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!!
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!!
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.
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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
Video
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
Josephine says
On Pintrest it is under suet pudding.
Kristina says
I used butter instead, and replaced some of the fruit called for with others I had leftover from making fruitcake this year but kept the ratios the same. They turned out great! Thanks
Tara Noland says
I am so glad you liked them. A good way to use up what you already had too!!
Irene says
Have you ever put chocolate chips in them?
Tara Noland says
I haven’t but if you think you would like that you definitely can!
Traci R. says
Can you use brown sugar instead of white?
Tara Noland says
Brown sugar makes cookies moister which I don’t think they need but you can try! I have not tried so I can’t say or sure.
Traci R. says
Thank you!! If I try it, I’ll let you know how they turn out. Merry Christmas!
Terri-Ann says
Can I use chopped dates instead of raisins?
Tara Noland says
Sure, make them your own!
Laura says
Where do you buy candies fruit ?? I couldn’t find it and n the grocery store ☹️
Tara Noland says
It should be in the grocery store but may only be seasonal. I would ask them and call around.
Jennifer says
Walmart carries candied red and green cherries and pineapple at Christmas time only
Irene says
Walmart has a container with a candied fruit mix.
Annabelle L Ware says
Check the VERY top shelf …or VERy bottom shelf of the baking aisle…
Maria Fowler says
Can I substitute self rising flour for the flour, salt and baking soda. my email address is
Tara Noland says
I have never done that before so I am not sure.
Pat says
Can these cookies be frozen for a short time?
Tara Noland says
Yes, they can I will note that.
Judy Harris says
What is the quantity of cookies from this recipe?
Tara Noland says
Yield is at the top and of the recipe card and it is 50!
Bev says
With all the ingredients in hand I can’t wait to add these to my cookie plates! X your fingers I don’t mess them up.
😊
Michael Walker says
Hi I have been looking for this cookie recipe for many years I am in my 74 th year When a child on the farm my grandmother always had these cookies (all year, not only at Christmas) she passed many years ago As you know that generation never had the recipe All in their mind Thanks again As a child this Was my best Cookie You see I love fruit cake and Carrot pudding Her carrot pudding was great but no recipe If you have a carrot pudding please forward Everyone has plum pudding Cheers have a wonderful Christmas
Tara Noland says
I am so happy you found the recipe!! I don’t have a carrot pudding recipe but now I want to make one!! LOL
Ramona Buckley says
I would love to add bourbon or rum to the cookies. Any idea how to do that?
Tara Noland says
You could do a few things, add in a rum extract, soak your fruit like raisins in bourbon or rum or add 1 Tbsp. of liquor to the batter. Soaking the fruit would give you the most flavor.
Kathy says
I use Cointreau
Tamara Domino says
I think carrot pudding would be the same as carrot souffle which my mother in law makes every thanksgiving and i have made once for easter. google carrot souffle to search for it on the internet. good luck.
Tara Noland says
I have made a carrot souffle but not sure that is what you are looking for. Is carrot pudding more like a steamed pudding?
Sue says
Yes it is. It is made just like other Christmas puddings but is not as heavy due to the addition of the grated carrot. I used to make one many years ago, but no longer have the recipe. It came from either Chatelaine or Canadian Living magazine if you want to try there.
Tara Noland says
Sounds very good!! Thank you!!
Marsha says
I followed the recipe exactly except substituting slivered almonds and candied fruitcake mix. The recipe as written gave me lacy, thin cookies. I had to add quite a bit more flour to get the results pictured here. They are not too sweet and they are very delicious. I would recommend the recipe with additional flour.
Tara Noland says
Sure you can add more flour to the recipe, I would recommend maybe an additional 1/4 cup.
Tara Noland says
Or I was thinking about this and chill the dough or chill the scoops of dough before going into the oven, they won’t spread as much.
Sandee says
Do you use salted or unsalted nuts? That’s always a mystery to me, but I guess the default is probably roasted/salted.
Thanks!
Tara Noland says
You can use salted nuts for sure but then cut back on the salt you are adding.
Dawn says
Could the golden shortening be swapped out with butter? I’m not fond of shortening. Thanks
Tara Noland says
This is an older recipe where they tended to use shortening a lot. It is not something I use much of but in these cookies. You can readily sub in butter or margarine for the cookies but you may have some texture changes. They could also spread more than with the shortening. I have not tried this specific recipe with butter so I can’t say exactly what will happen.
Here is two articles, hope these help and I hope you enjoy the cookies, they are one of my faves!
https://www.tasteofhome.com/cooking-tips/ask-the-test-kitchen/shortening-substitution
https://www.bhg.com/recipes/how-to/bake/how-to-substitute-butter-for-shortening-when-baking/
Dawn says
Can the shortening be swapped out for butter? Will it change the texture? I prefer crispy cookies. Thanks
Gina A says
These cookies are delish! All who tried them, loved them. I modified slightly by just adding the candied fruit I liked (and not as much as it said, maybe 3/4). Also, I didn’t have almond extract or Brazilian nuts, so I only used vanilla and pecans. Like I said, YUMMY! Oh, and I had to turn down the temperature, as they wanted to get a little too crispy for my liking…my husband and I like a little gooey center. I will be making these again.
Tara Noland says
So glad you liked them and that you made them your own!!
Pat says
I have the white crisco.Will that work?
Tara Noland says
It won’t give that buttery flavor like the golden does though.
Angela C Wright says
Can you use butter in lieu of the crisco?
Tara Noland says
To be honest this is the only cookie I don’t use butter in just because the recipe was handed down to me this way. I would try it with butter for sure. Refrigerate for a bit to harden up the dough and then bake.
Leslee says
It does work with butter. That’s all I have used for this recipe in the past. But going to try the golden crisp this time to see how it compares. Butter is a ridiculous price right now. This will be a great alternative
Tara Noland says
I have only used the Crisdco but I am glad you shared that butter work too, thank you.
Sue says
I added 2 tablespoons of water due to our dry elevated climate I only had lard and not crisco and had to turn oven down to 325. They’re delicious!
Susan says
I have made a similar recipe for years. It was originally published in the Happy Cooker cookbook by Mary Lisko from Oshawa ON in 1976. A few differences: her recipe uses chopped dates, instead of raisins, butter instead of Crisco and has a tsp of cinnamon. My book is falling apart and that page is missing, so am very happy to find this recipe which I will adapt. This is the most popular Christmas cookie I make. My kids – well, now they are adult men – think that Christmas cake (especially traditional dark cake) is best used as a doorstop, but they love these.
Tara Noland says
So glad you found this one and can adapt!! Happy Holidays!!
Ruth says
My sentiments exactly!
Donna says
That one sounds like the one I lost in 1998!!!! I would love to have that recipe again to make for the family!
Samantha says
Perhaps this is the recipe you’ve misplaced?
https://houseofnasheats.com/fruitcake-cookies/
Ruth says
White crisco is what I’ve used. I found the recipe in a leaflet advertising Crisco, Robin Hood and other baking products. I’ve been making these for more then 20 years. for gifts, cookie club, bake sales, etc. Still getting requests for them. Loved more then fruitcake. one caution, it’s been my experience that brazil nuts are frequently found in bulk food stores tasting a little off. Enjoy.
Tara Noland says
Great tips, thank you Ruth!
Sue says
I used lard and walnuts
Autumn Rose Reo says
Can you send me just one? These are going to either be really good or really not! I bet because you made it – it’ll be amazing, but I’d love to try it! Maybe these would be great for a cookie swap!
Tara Noland says
Wish I could, I am making them again tomorrow, can’t wait. And yes, I have done them for a cookie swap too!
Sharon says
Give it a try. Take to a (church) potluck, they will be eaten.
Toni | Boulder Locavore says
This is such a great idea! So fun and festive!
Lisa Joy Thompson says
I’m not a big fan of fruitcake, but maybe these cookies could convert me. Either way, they look fabulous and would be a fun and colorful addition to a cookie plate.
Amy says
I am the old ball out person who loves fruit cake! I bet these cookies are super delish!!
krystal says
Believe it or not I have NEVER had fruitcake. I would like to ease into it with this recipe, fun idea!
Charlotte P, says
I do not like fruitcake but love fruitcake cookies!
Tara Noland says
I know eh?! I love them too and am not a fan of fruitcake!
Jean jenkins says
If you do not like fruitcake you never ate good fruitcake , believe me
Deb Bowermaster says
You are absolutely right! I LOVE fruitcake!
I’m looking forward to trying these.
Tara Noland says
Enjoy!
Terry Botkin says
Do you have a recipe for fruit cake?
Tara Noland says
Sorry, I don’t have one.
JP says
I have a great fruit cake recipe on my FB wall. Send me an invite to JP Petryshyn Holm
Cynthia Mueller says
I dont like a lot of fruitcake but I love my grandma’s recipe that was handed down to me when she passed. Look me up on my Facebook page, (Cynthia Mueller), then message me. I’ll give it to you.
Tara Noland says
Thank you, Cynthia!
Cindy says
Not a traditional fruitcake by any means, but even fruitcake haters will LOVE this one ~ and it’s no bake! CHOCOLATE CHERRY FRUITCAKE …. cut in small pieces & put in bon bon papers ~ it’s almost like fudge http://seasonalandholidayrecipeexchange.weebly.com/recipes/chocolate-cherry-fruitcake-no-bake-fudgey-great