Christmas Fruitcake Cookies

Everything people love about fruitcake packed into a cookie that bakes in 10 minutes. Dried apricots, chopped dates, raisins, and walnuts loaded into a spiced whole wheat batter with cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. All the flavor, none of the two-month aging.

Whole wheat flour gives these cookies a nuttier, heartier base than white flour would. It stands up to the weight of all that dried fruit and nuts without losing structure. Brown sugar and vegetable oil keep the cookies moist and chewy rather than dry and crumbly, which is the fatal flaw of most fruitcake.

The batter comes together fast: oil and brown sugar creamed with an egg, then the dry ingredients and fruit folded in. Drop by spoonfuls and bake. No chilling, no shaping, no fuss. Store them in a tightly sealed container and they actually taste better after a day or two as the spices and fruit meld together.

Kitchen Tips

• Snip the dried apricots with kitchen scissors. A knife on a cutting board turns them into a sticky mess.
• Chop the dates and walnuts to roughly the same size as the raisins. Uniform pieces mean consistent texture in every cookie.
• Don’t overbake. Ten minutes at 350°F leaves them soft and chewy. They firm up slightly as they cool on the rack.
• These keep well for weeks in an airtight tin, making them ideal for holiday gift boxes.

Variations

• Add a tablespoon of dark rum or brandy to the batter for a boozy, more traditional fruitcake flavor.
• Mix in candied orange peel or dried cherries for a more colorful, festive cookie.
• Roll the dough balls in powdered sugar before baking for a snow-dusted holiday look.