften.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with an electric mixer, cream the butter, superfine sugar, brown sugar, and ground cloves together on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. 
  3. With the mixer on low speed, add the egg and mix until incorporated. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt until just combined. Do not over mix! Add the fruits and nuts, including any liquid in the bowl. Stir to combine.
  4. Divide the dough in half and place each half on the long edge of a 12" by 18" piece of parchment or waxed paper. Roll each half into a log, 1 1/2" to 1 3/4" thick, making an 18" long roll. Refrigerate the dough for several hours, or until firm.
  5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. With a small, sharp knife, cut the logs into 1/2" thick slices. Place the slices 1/2" apart on prepared ungreased sheet pans and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove from oven and cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to completely cool.

Notes

  • Dried figs, raisins, and cherries: Or any dried fruit you prefer chopped small, such as dates, candied orange peel, dried pineapple, candied ginger, or dried cranberries.
  • Brandy: Sherry, rum, or bourbon also tastes great. For an alcohol-free cookie recipe, or if you don’t want to use any alcohol whatsoever, use 2 tablespoons of orange juice or apple cider instead.
  • Walnuts: Chopped pecans also work well. To enhance the flavor, try toasted walnuts or toasted pecans; bake on a sheet pan at 350 degrees for 7 to 10 minutes.
  • Superfine sugar: Find this in the baking aisle, or to make superfine sugar at home, put the amount of granulated white sugar called for in your recipe (here, 1/2 cup) in a food processor. Add a couple of tablespoons more to compensate for a reduction in overall volume that occurs when blending. Process for 1 to 2 minutes until the sugar feels like fine sand, letting the sugar dust settle before opening your food processor to check. Remeasure before using.
  • Yield: This Fruitcake Cookie recipe makes a very food-giftable batch of 40 Christmas cookies.
  • Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Or, if you live in a cold climate, store them on your patio or in your garage for several weeks. To freeze baked cookies, separate cooled baked cookies with small sheets of wax paper and place them in a freezer-safe container. Freeze up to 3 months for best results. 
  • Make ahead: Mix up the dough, wrap it in waxed paper and foil, then freeze (instead of refrigerate) the Fruitcake Cookie rolls for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to bake and proceed with step 5, remove the log from the freezer and let it thaw for about 15 minutes at room temperature. Because they’re semi-frozen, they’ll likely need a minute or two extra in the oven to bake.
  • Freezer: Freeze the uncut, unbaked logs of cookie dough for up to 3 months. When you're ready to bake, remove the log from the freezer and let it warm up for about 15 minutes at room temperature. Cut the cookies into slices using a sharp chef’s knife, or a serrated knife, if that works better. Bake according to the recipe instructions (15 to 20 minutes at 350 degrees).

Nutrition Information

Show Details
Serving 1cookie Calories 193kcal (10%) Carbohydrates 20g (7%) Protein 2g (4%) Fat 12g (18%) Saturated Fat 6g (30%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Monounsaturated Fat 3g Trans Fat 0.4g Cholesterol 29mg (10%) Sodium 77mg (3%) Potassium 97mg (3%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 9g (18%) Vitamin A 292IU (6%) Vitamin C 0.4mg (0%) Calcium 21mg (2%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 40cookies

Amount Per Serving

Calories 193 kcal

% Daily Value*

Serving 1cookie
Calories 193kcal 10%
Carbohydrates 20g 7%
Protein 2g 4%
Fat 12g 18%
Saturated Fat 6g 30%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 3g 15%
Trans Fat 0.4g 20%
Cholesterol 29mg 10%
Sodium 77mg 3%
Potassium 97mg 2%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 9g 18%
Vitamin A 292IU 6%
Vitamin C 0.4mg 0%
Calcium 21mg 2%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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Overall Rating

5.0

21 reviews
Excellent

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