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Best Ever Chewy Old-Fashioned Fruitcake Cookies

A stack of delicious, chewy fruitcake cookies loaded with dried cranberries and nuts, presented on a white plate.
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Capture the warm, spiced flavor of traditional fruitcake in these easy, chewy cookies. Packed with candied fruit and nuts, these are the perfect nostalgic treat for your holiday cookie trays.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup mixed candied fruit (cherries, pineapple, citron), chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
  • 1/4 cup dark molasses
  • 1/4 cup orange juice

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
  3. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until just combined.
  4. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just incorporated. Do not overmix.
  6. Stir in the chopped candied fruit, nuts, molasses, and orange juice until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
  7. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.
  8. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown. The centers should still look soft.
  9. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

  • For a stronger fruitcake flavor, you can soak the candied fruit in 1 tablespoon of dark rum or brandy for 30 minutes before adding it to the dough.
  • These cookies freeze well. Place cooled cookies in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
  • If you prefer a slightly crisper cookie, bake for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://delishcraze.com/best-chewy-old-fashioned-fruitcake-cookies/