Easy Fruit Cake Cookies Recipe
My husband, bless his heart, isn’t the biggest fan of fruitcake. Like, at all. But these cookies? He snags them straight off the cooling rack. Last Christmas, I made a triple batch, thinking we’d have leftovers for days. They were GONE by Boxing Day. Poof! Vanished! My kiddo also adores them and asks me to make them on the regular. She likes to help me sprinkle the sugar on top, although most of it ends up on the floor (and sometimes in her hair). Makes for a sparkly kid, at least! These cookies have saved many a rainy afternoon and cheered up even more grumpy mornings. They’re just… happy.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Fruit Cake Cookies Recipe
- They’re ridiculously easy. Like, “I’m-watching-Netflix-while-baking” easy.
- They taste like a party in your mouth. Seriously, all those fruits just burst with flavor.
- They’re way better than store-bought fruitcake, which let’s face it, tastes like sadness.
- They’re totally customizable. Hate cherries? Swap ’em for cranberries!
- They make your kitchen smell amazing, which is basically free aromatherapy.
How to Make It
Alright, so here’s the deal. First, you gotta cream together your butter and sugars. Get it nice and fluffy, like you’re giving it a spa day. Then, crack in the eggs and vanilla – don’t forget the vanilla! I’ve done that before and it’s just… not the same.
Next, you whisk together all your dry stuff: flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Don’t skip the salt! It brings out all the flavors. Then, slowly add the dry stuff to the wet stuff, mixing until just combined. Don’t overmix, unless you want tough cookies. Nobody wants tough cookies.
Now comes the fun part: the fruit! Dump in all your chopped candied fruit and nuts. Mix it all up until everything’s evenly distributed. The dough will be thick, which is totally normal.
Drop spoonfuls of dough onto a baking sheet, leaving a little space between each one. Sprinkle with sugar (or don’t, if you’re feeling lazy), and bake until they’re golden brown around the edges. Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Or just eat them warm, because YOLO.
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Ingredient Notes
- Butter: Use unsalted, softened. I usually forget to take it out of the fridge ahead of time, so I microwave it for like, 10 seconds. Don’t tell anyone I told you that.
- Candied Fruit: This is where you can get creative. I like a mix of cherries, pineapple, and orange peel, but use whatever you like. Just chop it up into small pieces so it’s evenly distributed in the cookies.
- Nuts: Walnuts or pecans are my go-to, but almonds or even macadamia nuts would be yummy. Toast them lightly for extra flavor! (Or just skip it, if you’re impatient like me.)
- Flour: All-purpose flour works great. I’ve never tried it with gluten-free flour, but if you do, let me know how it turns out!
- Vanilla extract: Don’t skimp on the vanilla! It adds so much flavor. I once accidentally used almond extract instead and it was… interesting. Not bad, just not what I was expecting.
Recipe Steps:
- Cream together butter and sugars until fluffy.
- Beat in eggs and vanilla extract.
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Stir in candied fruit and nuts.
- Drop spoonfuls of dough onto a baking sheet.
- Sprinkle with sugar (optional).
- Bake until golden brown.
- Cool on baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack.
What to Serve It With
Honestly, these cookies are great on their own. But if you’re feeling fancy, you could serve them with:
- A cup of tea or coffee.
- A glass of milk (especially for the kiddos).
- A scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- A drizzle of melted chocolate (because why not?).
Tips & Mistakes
- Don’t overmix the dough! It’ll make the cookies tough.
- Make sure your butter is softened, but not melted.
- If your dough is too sticky, chill it in the fridge for a few minutes before dropping it onto the baking sheet.
- Don’t burn them! Keep a close eye on them in the oven. I once got distracted by a phone call and ended up with a batch of charcoal cookies. Not fun.
- Don’t be afraid to experiment with different fruits and nuts!
Storage Tips
Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay good for about a week, but let’s be real, they’ll probably be gone way before then. They’re also delicious cold, straight from the fridge. I’ve been known to sneak one for breakfast. Don’t judge.
Variations and Substitutions
- No nuts? Leave them out! Or try sunflower seeds.
- Hate candied fruit? Use dried cranberries, raisins, or chopped dried apricots.
- Want to make them chocolatey? Add a cup of chocolate chips to the dough.
- Need them to be vegan? Use a vegan butter substitute and flax eggs. I haven’t tried it myself, but I’m sure it would work just fine!
- Ran out of brown sugar? Use honey instead!
Frequently Asked Questions
Easy Fruit Cake Cookies Recipe
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Easy Fruit Cake Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 0.5 teaspoon baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 0.25 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter softened
- 0.75 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup mixed dried fruit chopped
- 0.5 cup chopped nuts such as walnuts or pecans
Instructions
Preparation Steps
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Fold in the mixed dried fruit and nuts.
- Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are golden. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and rating below. I love to hear from you and always appreciate your feedback!
