Print

The Best Chewy Old-Fashioned Fruitcake Cookies

A close-up stack of chewy fruitcake cookies loaded with colorful dried fruit and nuts on a white plate.
Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Ditch the heavy loaf! Capture all the nostalgic, warm spice flavor of traditional fruitcake in these unbelievably chewy, easy-to-make cookies. Packed with candied fruit and nuts, they are the perfect addition to your holiday cookie trays.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups mixed candied fruit (cherries, pineapple, citron)
  • 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
  • 1/4 cup dark rum or orange juice (optional, for soaking fruit)

Instructions

  1. If using rum, place the mixed candied fruit in a small bowl and pour the rum over it. Let it soak for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight. Drain any excess liquid before using.
  2. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  3. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. This step helps make your cookies chewy.
  4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  5. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
  6. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
  7. Fold in the soaked and drained candied fruit and the chopped nuts until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
  8. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. These are great as bite sized fruitcake treats.
  9. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown. The centers should still look slightly soft.
  10. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

  • For extra moisture and flavor, you can toss the candied fruit and nuts with 1 tablespoon of molasses before adding them to the dough.
  • If you want a classic fruitcake look, you can brush the tops of the cookies with a simple glaze made from powdered sugar and a splash of milk or orange juice after they cool.
  • These old fashioned cookies freeze well. Place cooled cookies in an airtight container with layers of wax paper between them for up to three months.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://flavorzine.com/best-fruitcake-cookies-chewy-old-fashioned/