Spiced Holiday Fruitcake Cookies (Print)

Festive cookies with dried fruits, nuts, and warming spices. Perfect for sharing during holiday gatherings.

# Components:

→ Dried Fruits

01 - 1 cup dried cherries, chopped
02 - 1 cup golden raisins
03 - 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
04 - 1/2 cup candied orange peel, chopped

→ Nuts

05 - 1 cup walnuts, chopped
06 - 1/2 cup pecans, chopped

→ Wet Ingredients

07 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
08 - 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
09 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
10 - 2 large eggs
11 - 2 tablespoons dark rum or orange juice
12 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

13 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
14 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
15 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
17 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
18 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
19 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
20 - 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, mix dried cherries, golden raisins, chopped apricots, and candied orange peel. Set aside.
03 - Using an electric mixer in a large bowl, beat unsalted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and creamy.
04 - Beat in eggs one at a time, ensuring thorough incorporation. Blend in dark rum or orange juice and vanilla extract.
05 - In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and ground allspice.
06 - Gradually mix dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring until just combined to avoid overmixing.
07 - Gently fold in the prepared dried fruit mixture, walnuts, and pecans until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
08 - Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing each cookie about 2 inches apart.
09 - Bake cookies for 11 to 13 minutes or until the edges are golden and the centers are set.
10 - Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Uses only one bowl for wet ingredients and one for dry no sink full of dishes
  • Perfect for using up those random half-bags of dried fruit and nuts
  • Ready in just over half an hour from start to finish
  • No chilling required so you get instant holiday gratification
02 -
  • Naturally vegetarian and easy to adapt for gluten-free diets
  • High in fiber and packed with healthy fats from nuts
  • Stays fresh and flavorful for days making them ideal for homemade edible gifts
03 -
  • Always chop dried fruit and nuts into small even pieces for cookies that hold together well
  • Allow the dough to rest five minutes before scooping to let the flour fully hydrate and improve texture
  • If your brown sugar is hard place a slice of apple or bread in the bag overnight to soften it naturally

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