Easy Christmas Fruitcake Cookies Recipe

Christmas cookies have always held a special place in my heart. While gingerbread and sugar cookies get lots of attention during the holidays, it’s these fruitcake cookies that bring back memories of baking with my mom. I know fruitcake gets a bad rap, but trust me – these cookies are nothing like those heavy bricks we joke about during the holidays.

These cookies take everything good about fruitcake – the dried fruits, the warm spices, the cozy feeling – and turn them into perfectly sized treats that are much easier to make. I started baking these when I wanted something different for my holiday cookie exchange, and now they’re requested every December. The best part? You can make the dough ahead of time and keep it in the fridge, ready to bake whenever you need a fresh batch.

Need a cookie that stands out at parties? These are your answer. Looking for something that ships well to far-away family? These travel beautifully. Plus, they actually taste better after a few days, which makes them perfect for holiday planning.

Options for Substitutions

These festive cookies are pretty adaptable and here’s how you can switch things up:

• Candied fruits: If you’re not a fan of candied fruits or can’t find them, try using dried cranberries, raisins, chopped dried apricots, or dried pineapple pieces instead. Just remember that dried fruits are more tart than candied ones, so you might want to soak them in warm water for 10 minutes first to soften them up.
• Pecans: Not into pecans? No worries! Walnuts, macadamia nuts, or even almonds work great here. Just make sure to chop them roughly the same size as the original recipe suggests.
• Essences: If you’re missing any of the essences, you can play around with others like orange extract or rum extract. For the almond essence, you could use amaretto liqueur (use 1 tablespoon), and for lemon essence, try fresh lemon zest (use 1 teaspoon).
• Unsalted butter: Salted butter works too – just reduce the added salt to 1/4 teaspoon. You can also use margarine, though the cookies might spread a bit more during baking.
• Plain flour: All-purpose flour is a must here for the right texture – this is one ingredient I wouldn’t substitute as it provides the structure these cookies need.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest challenge when making fruitcake cookies is preventing the candied fruit from sticking together and clumping – coating the chopped fruits with a tablespoon of flour before mixing them into the dough will help them distribute evenly throughout your cookies.

Another common mistake is overbaking these festive treats, which can make them too hard and dry – they should be removed from the oven when the edges are just starting to turn golden brown, even if the centers still look slightly soft, as they’ll continue to firm up while cooling.

For the best texture, avoid overmixing the dough once you’ve added the flour, as this can lead to tough cookies instead of the tender, crumbly texture we’re looking for.

To keep your cookies fresh and moist, store them in an airtight container with a slice of bread, which will help maintain the perfect texture for up to two weeks.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: These fruitcake cookies stay wonderfully fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Place wax paper or parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. The flavors actually get better after a day or two as the fruit and nuts meld together!

Refrigerate: Want them to last longer? Pop them in the fridge in a sealed container, and they’ll keep their festive charm for up to 3 weeks. Just like traditional fruitcake, these cookies maintain their texture and taste really well in cooler temperatures.

Freeze: These cookies are perfect for making ahead during the holiday rush! Place them in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between layers, and they’ll stay good for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to serve, just let them thaw at room temperature for about an hour.

Fruitcake Cookies FAQ

Why do I need three different essences in this recipe?

The combination of vanilla, almond, and lemon essences creates the classic fruitcake flavor profile we all know and love. Each essence plays its own role – vanilla provides warmth, almond adds depth, and lemon brightens up all the candied fruit flavors. I’ve tried making these with just one or two essences, but using all three really makes these cookies taste like traditional fruitcake.

Do I need to chop the candied fruit into specific sizes?

Yes, I recommend chopping the candied fruits into pieces about the size of raisins – roughly 1/4 inch pieces. If you leave the pieces too large, they’ll make the cookies difficult to form and might cause them to break apart. If you chop them too small, you’ll lose the pretty speckled appearance that makes these cookies so festive.

Why are my cookies spreading too much during baking?

If your cookies are spreading too much, it’s likely because your butter is too warm. After mixing the dough, I like to let it rest in the fridge for about 15 minutes before scooping and baking. This helps the butter firm up again, which prevents excessive spreading and keeps all those pretty fruit pieces evenly distributed throughout each cookie.

Preparation Time	15-20 minutes
Cooking Time	20-25 minutes
Total Time	35-45 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3200-3500
• Protein: 30-35 g
• Fat: 200-220 g
• Carbohydrates: 400-450 g

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1/2 teaspoon almond essence
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon essence
• 1 1/2 cups plain flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup chopped candied pineapple
• 1 cup chopped candied red cherries
• 1 cup chopped candied green cherries
• 1 cup roughly chopped pecans

Step 1: Prepare the Oven and Cookie Sheet

Start by preheating your oven to 300°F (150°C).

Line a cookie sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy cleanup.

Once lined, set the prepared cookie sheet aside for later use.

Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugar

In a mixing bowl, use a mixer to cream together the butter and sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.

This may take a few minutes depending on the speed of your mixer.

Then, add the egg, vanilla extract, almond extract, and lemon extract.

Mix well until all ingredients are thoroughly combined into a smooth mixture.

Step 3: Combine Dry Ingredients and Mix

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda.

Gradually add this flour mixture to the creamed butter mixture.

Mix well until the dough is uniform and all of the flour is incorporated.

Be sure not to over-mix to maintain a tender crumb in the cookies.

Step 4: Add Candied Fruit and Pecans

Once the dough is ready, gently fold in the candied fruit and pecans.

Ensure that they are evenly distributed throughout the dough, which will contribute to the tasty crunch and flavor in every bite.

Step 5: Shape and Bake the Cookies

Using heaping tablespoons, drop the dough onto your prepared cookie sheet, spacing them about 3 to 4 inches apart to allow for spreading during baking.

Place the cookie sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cookies are just golden brown around the edges.

Step 6: Cool and Store the Cookies

Once baked, allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes to set, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once cooled, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days, or keep them in the refrigerator for longer storage.

For extended storage, wrap the cookies tightly and freeze for up to a few months.