Old-fashioned Fruitcake Cookies

Traditional fruit-filled cookies packed with dried cherries, currants, dates, raisins, and candied orange peel, soaked in bourbon and sherry. These festive cookies are glazed and garnished with candied orange peel for a classic holiday treat.

108 servings
5 hr 3 min

Ingredients

  • 1 cup halved dried cherries
  • 1 cup dried currants
  • 1 cup chopped pitted dates
  • 1 cup golden raisins
  • 1 cup brown raisins
  • 1 cup chopped Simple Candied Orange Peel
  • 6 tablespoons bourbon
  • 6 tablespoons dry Sherry
  • 108 pieces paper or foil bonbon-size baking cups
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • 2 whole large eggs
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 4 teaspoons bourbon
  • 4 teaspoons dry Sherry
  • ¼ cup Simple Candied Orange Peel

Cooking Instructions

  1. 1.

    Toss first 6 ingredients in large bowl. Mix in 4 tablespoons each bourbon and Sherry. Cover; soak 2 to 24 hours.

    120 min

  2. 2.

    Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°F. Arrange about 36 baking cups on each of 3 rimmed baking sheets. Stir walnuts, then 1 cup flour into fruit mixture, coating evenly. Whisk 1 cup flour, baking powder, salt, and spices in medium bowl.

    15 min

  3. 3.

    Beat sugar and butter in another large bowl until smooth. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Beat in dry ingredients, then remaining 2 tablespoons each bourbon and Sherry. Fold in fruit mixture. Drop batter by heaping teaspoonfuls into baking cups.

    20 min

  4. 4.

    Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until light brown, about 23 minutes. Cool.

    23 min

  5. 5.

    Mix sugar and 4 teaspoons each bourbon and Sherry in bowl. Add more liquor by 1/2 teaspoonfuls in equal amounts to thin if necessary.

    5 min

  6. 6.

    Spoon glaze over cookies; garnish with peel. Let stand until glaze sets, at least 2 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Store between sheets of waxed paper in airtight container at room temperature.

    120 min

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