Fruitcake Cookies

I'm not a huge cookie fan. I'm especially not a fruitcake fan. In fact, I'm pretty sure I've only ever had one fruitcake in my life, and it was to be nice to someone who was British and felt it was a mandatory part of the holiday season.

Regardless, I'm totally in love with these fruitcake cookies, and I make them every year.

They are sweet and spiced, perfect for fall or winter, they pair with ice cream for a quick dessert, coffee in the mornings, or even on a buffet table. 

My aunt and cousins like these so much I make them every single year for my aunt's holiday lunch.

So you might say these are my signature cookies.

Of course, I didn't invent the recipe, I got it from Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa. Everything I've made of hers is amazing, remember the apple, pear crumble?

Fruitcake Cookies Recipe

½ pound              dried figs

¼ pound              raisins

¼ pound              candied cherries, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon         honey

2 tablespoons        dry sherry

1 tablespoon         freshly squeezed lemon juice

6 ounces               chopped walnuts

                           Kosher salt

2 sticks                 unsalted butter at room temperature

½ teaspoon           ground cloves

½ cup                  superfine sugar

1/3 cup                 light brown sugar, firmly packed

1                          extra-large egg

2 2/3 cups             all-purpose flour

Snip off hard stems of figs and coarsely chop figs and other dried fruit. In a medium bowl, combine fruit, honey, sherry, lemon nuts and a pinch of salt. Cover and let sit overnight at room temperature.

In the bowl of an electric mixture fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, cloves, sugar and brown sugar on medium speed for 3 minutes. With the mixer on low, add the egg and mix until incorporated. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the flour and ¼ teaspoon salt and mix until just combined. Don’t overmix. Add the fruits and nuts, including any liquid in the bowl. Divide the dough in half and place each half on the long edge of a 12 x 18-inch piece of parchment. Roll each half into a log, about 1 ½ inch thick, making an 18-inch-long roll. Refrigerate the dough for several hours or until firm. You can also just leave it in the fridge and slice whenever you need cookies.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

With a small, sharp knife, cut the logs into ½ inch thick slices. Place the slices ½ inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake 15 to 20 minutes until golden.

A picture tutorial for the visual learners:)

Selection of dried fruits.

Weighing them out.

My little helper.

Mix in the fruit gently.

Now it looks like this.

Plop it onto the wax paper,

Roll it out into a log,

Twist both ends,

and pop into the freezer to chill.

Slice it up,

Place them on a nonstick cookie sheet, I use a Silpat Non-Stick Baking Mat  to avoid sticking.

Perfect!

Do you have any signature cookies I should try?

Jessica

Thanks for stopping by! I love to keep in touch. 

    

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