Super soft, chewy, and perfectly sweet, these fruitcake cookies are studded with nuts and dried fruit — and they’re easy to make!
Happy last week in November — the countdown to Christmas is on! If holiday music starts following you around the grocery store, at least you can soothe the season with baking. These fruitcake cookies are a festive, comforting treat: chewy, soft, and loaded with dried fruit and nuts. They’re an easy one-bowl recipe that’s perfect for gifting or serving at holiday gatherings.
Why you’ll love these fruitcake cookies:
- They’re simple to prepare in one bowl.
- You can swap the mix-ins to suit your taste.
- The dough freezes well, so you can bake fresh cookies anytime.
How to Make Fruitcake Cookies
Begin with room-temperature butter so the dough mixes smoothly and bakes evenly. Let cold butter sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before starting.
Cream the butter with granulated sugar and light brown sugar until the mixture is very light and fluffy, scraping the bowl as needed. Beat in the eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon, then add the baking soda and salt. Stir in the flour just until incorporated — overmixing can make the cookies tough.
Gently fold in the candied cherries, chopped pecans, raisins, and dried cranberries with a rubber spatula. Tip: hold back a few mix-ins to press into the tops of the cookie dough balls before baking — it makes the finished cookies look extra appealing but isn’t required.
Chill the dough for at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days). Chilling firms the dough so it’s easier to shape and helps the cookies spread less during baking. When chilled, form the dough into balls (about 2 tablespoons each) and arrange them on parchment-lined baking sheets.
You can bake the cookies immediately until the edges are golden, or freeze the shaped dough balls until solid and store them in freezer bags for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding a minute or two to the baking time.
Feel free to customize the mix-ins while keeping the total volume of add-ins close to the recipe’s proportion (around 2 3/4 cups). Dried pineapple or apricots would pair nicely with cranberries, and a bit of orange zest adds a bright flavor twist.
Now tell me: what are you planning to bake this holiday season — cookies, cakes, pies? Meanwhile, make a batch of these fruitcake cookies. You won’t regret it!
More cookie ideas
Potato Chip Cookies
White Chocolate Peppermint Thumbprints
Chocolate Mint Cookies
Did you make these fruitcake cookies? Share a photo on Instagram and tag @theitsybitsykitchen so your cookies can be admired!
These fruitcake cookies are easy to make, super soft and chewy, and ideal for the holidays.
Dessert
American
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup candied cherries coarsely chopped
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
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Combine the butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon and beat until well combined.
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Add the baking soda and salt and beat to combine. Add the flour and beat on medium speed until just incorporated.
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Use a rubber spatula to fold in the cherries, pecans, raisins, and cranberries. Reserve a few mix-ins if you want to press them into the tops of the cookies. Loosely cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days).
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Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Form dough into balls of about 2 tablespoons each and place about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets.
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Bake 9 to 12 minutes, until golden around the edges. Cool on the baking sheets for 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store leftover cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
* You can freeze the shaped dough balls and then transfer them to freezer bags for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding a minute or two to the baking time.