Old Fashioned Fruitcake Cookies Recipe
These Old Fashioned Fruitcake Cookies are a delightful twist on the classic holiday fruitcake, featuring a soft and buttery cookie base loaded with colorful candied fruits and crunchy pecans. Perfect for festive occasions or anytime you crave a sweet, flavorful treat reminiscent of traditional fruitcake, but in cookie form.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Total Time: 35-40 minutes
- Yield: About 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert, Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Add-ins
- 1 cup diced candied pineapple
- 1 cup diced candied red cherries
- 1 cup diced candied green cherries
- 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C) and line a cookie sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper to prevent sticking. Set this aside while you prepare the dough.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the unsalted butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Then, add the egg, vanilla extract, almond extract, and lemon extract and mix thoroughly until well combined.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt, and baking soda to evenly distribute these leavening and seasoning agents.
- Combine wet and dry: Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed butter mixture, mixing well to form a dough. Fold in the diced candied pineapple, diced candied red cherries, diced candied green cherries, and chopped pecans to evenly incorporate the fruit and nuts.
- Shape and bake: Drop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheet, spacing them about 3 to 4 inches apart to allow for spreading during baking. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cookies are just golden brown around the edges.
- Cool and store: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes to set before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Store your fruitcake cookies in an airtight container for a few days, refrigerate for longer freshness, or freeze tightly wrapped for several months.
Notes
- Make sure the butter is at room temperature to ensure proper creaming with sugar, which affects the cookie texture.
- Spacing the cookies adequately on the baking sheet prevents them from merging as they bake.
- Use a silicone mat or parchment paper to avoid sticking and ease cleanup.
- These cookies can be frozen for up to three months; thaw at room temperature before serving.
- The extracts—vanilla, almond, and lemon—combine to give these cookies a complex, festive flavor.
Keywords: Fruitcake cookies, holiday cookies, candied fruit cookies, pecan cookies, old fashioned cookies
