Fruitcake Cookies (Christmas Lizzies)
Fruitcake Cookies—Christmas Lizzies—combine candied fruit, Louisiana pecans, and a touch of brandy in a simple spiced batter. Easy, festive, and a treasured holiday favorite.
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 5 hours 15 minutes
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.
Notes
For more details, variations, and step-by-step guidance, refer to the full article, How To Make Fruitcake Cookies (Christmas Lizzies).
Fruitcake Cookies—Christmas Lizzies—combine candied fruit, Louisiana pecans, and a touch of brandy in a simple spiced batter. Easy, festive, and a treasured holiday favorite.
These cookies are naturally shelf-stable thanks to the candied fruit and brandy. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months. For longer storage, wrap tightly in plastic, then foil, and freeze in a bag or vacuum-seal; they keep well for 12+ months.
When baked, the cookies will be soft and slightly sticky. Cool on the sheet for about 5 minutes, then on a rack for 3–5 hours. They’ll remain a bit tacky but shouldn’t stick together.
Cherry brandy boosts the fruit’s sweetness. Substitute bourbon, dark rum, brandy, or Cognac, or use orange juice, pineapple juice, or fruit syrup for a non-alcoholic option.
Nutrition
Calories: 70kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 20mg | Potassium: 35mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 19IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg
