Christmas Fruitcake Cookies Recipe gives you soft, chewy, spiced cookies loaded with candied fruit and toasted nuts that taste like the best slice of fruitcake without the heft. It suits holiday bakers who want a festive cookie in about 1 hour 10 minutes, start to finish. I bake these for my neighbors every year, and they always disappear before I can refill the tin.
Homemade Christmas Fruitcake Cookies Recipe
Christmas Fruitcake Cookies Recipe keeps things simple with a one-bowl dough and easy drop-cookie scooping. You skip any long fruit soak, and you skip rolling or cutting. A quick chill keeps the cookies thick and chewy, and a cookie scoop gives consistent bakery-style rounds.
You can use pre-chopped candied fruit from the holiday aisle to save time. The spices come from pantry staples, and you can swap in pumpkin pie spice if you like. Clean-up stays light, which means you get back to the carols faster.
Ingredients You Need
- Unsalted butter, room temp 1 cup, 2 sticks, I like Kerrygold for rich flavor
- Brown sugar 3/4 cup, packed
- Granulated sugar 1/2 cup
- Large eggs 2
- Pure vanilla extract 2 teaspoons
- Molasses 1 tablespoon, optional, adds deeper flavor and color
- All-purpose flour 2 1/2 cups, spooned and leveled, King Arthur works great, or use a 1 to 1 gluten-free baking blend
- Baking powder 1 teaspoon
- Baking soda 1/4 teaspoon
- Fine sea salt 1/2 teaspoon
- Ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon
- Ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon
- Ground allspice 1/4 teaspoon, or use 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice in place of all the spices as a shortcut
- Orange zest 1 tablespoon, from 1 large orange
- Candied cherries 3/4 cup, chopped, use pre-chopped mixed fruit to save time
- Candied citrus peel 3/4 cup, chopped
- Golden raisins or chopped dates 1 cup, dried cranberries also work
- Toasted pecans or walnuts 1 cup, chopped, toast on a dry skillet for 4 minutes for better flavor
- Optional soak for dried fruit: 1/4 cup orange juice or dark rum, drain and pat dry before mixing
Pantry shortcuts and swaps:
- Use pre-mixed “fruitcake mix” from the holiday section to replace the candied cherries and peel.
- No molasses on hand? Add 1 extra tablespoon brown sugar and a splash of maple syrup.
- Nut-free version: skip nuts and add 1/2 cup extra dried fruit.
Equipment:
- Mixing bowls, whisk, and sturdy spatula or a hand mixer
- Sheet pans, parchment or silicone baking mats
- Cookie scoop, about 1.5 tablespoons
- Microplane zester, measuring cups and spoons, wire rack
How to Make Christmas Fruitcake Cookies
- Prep: 20 minutes
- Cook: 12 minutes per batch
- Total: about 1 hour 10 minutes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two sheet pans with parchment or silicone mats.
- If using orange juice or rum, toss the raisins or dates with it and let them sit for 10 minutes. Drain well and pat the fruit dry with paper towels so the dough stays tight.
- Beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until creamy and a bit fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla and molasses.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice in a separate bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in two additions and mix just until the flour disappears.
- Fold in the orange zest, candied fruit, dried fruit, and nuts. Scrape the bowl so every scoop holds plenty of goodies.
- Chill the bowl of dough for 20 to 30 minutes while you tidy up. This step keeps the cookies thick and chewy.
- Scoop 1.5 tablespoon portions onto the pans, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Press the tops lightly to level any tall peaks.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges look set and the centers look soft and puffy. Rotate the pans halfway through for even color.
- Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then move the cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling. The cookies firm up as they cool, so keep that soft-center look in mind.
- Optional glaze: whisk 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 to 3 teaspoons orange juice until thick but drizzle-friendly, then zigzag over fully cooled cookies.
Tips & Common Mistakes
- Pat soaked or sticky fruit very dry so the dough does not spread.
- Weigh the flour if you can, 300 grams for 2 1/2 cups, to avoid dense cookies.
- Toast the nuts for better flavor and crisp texture.
- Mix just until the flour disappears to keep the crumb tender.
- If the dough looks greasy or spreads, chill 10 more minutes.
- Pull the cookies when edges set and centers look pale and soft, they finish on the rack.
- Line the pans, unlined metal can scorch the bottoms.
- Use fresh spices, tired jars taste flat.
- Skip rum for a kid-friendly batch, use orange juice instead.
Variations I’ve Tried
- White chocolate orange: fold in 3/4 cup white chocolate chips and bump orange zest to 1 1/2 tablespoons.
- Tropical twist: swap raisins for chopped dried pineapple and coconut flakes, add 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger.
- Chocolate cherry: use all candied cherries and dried cherries, then drizzle dark chocolate on top.
- Almond bakery style: use almond extract 1/2 teaspoon along with vanilla, and swap nuts for sliced almonds.
- No-nut bakery tin: add extra fruit and a handful of mini chips for crunch without nuts.
- Espresso glaze: stir 1 teaspoon instant espresso into the optional glaze for a grown-up finish.
How to Serve Christmas Fruitcake Cookies
Pile the cookies on a platter next to hot cocoa, spiced cider, or coffee. I also pack them into tins with parchment dividers for an easy gift that sparks smiles. For a dessert board, pair them with sharp cheddar, candied nuts, and clementines. If you like a warm treat, warm a cookie for 15 seconds in the microwave and add a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Make-Ahead
Store the cookies in an airtight tin at room temperature for 4 to 5 days. Freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months, stack with parchment between layers, then thaw at room temp. Refresh in a 300°F oven for 3 to 4 minutes if you want that just-baked edge. Chill the dough for up to 48 hours, or scoop and freeze dough balls for 2 months, then bake from frozen and add 1 to 2 minutes.
Nutrition Information
Approximate per cookie, based on 36 cookies: 150 calories; fat 7 g; saturated fat 3.5 g; carbs 21 g; sugars 12 g; protein 2 g; fiber 1 g; sodium 80 mg. Actual numbers vary by brands and mix-ins.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs, then add milk and vanilla extract, mixing until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until incorporated.
- Fold in the candied fruit, nuts, and raisins.
- Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until edges are golden and centers are set.
- Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.