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Fruity Holiday Cookies combine the familiar taste of traditional fruitcake with simple drop cookies perfect for sharing during celebrations or whenever you're in the mood for something sweet and nostalgic. This treat is packed with colorful candied fruits and crunchy nuts all inside a soft, buttery cookie base. They aren't just pretty to look at—they're deliciously chewy, soft, and loaded with bright bits of real fruit throughout.
When I first whipped these up, I wanted something lighter than old-school fruitcake. My family couldn't stop grabbing them, and these days my neighbors come knocking for the recipe as soon as December rolls around.
Round Up Your Ingredients
- Chopped pecans: they add nutty crunch and cut the sweetness. Buy whole ones and chop them yourself for the best flavor.
- Candied cherries: juicy and sweet with beautiful color for festive appeal. Try to get both red and green ones for holiday charm.
- Candied pineapple: gives a chewy texture and tropical sweetness that brightens each bite.
- Unsalted butter: make sure it's soft for a rich, tender cookie. Good butter makes a big difference in taste.
- Large egg: works as the glue that holds everything together while helping cookies puff up.
- Buttermilk: creates softness and slight tanginess. Regular or low-fat both work fine.
- Granulated sugar: provides just the right sweetness and helps cookies turn golden. Fine sugar works best.
- All-purpose flour: creates the backbone that supports all the fruit and nuts. Fresh flour matters.
- Salt: brings out all the other flavors and keeps the cookies from tasting flat.
How to Make It
- Cream The Butter and Sugar:
- Mix softened butter and sugar with an electric mixer for about three minutes until it looks fluffy and light. This step makes your cookies turn out tender.
- Combine Wet Ingredients:
- Add the egg and buttermilk and blend well. Your mix should look smooth and a bit airy. Don't forget to scrape the bowl so everything mixes evenly.
- Add The Fruit and Nuts:
- Use a spatula to gently mix in the cherries, pineapple and pecans. Stir carefully so the fruit stays whole. You want colorful surprises in every cookie.
- Add Dry Ingredients and Blend:
- Scatter flour and salt across your mixture and fold until just combined. Stop mixing once the flour disappears to keep cookies soft.
- Scoop and Bake:
- Drop spoonfuls onto baking sheets lined with parchment, leaving room between cookies. Bake at three hundred fifty degrees for about ten to twelve minutes until edges turn slightly golden. Let them rest on the pan for five minutes before moving to cooling racks.
The candied pineapple might be what I love most about these cookies. As a kid, I always tried to sneak extra pieces from the bowl before the dough was scooped. My mother used to pack these in holiday gift containers, and watching friends' faces light up when they opened them was always special.
Flavor Boosters
Keep your cookies in a sealed container at room temperature and they'll stay soft for about five days. They taste even better if you toss in a slice of bread to help them stay moist. If you want to save some for later, put them in a freezer bag with parchment paper between layers so they don't stick together.
Serving Suggestions
Stack them on a pretty plate for a cookie exchange. Make little sandwiches with cream cheese frosting for something different. Or crumble leftover cookies as a topping for ice cream. My family can't get enough of these alongside hot chocolate.
Creative Twists
If pecans aren't around, try using walnuts instead. Can't find candied pineapple? Dried apricots or golden raisins work great and can make the cookies less sweet if that's what you prefer. Switching half the vanilla for almond extract gives them a whole new taste.
These cookies have become our favorite December baking tradition. Try saving some dough in the freezer so you can enjoy warm, fresh cookies whenever you want.
Common Questions About This Recipe
- → Can I use different nuts instead of pecans?
Sure thing, try walnuts or almonds as a swap for pecans to create your own unique taste and crunch.
- → Do I need to toast the nuts before adding them?
It's not a must, but giving the nuts a quick toast will really bring out their flavor and add extra crunch to your cookies.
- → Can these cookies be made ahead?
You bet. Just keep your baked cookies in a sealed container at room temp for a few days, or toss them in the freezer if you want them to last longer.
- → What type of candied fruit works best?
Diced candied cherries and pineapple give that true fruitcake taste and bright pops of color, but feel free to try other candied fruit mixes too.
- → Is it possible to make these cookies without buttermilk?
For sure, just mix regular milk with a splash of lemon juice or vinegar as a quick buttermilk substitute.