Fruitcake Christmas Cookies capture all the beloved flavors of traditional fruitcake in a perfectly portable, cookie-sized package. These festive treats feature a buttery, spiced dough studded with colorful candied fruits, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, and a hint of rum or brandy that creates authentic fruitcake flavor. Unlike dense, heavy fruitcake loaves that polarize opinions, these cookies are tender, chewy, and universally appealing. The jewel-toned fruits make them visually stunning on holiday cookie platters, while the warm spices and rich butter create nostalgic Christmas flavor. Perfect for cookie exchanges, gift boxes, holiday parties, or simply enjoying with tea or coffee throughout the season, these cookies prove that fruitcake flavors can be absolutely delicious when executed properly in cookie form.
Serving Quantity: 48 cookies
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 12 minutes per batch
Total Time: 2 hours (including chilling time)
Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- Half cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Half teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Half teaspoon ground cloves
- Half teaspoon salt
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup candied cherries (chopped)
- Half cup candied orange peel (chopped)
- Half cup candied pineapple (chopped)
- 1 and a half cups pecans (chopped and toasted)
- Quarter cup dark rum or brandy
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- Powdered sugar (for dusting, optional)
Nutrition Information (Per Cookie):
- Calories: 135
- Protein: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fat: 6g
- Sugar: 11g
- Sodium: 65mg
- Fiber: 1g
- Cholesterol: 18mg
1. Soak the Fruits
In a medium bowl, combine the dried cranberries, chopped candied cherries, candied orange peel, and candied pineapple. Pour the rum or brandy and orange juice over the fruit. Toss to coat, then cover and let soak for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours if you have time. This maceration softens the fruit and infuses it with the alcohol flavor, creating more tender, flavorful additions to the cookies. Stir occasionally during soaking. The fruit will plump up and absorb the liquid, becoming softer and more flavorful.
2. Toast the Pecans
While the fruit soaks, toast the pecans. Spread them on a baking sheet and toast in a 350-degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once, until fragrant and lightly golden. Watch carefully as nuts can burn quickly. Let them cool completely, then chop into small pieces. Toasting intensifies the nutty flavor and adds crunch. Cooled pecans won’t melt the butter in the dough when mixed in.
3. Cream Butter and Sugars
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Continue beating for 3 to 4 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color. The mixture should be noticeably lighter and increased in volume. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.
4. Mix Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Whisk thoroughly to ensure the spices and leavening are evenly distributed throughout the flour. The warm spices are essential to the fruitcake flavor profile. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed just until combined. Don’t overmix or the cookies will be tough. The dough should be thick and cohesive.
5. Add Fruits and Nuts
Drain the soaked fruit, reserving any liquid that hasn’t been absorbed. Add the soaked fruit and toasted pecans to the dough. Use a sturdy wooden spoon or your hands to fold and mix everything together thoroughly. This requires some effort as the dough is thick and packed with add-ins. Make sure the fruit and nuts are evenly distributed throughout the dough. Every cookie should have a good amount of both. The dough will be very chunky and colorful.
6. Chill the Dough
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour, or up to 24 hours. Chilling is essential for several reasons: it firms up the butter so the cookies don’t spread too much, it allows the flavors to meld, and it makes the dough easier to scoop and shape. Cold dough also bakes more evenly. If you’re in a hurry, you can chill for just 30 minutes, but longer is better for flavor and texture.
7. Bake the Cookies
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a cookie scoop or spoon, drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. The cookies will spread slightly during baking. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes until the edges are set and lightly golden, but the centers still look slightly soft. Don’t overbake or they’ll be dry. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, dust with powdered sugar if desired for a snowy effect.
Tips for Perfect Fruitcake Christmas Cookies
Use quality candied fruits for the best flavor. Cheap candied fruit can taste artificial. Look for natural, well-made candied fruit at specialty stores or online.
Don’t skip soaking the fruit in alcohol. This step is what gives authentic fruitcake flavor. For alcohol-free cookies, use orange juice or apple juice instead.
Toast the pecans for maximum flavor. Raw nuts taste bland compared to toasted. This simple step makes a significant difference in the final cookies.
The dough is very thick and chunky. This is correct. It’s more fruit and nuts than dough, which is what makes these cookies special and fruitcake-like.
Chilling the dough is essential for cookies that hold their shape. Warm dough spreads too much and creates flat, thin cookies instead of thick, chewy ones.
Different dried fruits can be substituted. Try golden raisins, dried apricots, figs, or dates. Customize based on your fruitcake preferences.
These cookies improve with age. Store in airtight containers for 2 to 3 days before eating. The flavors meld and develop, becoming more complex.
Brush cooled cookies with additional rum or brandy for stronger flavor. This is traditional with fruitcake and adds wonderful depth and moisture.
Store in airtight containers at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. The alcohol and sugar act as preservatives, keeping them fresh longer than typical cookies.
These freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. Wrap well and freeze. Thaw at room temperature when ready to enjoy or give as gifts.
Make them gluten-free by using a gluten-free flour blend. The texture will be slightly different but still delicious with all the fruit and nuts.
Add white chocolate chips for extra sweetness and visual appeal. The white chips look like snow against the colorful fruits.
Different spices create different flavors. Try cardamom, ginger, or allspice for variation. All work beautifully in fruitcake-flavored cookies.
Don’t overbake. These cookies should be soft and slightly chewy, not crispy. Remove them when the centers still look slightly underdone.
Make mini cookies using a smaller scoop for cookie trays or gifting. Reduce baking time to 9 to 11 minutes for smaller cookies.
Package in decorative tins or boxes lined with parchment paper for beautiful, edible holiday gifts that everyone will actually enjoy.
Drizzle with white chocolate or a simple glaze made from powdered sugar and orange juice for extra sweetness and elegance.
These pair wonderfully with eggnog, hot chocolate, coffee, or tea. The rich, spiced flavor complements warm holiday beverages perfectly.
Add crystallized ginger for extra spice and chew. Chop finely and add with the other fruits for wonderful warming heat.
The cookies soften over time as they absorb moisture from the fruit. This is desirable and makes them more tender and flavorful, just like traditional fruitcake that improves with
