The holiday baking season is in full swing and I wanted to do a fun twist on a classic. These cookies include the best that fruitcake has to offer, which in my opinion is the spices, nuts, and candied fruits.
This season I have teamed up with an extraordinary group of ladies who are taking holiday baking to a whole new level for a Christmas Cookie Exchange. Pictures and links to their holiday delights are below and I encourage you to go check them out.
The classic fruitcake, a holiday staple that dates back to Ancient Rome. It originally included pomegranate seeds, pine nuts and raisins mixed into barley mash.
In the Middle Ages, honey, spices and preserved fruit were added to bring us closer to the version we all know and love. Dense, moist and full of flavor, fruitcake isn’t for everyone.
Loaded with walnuts, candied fruits, and dates, these cookies sport the iconic look and taste of your traditional fruitcake down to the brightly colored green and red candied cherries.
What is in a fruitcake cookie:
- Dates
- Candied Cherries
- Candied Pineapple
- Amaretto
- Walnuts
- Butter
- Cloves
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Egg
- Flour
- Salt
When you take your first bite you will immediately taste and smell the undeniable warmth of cloves followed by the chew of the sugary candied fruits and the crunch of the walnuts. All of the traditional holiday flavors packed into one gorgeous cookie.
This cookie, like your favorite fruit cake, is a labor of love with several steps that can be spread out over several days.
Preparing your fruits and nuts
Start by combining your coarsely chopped dates, cherries, pineapple, and walnuts in a medium bowl. Pour in your amaretto and sprinkle with salt. Mix and cover with plastic wrap. Allow it to rest overnight at room temperature.
Creating your fruitcake cookie dough
The next day, cream the butter, cloves, sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed in the bowl of an electric mixer, using a paddle attachment, until smooth. While keeping the mixer on a low speed, add the egg and mix until combined. Then slowly sift in the flour, while continuing to mix on a low speed.
The key here is to not overmix. You want to keep the dough soft and fluffy.
Next, carefully fold in your fruits, nuts and the remaining amaretto liquid from the bowl.
Rolling your fruitcake cookie dough logs
So here comes the tricky part. You will want to roll the dough into two 12-inch long logs. I tried several methods and found that parchment paper works best.
You will want to roll the dough into two 12-inch long logs. So start by dividing your dough in half. Using two pieces of parchment or wax paper, roll each half into a log starting with you dough at one end of the paper. Your logs should be 12-inches long and 1 ½ inches thick.
Place your logs into the refrigerator for several hours, or until the dough is firm. You can even keep them in the fridge overnight.
Once you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. With a small, sharp knife, cut the logs into ½ inch thick slices.
Place the slices ½ inch apart on parchment paper lined baking sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes, until lightly golden brown around the sides.
Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
The cookies do not spread much and they are small so you can fit quite a few on your baking sheet.
Fruitcake Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup dates coarsely chopped
- 1 cup candied cherries coarsely chopped
- 1 cup candied pineapple coarsely chopped
- 1/3 cup amaretto warmed
- 1 cup walnuts chopped
- Pinch of salt
- ½ pound 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 tsp ground cloves
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar packed firmly
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the dates, cherries, pineapple, amaretto, walnuts, and salt. Cover with plastic wrap and allow it to rest overnight at room temperature.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, using a paddle attachment, cream the butter, cloves, sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until smooth. While keeping the mixer on a low speed, add the egg and mix until combined. Then slowly sift in the flour, while continuing to mix on a low speed. Try to not over mix.
- Carefully fold in your fruits, nuts and remaining amaretto liquid from the bowl.
- You will want to roll the dough into two 12-inch long logs. So start by dividing your dough in half. Using two pieces of parchment or wax paper, roll each half into a log starting with you dough at one end of the paper. Your logs should be 12-inches long and 1 ½ inches thick.
- Place your logs into the refrigerator for several hours, or until the dough is firm.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- With a small, sharp knife, cut the logs into ½ inch thick slices. Place the slices ½ inch apart on parchment paper lined baking sheets and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly golden brown. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Check out the other blogger’s holiday recipes below by clicking on their photos.
Rebecca Taig – Gluten Free Chocolate Crinkle Cookie
The Healthy-ish Food Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
My Wellihouse Decor – Churros
Chapple’s Chocolate Chip Cookies