Festive Fruitcake Cookies

Kathleen Constance's Note:

I cut this cookie recipe out of a magazine years ago, but have never made them, until now. They're very good, and not too labour-intensive if you buy the fruit already chopped. I modified the recipe slightly by adding the ginger. Also, the original called for shortening. I used butter.

• Total Time: 50 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 48 cookies

• 1 cup golden raisin
• 1 ½ cups chopped candied fruit
• ½ cup chopped crystallized ginger
• 1 cup chopped nuts
• ½ cup butter , softened
• ¾ cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• 1 ¼ cups flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Combine fruit and nuts in a bowl. Sprinkle 2 or 3 teaspoons of flour over the fruit mixture and stir to lightly coat the fruit.
2. Cream butter and sugar together. Add egg, vanilla, and almond extract and mix until light and creamy.
3. Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add to the creamed mixture and blend well.
4. Stir in fruit mix. The dough will be very stiff - I found mixing with my handmixer dough hooks easier!
5. Drop dough by heaping spoonfuls onto parchment covered baking sheets, flattening very slightly with the spoon.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden.

Reviews

[RECIPE ADDICT]

Very, very good! They were just what I`d hoped for. Years ago a coworker brought some to work, well you know the reputation that fruitcake has but I tried one & could`nt quit eating them! & I`m also not much of a sweets eater. I checked for recipes on Zaar & yours came the closest to what I have on hand, although I only had regular raisins & no ginger so I put the whole 1lb container of candied fruit in & used pecans for the nuts. Its probably my oven but it took from 18 to 20 minutes to get them just right. I`ll be putting them out for our Xmas get together in a few days & also send some to work with my husband for the guys. Its going into my Favorites cook book, thanks so much for posting!