These Fruitcake Cookies are a fun twist on a holiday classic! Filled with lots of fruit and nuts, plus a hint of cinnamon, they are always a hit!
Last year at Christmastime, we had just barely moved to Mississippi. Our new next door neighbors brought us these cookies and they were so good, I’ve been thinking about them all year!
Fruitcake always gets a bad rap at Christmas. Why? I’ve never actually had real fruitcake. I think it’s the neon green cherries that scare me. But if it’s anything like these cookies, I think I would like it!
Yes, these cookies have fluorescent fruit in them. But that’s what makes them so fun and festive. They are also packed with sweet dates and toasty pecans, plus some cinnamon for that Christmasy spice.
Nick and I are headed to a cookie swap party tonight, and I thought these would be a good, unique cookie to bring. I, at least, have never seen them anywhere else!
This recipe makes a lot of cookies. Really, a lot. Like 12 dozen. That’s not a typo. Not one dozen of 12, but actually 12 dozen. So it’s the perfect recipe to bake for your neighbors or a cookie swap!
- 2 lbs pitted dates
- ½ lb candied cherries
- ½ lb candied pineapple
- 3½ cups coarsely chopped pecans
- 3½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup butter
- 1½ cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Cut the dates into small chunks. Cut the cherries into quarters and pineapple into slivers.
- Combine fruit and nuts in a large bowl.
- Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, and sift it over the fruit and nuts. Stir everything to evenly coat with flour mixture.
- Use an electric mixer to beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg and continue beating until combined.
- Combine the butter mixture with the fruit and flour mixture, and mix everything well by hand.
- Form teaspoon sized balls of dough and place onto lined or greased baking sheets.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Do not overbake.
Note: Photos updated 12-17-18. Original photo below.
The only fruit cake I’ve had was from a Christmas market earlier this month. It was…not good. It wasn’t sweet and it was super dense. Not what I was expecting at all. But these look great! I was reading the ingredients list saying, “yes, yes, oh yum, yes” to every ingredient.*
We always buy my Grandpa a fruitcake for Christmas and TRY to cleverly hide what it is. However, we checked everywhere today, and came up empty. I’m going to try these instead. Love that they feature all the fruitcake flavors!
Great idea! I did see them at Harry & David today, but still haven’t tried one. 😉
Could this recipe be cut in half?
Yes, definitely. It makes a lot, but they are REALLY good!