Do you love making Christmas Cookies? I sure do and one of my favorites over the years has been these Best Ever Fruitcake Cookies. If Christmas can be put into cookie-form, then it’s totally this recipe! How incredibly delicious!!
This is an easy drop cookie recipe too. There is no added rum or bourbon to these cookies so everyone will enjoy them. There are red and green cherries, raisins, and Brazil nuts to make these cookies fantastic. They turn out with lightly browned edges and chewy yet light and fluffy interiors.
Making these ahead of time only ensures that they get better with time. By always freezing my cookies I can make them well in advance and have them ready for any situation or gift-giving.
I have a whole post on 26 Freezable Christmas Cookie Recipes that you can enjoy also and our new Hot Chocolate Cookies, Best Rugelach, Peanut Butter Blossoms, Date Pinwheel Cookies, or Butter Pecan Cookies all are simply delicious!!
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I have had this recipe for many, many years. Thinking back I believe I got it when I was doing cookie exchanges back in the 1990’s when I was nursing.
It is written out on a pretty little card but I am not 100% sure who I received it from. Anyway, it has been a recipe that I have made many times.
INGREDIENTS
- raisins
- candied cherries (red and green are pretty)
- 1 cup candied pineapple, coarsely chopped
- Brazil nuts
- Golden Crisco shortening
- White sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla
- Almond extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
I see that Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa has a fruitcake cookie but it is very different from this one. Hers are rolled and sliced and have different ingredients.
Ours tastes like a really good fruitcake, nothing nasty here. Just a wonderful candied fruit and nut combination. I love that this recipe uses Brazil nuts, you don’t find that in holiday baking very often.
Candied Fruit
Look at how pretty the candied dry fruit is. That screams Christmas to me right away!! The Best Ever Fruitcake Cookies have to be added to your cooking baking list.
Not only are they easy but for many, they bring back a flood of memories as this vintage recipe has been around for a long time.
Simple ingredients and easy prep will lead you to make these cookies again and again.
Have you been a fruitcake fan but don’t like to make it? These cookies will fit the bill and have you loving how easy they are too.
How to Make Easy Fruitcake Cookies?
It is just a few easy steps. In a large bowl mix the fruits together with the nuts and then add 1/2 the flour. Cream the shortening with the sugar using an electric mixer on medium speed and then add the egg and vanilla along with the almond extract.
Next, the dry ingredients, add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir the flour mixture into the fruit mixture and mix well.
Using a 1 ” cookie scoop if you have one, drop the cookies onto a lined or greased baking sheet. I like to use parchment paper. Then bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
Let them cool on wire racks and once cooled put them in sealed containers and enjoy or freeze. These are the best easy made cookies for the holidays!
They have perfect texture and flavoring. Crispy, crunchy, and chewy, these cookies will be a hit with young and old.
How To Store Fruitcake Cookies
If I know the cookies will be eaten up quickly then I store them in an air-tight container at room temperature, if longer then in the refrigerator. If I want to have them made ahead I will freeze them in layers with wax paper in between. They will be good frozen for 2-3 months.
I love the retro-ness of these cookies. This would be something that grandma would serve you when you come over for the holidays. She would have the cocoa hot and the cookies ready!!
If you don’t like fruitcake I bet you love these! They are similar but yet oh so much better. They will last up to 2 weeks in a sealed container but in most households, they will only last a few days!!
Happy Holidays everyone!!
Pin it HERE!!
Best Ever Fruitcake Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup candied cherries red and green are pretty, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup candied pineapple coarsely chopped
- 1 cup Brazil nuts coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup golden Crisco shortening
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1/2 tsp. almond extract
- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
Instructions
- Combine fruit and nuts and 1/2 the flour, and mix well.
- Cream the shortening and sugar, and add the egg and flavoring.
- Beat on medium speed with an electric mixer until light and creamy.
- Stir in fruit mixture and remaining flour, baking soda, and salt and mix well.
- Drop onto parchment lined or greased baking sheet using a 1" scoop and bake at 350F for 10-12 min. Let cool on cooling racks.
Comments & Reviews
Claire says
Made a double batch, they are great, will most definitely make them again. Cook them for 17 minutes maybe my stove is not functioning correctly anyway they were amazing thank you for the recipe.
Tara Noland says
So glad you liked them, they are a must make for us!!
Allen Farrell says
The only step I add is after everything is mixed, wrap in clear wrap and refrigerate the dough for an hour to give the flour time to hydrate. This makes a smoother textured cookie when baked. This is a good recipe.
Tara Noland says
This also helps them from spreading too much. Thank you!
Louise Gosselin says
I’m a fruit cake girl but I find it takes too much time. This recipe is wonderful. Next year, I will double the recipe so I can make gifts and I will try the rhum extract. Thanks for sharing.
Tara Noland says
So glad you enjoyed them. They are one of our faves!!
Bev says
Enjoyed these cookies. Never used Golden Crisco cookies before – I think that’s one ingredient I’ll try with other recipes!
I did fine tune this at bit. It doesn’t say it but I soaked the raisins in hot water; for the sugar I did 1/2 c white sugar and 1/4 c light brown sugar; I substituted Rum flavouring for the Vanilla; substituted Pecans for Brazil Nuts; I also added 1/4 t cinnamon, good pinch 1/8t cloves and nutmeg. I got 48 cookies.
Tara Noland says
I only use Golden Crisco for this recipe as they turn out so delicious. As for soaking the raisins I do that but not for this recipe but do so with this one. https://noshingwiththenolands.com/12-days-of-christmas-holly-hermits/. The raisins are front and center in that recipe. Finally, you must try the Brazil nuts, they give a whole new flavor profile to the cookie but I am so glad you enjoyed them and made them your own.
Connie Worley says
Just wanted to know if you could use maraschino cherries ?
Tara Noland says
I think they will be too wet, you need to use candied cherries for the best results.
Patsy Stadnyk says
I absolutely loved these cookies! I am a big fruitcake person also but these cookies are my now favourite! I did use the mixed candied fruit, they are so festive looking! ♥️
Tara Noland says
I am so glad you like them, we are getting the ingredients for them today. A must make for our family!!
cheryl says
can I use butter instead( unsalted or salted) instead of shortening
Tara Noland says
Yes, you can use either just adjust the salt but for this recipe I really do like the shortening.
Cheryl watson says
Can I use 1 cup of pecan?
Tara Noland says
You can but I highly recommend the brazil nuts, they make the cookie for me.
Carol Moser says
What about dried fruit instead of candied?
Tara Noland says
You can absolutely change it up but the way the recipe is written makes an excellent cookie.
Terry Saint says
Have you tried substituting butter for the Crisco?
Tara Noland says
I have always bought Crisco for this recipe, probably the only time I have used it. I just like how they turn out. I believe other readers have used butter but I have not.
Carl L says
Did I tell you I made these and they were delicious? Just what I was looking for. Tons better than fruitcake, which I DON’T like. But I gave these a try because I like fruits. We enjoyed them. The texture was perfect, too.
Tara Noland says
So glad you liked them!
Carl L C says
I made these and they were good. Mine looked just like the pictures and were fruity. Just what I was hoping for. Thank you for the recipe.
Tara Noland says
So glad you enjoyed them.
Garrett says
Doesn’t say how many cookies this recipe makes?
Tara Noland says
At the top of the recipe card it says 50, enjoy!!