Description
Fruitcake Cookies are soft, chewy, festive cookies filled with candied fruit, nuts, spices, and holiday flavor—offering all the nostalgia of fruitcake in a lighter, more snackable cookie form. Perfect for gifting, dessert trays, or cozy winter baking.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) light brown sugar, packed
- 3 large eggs
- 3½ cups (420g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (250g) chopped candied fruit (fruitcake mix)
- 1 cup (130g) chopped dates or raisins
- 1 cup (120g) chopped pecans or walnuts
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- Powdered sugar or glaze for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Line baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
- Cream Butter & Sugar: Beat butter and brown sugar 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla if using.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- Combine: Slowly add dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just combined.
- Fold-ins: Stir in candied fruit, dates/raisins, and nuts.
- Shape: Scoop tablespoon-sized dough balls onto baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between cookies.
- Bake: Bake 20–25 minutes until edges are golden and centers set. Rest 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack.
- Finish: Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle glaze once cool.
Notes
- Chill dough 30 minutes if sticky.
- Use high-quality candied fruit for best flavor.
- Do not overbake—cookies should remain soft in the center.
- Enhance flavor with orange zest or almond extract.
- Freeze baked cookies or dough for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 145
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 85mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 0.9g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 22mg
Keywords: fruitcake cookies, holiday cookies, Christmas cookies, chewy fruit cookies, candied fruit cookies