Fruitcake Cookies—also called Christmas Lizzies—are bite-size fruitcake-style treats packed with candied fruit, Louisiana pecans, a splash of brandy, and just enough spiced batter to hold everything together. They’ve been a cherished family tradition for generations, and even though Grammie has passed, her Christmas Lizzies live on in the hands of the next generation. They’re incredibly flavorful and surprisingly simple to make. If you bake only one cookie this holiday season, let it be these.
This post is not sponsored, but you will find affiliate links on this page. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. The price you pay as a consumer does not change, but I may make a small commission based on your purchase.
Jump to:
Why These Cookies Are Special
These cookies are essentially mini fruitcakes—mostly fruit and nuts held together with just enough spiced batter to bind them. If that makes you think of the brick-in-a-can versions at the grocery store, set that notion aside. Traditional fruitcakes are moist, deeply flavorful, and beloved across many cultures, dating back to the Middle Ages when they were prized for their long shelf life. These cookies capture that same old-world charm in a bite-sized, holiday-friendly form. The prep takes a little time, but your work is rewarded with an outstanding result—and the process itself lends beautifully to becoming a family or even multi-generational holiday ritual. If you’ve never tasted a real fruitcake, this recipe may spark a whole new tradition. For more about the long, quirky history of fruitcake, see my article What You Need to Know about Fruitcake.
Here's What You Need
A complete list of ingredients with quantities can be found on the printable recipe card at the end of this article.
Ingredient Notes
- Flour: Use AP flour for this recipe.
- Fruit and Nuts: Use more or less of these candied fruits and nuts as long as the total quantity is about the same as in this recipe. Leave out what you don't like or can't find. Most of these candied fruits can be found on Amazon: Dark raisins, Glazed fruit mix, Candied red cherries, Candied green cherries, Candied pineapples, and Pecan halves.
- Cherry Brandy: This can be found in the mixers and cordials section in your local liquor store. Check out the Hints and Tips (FAQ) for suggested substitutes.
Cookware
A stand mixer with a mixing bowl works well for this, but a handheld mixer could be used. Various prep and mixing bowls, spatulas, cutting boards, cookie sheets, cooling racks, and parchment paper are needed.
Sign up for my email notifications of new recipes and posts right HERE.
Hints and Tips (FAQ)
Cherry Brandy emphasizes the natural sweetness of candied fruit. Bourbon, Dark Rum, Brandy, or Cognac could be substituted for the Cherry Brandy if desired. For a non-alcoholic substitute, try orange juice, pineapple juice or peach (or other fruit) syrup.
Fruitcakes date to the Middle Ages, when they were created as a long-lasting food for traveling soldiers. They’ve appeared in many cultures ever since. For more on this quirky, often-misunderstood classic, see my article What You Need to Know about Fruitcake.
A stand mixer helps cream butter and sugar, but you can use a hand mixer. Once the fruit and nuts go in, switch to a sturdy spatula—this dough gets very thick.
All the candied fruit and pecans make this more of a fruit-and-nut cluster than a traditional cookie dough. This dough will feel dense while you mix it.
The cookies will only slightly spread while baking. Drop them about 1 inch apart and keep them small—around 1 inch in diameter.
Nope, the high sugar content of candied fruit makes them tacky at first. The long cooling time (3–5 hours) dries the bottoms and prevents sticking.
At least one hour, but overnight gives the best texture and flavor.
They’re soft, fruity, and slightly chewy—like mini fruitcakes with just enough batter to hold everything together.
Here's What You Do
First...you have a beer. These traditional cookies are even better when made with friends and family, so pour a beer or a glass of wine, put on some holiday music, and settle into the moment. Read the recipe from start to finish, gather what you need, divvy up the tasks, and enjoy the easy rhythm of the prep.
Mise En Place
What happens in this step? Here, you prep the ingredients that will be mixed in the next step.
Preheat the oven to 325°F; prepare baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper.
Mix the Batter
What happens in this step? Take the prepared ingredients and a stand mixer on medium speed, and perform these steps in order.
This is what you are going for:
Add the Fruits and Nuts
What happens in this step? We're ready to leave the mixer behind; the rest is mixed by hand--it takes some elbow grease, but now's the time to put your heart into it!
Lagniappe Tip: Depending on the size of your mixer bowl, you may want to do this step in a separate, larger bowl. Don’t add batter to the bowl with the fruit and nuts; add the fruit and nuts to the bowl with the batter. It will be a little easier that way!
Bake at 325°F
What happens in this step? These beauties will bake in the oven and fill your home with the most wonderful holiday aroma!
Serving Suggestions
These Fruitcake Cookies are tiny holiday ambassadors. They are soft, chewy, and wonderfully festive—perfect for serving on holiday dessert trays, gifting in tins, or pairing with coffee, tea, or a little brandy. They fit beautifully in several settings:
- On a holiday dessert tray: Pair them with Pecan Tarts, Rum Balls, or any praline-style treat. Their bright pops of fruit add visual sparkle.
- With coffee or hot tea: They shine beside chicory coffee, café au lait, or a strong English breakfast tea.
- Paired with a small glass of brandy or bourbon: A natural match for an adults-only dessert board.
- Part of a Christmas brunch: They sit well with quiche, fresh fruit, and anything warm and savory.
- For gifting: Their shelf stability makes them perfect for gift boxes, tins, and cookie swaps. Add parchment between layers and tuck in a printed recipe card for tradition’s sake.
Storage Tips
These cookies come out of the oven soft and slightly sticky. Let them cool on the baking sheet for about five minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack for at least three hours (up to five). They’ll remain a bit tacky but shouldn’t stick when served or stored.
Their high sugar content and a touch of brandy make them exceptionally shelf-stable. Once fully cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 6 months.
For long-term storage, wrap the cookies tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and place them in a freezer bag or vacuum-seal. Properly packaged, these Lizzies hold their quality in the freezer for 12 months or more.
Tell Us About It!
Tried this recipe? ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Leave a 5-star rating and a comment below!
📧 Sign up for email updates so you never miss one.
📸 Share a pic on social and tag us—we’d love to see it!
Sign up for my email notifications of new recipes and posts right HERE.
Yeah You Right!
Publisher's Note: Originally published in December 2019, this article has been updated with improved instructions, clarified storage guidelines, refreshed serving suggestions, and improved instructional pictures. The recipe has not been changed.
Recipe
Fruitcake Cookies (Christmas Lizzies)
Here's What You Need
- ¼ cup softened butter or margarine
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cup flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ pound raisins
- ¼ cup cherry brandy See Recipe Notes
- 1 pound pecan halves
- ½ pound glazed fruit mix diced
- 1 pound candied cherries sliced in half
- ½ pound candied pineapples diced
Here's What You Do
Preparation
- Set the butter or margarine out to soften.
- Slice the candied cherries in half and dice the candied pineapple. Place these along with the glazed fruit mix, which should already be diced, in a bowl.
- Soak the raisins in the cherry brandy until plump, at least an hour or up to overnight.
- Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and baking soda to the flour and sift.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and prepare cookie sheets by lining with parchment paper.
Mix the batter
- Set a stand mixer to medium speed.
- Place the softened butter in the mixing bowl and cream until fluffy.
- Once the butter is fluffy, gradually add the brown sugar until completely blended.
- Add the eggs one at a time, completely blending each egg before adding the next.
- When the eggs are completely blended, add the sifted flour and spices slowly to the butter, eggs and sugar mix. Completely blend each addition before adding the next.
- Turn off the mixer, clean off the blade. The next steps will be mixed by hand.
Add the fruit and nuts
- Combine the soaked raisins, pecans and cut candied fruit in a bowl and mix together completely.
- In batches, add some of the raisin, nut and fruit mixture to the batter and mix with a spatula by hand until all the ingredients are completely blended before adding more.
- Continue until all the fruit and nut mixture is thoroughly combined with the batter.
Bake at 325℉
- Using a kitchen teaspoon, drop the cookie batter onto the cookie sheets, keeping each cookie about 1 inch apart. The cookies should be approximately 1 inch in diameter.
- Bake in a moderate oven (325 degrees) for 10 to 15 minutes, until browned on top.
- Remove the baking sheets from the oven and cool the cookies for five minutes on the cookie sheets, then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and allow to completely cool for at least 3 hours. Don't rush the cooling rack time of the cookie bottoms will be soggy and the cookies will be sticky.
- Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container.
- Makes about 10 dozen cookies.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Estimate
It's Me!
Louisiana is a wonderful place where the rich cultural heritage enriches and entertains. I'm Dave Howson, aka Sweet Daddy D. I'm glad you found my website and I look forward to exploring the cultural mosaic of Louisiana with you…
read the "It's Me" page to find out more about me and this website…
Denise Lynn
I'd forgotten all about these until today. My mom and aunt used to make these. By the time they were done, both of them were a bit...tipsy. Pretty sure I now know why...it's likely they managed to finish off the bottle of booze. Thanks for sharing the recipe. This year is my "old-time family favorites" year when it comes to baking and these will top off the list.
Sweet Daddy D
What great memories, Denise. These Lizzies are a tradition in our family, I truly miss making them with my Mother in Law each year. Thanks for taking the time to share your memory with me!
Childers, Susie
My mom used to make these, this sounds like her recipe except… we did not use the glazed fruit mix. Wouldn’t it be ok to add more cherries & pineapple to equal that 1/2 lb?
Sweet Daddy D
Absolutely, Susie. Try to keep the volume about the same, these Lizzies are mostly fruit, but you can use whatever combination of fruit you like. I'm so glad this recipe connects you with your Mom. Thanks for reaching out!
Joe
My mom made these, we had them every Christmas, it was her old family receipt, She's been gone a long time and I would love to have them again, she used bourbon. Remind me of old times, so good.
Sweet Daddy D
I'm glad they connect you back to your Mom. I'm sure substituting Bourbon would be very good. Thanks for the comment.
Lynn
My girlfriend and I started baking cookies three years ago … the fruitcake ones are my favorite by far… I have a question about the pecans. Do you leave the halves whole? I believe I’ve done a rough chop so they are about the size of the diced fruit
Sweet Daddy D
Hi Lynn, Thanks for giving the cookies a try. I (and Grammy, who passed down the recipe) leave the pecan halves whole. I don't think it will harm anything if you give them a rough chop, particularly if all the ingredients are about the same size. Enjoy!
Cindy
These cookies are AMAZING! I’ve searched for so long to find something that comes close to the way my grandmother’s fruitcake tasted and these cookies are like little bites of my childhood! They will become part of my yearly cookie baking and be on every tray of cookies I give away. So happy I found this!
Sweet Daddy D
Thank you so much. Cindy. Thanks for taking the time to tell me, you've made my day!
P Harrison
Know this sounds strange but……..can I ship them uncooked, just all dough packed in bags and foil?
Sweet Daddy D
Hi Pat, thanks for the question. I would not recommend shipping the uncooked cookie mixture. Although that is not my expertise, I know that the mixed dough with the fruit and brandy is very sticky and would be challenging to package, but I would be most concerned about the raw eggs in the recipe. If there was a way to pack the dough in ice I would feel more comfortable, but other than that I'd stay away from shipping it uncooked. I know they are a breeze to ship once cooked.
Wanda
Great cookies - true fruit cake taste. They are FULL of fruits and nuts. I used all candied fruit without the raisins and poured the brandy over the fruit and nut mixture. There is about three times the volume of fruits and nuts to dough. It doesn’t look like there’s enough dough but it works! I got about 150 small cookies.
Wanda
I also broke the pecans in half and cut the cherries is quarters which seemed better for the size of the cookies.
Sweet Daddy D
Great to hear from you, Wanda, I am so glad you like this recipe. The first time I ever made these I was concerned there was not enough dough, but once they are baked you have the perfect combination of fruits, nuts, brandy, and dough. Thanks for giving these a try!
Janice Miller
Ive made these or years. I use bourbon and soak them overnight. Then I put bourbon in a spray bottle and lightly spray them every few days. You would be surprised how much they will soak up.
Sweet Daddy D
Bourbon sounds good! These Lizzies and the fruit cake recipe love to soak up the alcohol, for sure. Bourbon would be a great fit, as would some rums. Cherry Brandy works pretty well too! Thanks for reaching out, Janice!
Bonnie
In recipe you say baking soda. In directions it says baking powder. Is it baking powder?
Sweet Daddy D
Hey Bonnie, thanks for the question. I can't believe I haven't caught that mistake before this. It is Baking SODA, not powder. I will go back and make that correction and I appreciate you calling it out.
k
Is one inch in diameter a typo? That’s less than one bite!
Sweet Daddy D
Hey, k. Not a typo but an estimation. The raw cookies will not be very uniform in shape when you lay them out on the baking sheet. They will spread a little while baking but I don't like to make them too big. If you go with 1 to 2 inches in diameter when laying them out, you will have a nice cookie that is bite-size or maybe 2 bites in size. If you like your fruitcake cookies a little larger, lay them out a little large. Thanks for the question.
Avis
Do you think I could make this in little loaf pans?
Sweet Daddy D
Hi Avis. There really isn't much dough involved here, which may cause a problem; it's mostly fruit with just enough dough to coat the fruit. Take a look at the Fruitcake Recipe...they are basically the same except the ratio of batter to fruit is different so that it bakes perfectly in little pans. However, I'm a fan of giving things a try so maybe increase the batter portion of the recipe somewhat and leave the fruit quantities the same. If you do it in a shallow pan, it may come out like a fruitcake bar which sounds great to me. Good luck, I'd love to know what you do.
Terry
My MIL used to make these for Christmas every year! She gave me the recipe years ago, which I somehow lost in moves. She's in a care home now, but my DH begs for these every year. Can I make these without a stand mixer? She never had one. I seem to remember that she only used egg whites. Any thoughts and help would be so appreciated! I'd love to surprise him this year, as well as being able to surprise her with some, too!
Sweet Daddy D
Hey Terry! I think it's great to resurrect family traditions. This recipe is just that for my family, something my MIL makes every year and the family cannot wait to get them. You should be able to substitute egg whites for whole eggs but it may affect how much the cookies rise. Since these don't normally rise a great deal while baking (as opposed to a cake) it may not matter much. Use two egg whites for each egg, so that would be a total of four egg whites. Here is a great article I found on substituting egg whites. You can certainly make these without a stand mixer. I only use the stand mixer for mixing the batter, that's the butter, eggs, flour and spices, which is the easy part. When adding the fruit I mix by hand anyway, which is a lot more work but so worth it. Just take your time when mixing the batter, a little at a time and mix it thoroughly before adding more ingredients. Good luck, thanks for the questions and I would love to hear how they turn out.
Karen
Yes, you can make them without a stand mixer. That's just for convenience. Its a heavy dough. Just take your time. K