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Best Ever Chewy Old-Fashioned Fruitcake Cookies

A stack of chewy fruitcake cookies topped with powdered sugar on a white plate.
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Capture the rich, spiced flavor of traditional fruitcake in these unbelievably chewy, easy-to-make cookies. Packed with candied fruit and nuts, they are the perfect addition to your holiday cookie trays.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 3 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 1/2 cups mixed candied fruit (cherries, pineapple, citron), chopped
  • 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
  • 1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries (optional)
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar (for optional glaze)

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, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. This is the Spoon’s slow start.
  3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt. This is the Sprout adding fresh spice.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined.
  6. Gently fold in the chopped candied fruit, nuts, and optional dried fruit 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. The centers should still look slightly soft for maximum chewiness.
  9. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
  10. For an optional glaze, whisk the powdered sugar with 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled cookies.

Notes

  • To achieve the best chewy texture, do not overbake these cookies. They firm up as they cool.
  • If you want a stronger fruitcake flavor, soak the candied fruit in 1 tablespoon of dark rum or brandy for 30 minutes before adding it to the dough.
  • These Old Fashioned Fruitcake Cookies freeze well before or after baking. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to one week.
  • These are excellent Cookie Tin Fillers for your Christmas Cookie Exchange.

Nutrition

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