Rum Fruitcake Cookies

I love these cookies because they are so full of fruit and lots of raisins. It came from a Favorite Brand Names cookbook. I have been making them for Christmas for the past few years and everybody loves them! My co-workers love them too, so I always have to make them some too! I hate making fruitcake so these are much easier! I line my cookie sheets with parchment paper so they don't burn. My oven is quite hot so I lower the temperature by twenty five degrees. I don't bake them for as long because my oven is so hot. I bake them for eight minutes and they are just a nice shade of brown. Hope you like them!

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Yields: 6 dozen

Ingredients

• 1  cup sugar
• 3⁄4 cup shortening
• 3  eggs
• 1⁄3 cup  orange juice
• 1  tablespoon  rum extract
• 3  cups all-purpose flour
• 2  teaspoons baking powder
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 2  cups  chopped  mixed candied fruit
• 1  cup raisins
• 1  cup  nuts, coarsley chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees farenheit( or lower) Lightly grease cookie sheets or use parchment paper. Set aside. Beat sugar and shortening in a large bowl until fluffy. Add eggs, orange juice and rum extract, beat 2 minutes.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Add candied fruit, raisins and nuts. Stir into creamed mixture. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto cookie sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes (or not as long, depending on oven heat) Let cookies stand on cookie sheets 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.