These Fruitcake Cookies are laced with Jack Daniel's, and were wildly popular back in my custom baking days. They are a festive addition to any holiday dessert tray or cookie platter!
Originally published November 4, 2011, Updated on 10/26/22
In baking circles, people are already planning out the cookie trays and cookie exchange menus, so I figure it’s about time to overhaul my fruitcake drop cookies post.
It’s been a LONG time since I posted this easy recipe - 11 years! So, I baked up a batch of these tender cookies last week, to get some new photos.
These chewy fruitcake cookies have been a holiday staple in our universe for much longer than 11 years, though.
Even outside of the holiday season, I’d be getting requests for this delicious cookie when catering a sweets table at a Mensa convention in *October*!
This easy drop cookie recipe is a great addition to any holiday menu, and is sure to pleae the fruitcake lover in your life!
Other Fruitcake Recipes
While I’m not personally a fruitcake fan - in traditional form - I’ve got a few more recipes that are inspired by it.
Rather than using glaceed fruit, I soak dried fruit in liqueur, spirits, or juice, and LOVE the result!
I’ve been making Gluten Free Fruitcake and Gluten Free Fruitcake Cookies for a decade or so, now.
Last year, I created a recipe for Fruitcake Biscotti - SO good!
The Original Post
I’ve been a bit conflicted over posting this fruitcake cookie recipe, much like I was for posting the Pecan Pie Cookies recipe.
Once again, this is a recipe that I’ve had - and used - for years.
Today, I have NO idea where it came from, either from when I got it, or originally. I also have no idea how much I may have adapted it over the years.
I’m 90% sure it was from a fellow caker back in the day - a few of us around the world would swap recipes to use in our businesses - but who?
Did they create it?
Did they get it from someone else?
Was this someone’s generational family tradition?
I have no idea. 🙁
I don’t like how food celebrities tend to just comb the web, looking for recipes to swipe and claim as their own recipe, so I feel a bit icky when doing (somewhat) the same.
Does honesty about it mitigate the “gross” factor at all?
While traditional fruitcake has a bad rap, in cookie form, there were loved by so many people - including those that hated fruitcake with a passion!
It’s been a popular request for a blog entry ever since!
Again, hope I’m not losing any baker’s cred by posting this, but I know it’ll make a bunch of people happy. Especially Davonna. (Hi Nani!)
Ingredients
This recipe uses simple ingredients that should be easy to find in the baking aisle of pretty much any grocery store.
A few notes for you:
Fruit Mixture
This recipe uses 1 ½ lbs of candied fruit, which you can come by in two ways:
1. You can buy a prepared Fruit Cake Mix.
I like to buy the kinds labeled as “Fancy”, “Deluxe”, or “Premium”, as they tend to have bigger pieces, which gives me more control over the final product.
(If you’re in Canada, Bulk Barn is a good place to get it from!)
Or
2. You can use 1 ½ lbs total of whatever types of candied fruit that you like.
Some options include:
Candied Green Cherries
Candied Red Cherries
Candied Pineapple
Candied Lemon Peel
Candied Orange Peel
Candied Citron
Nuts
I generally use Chopped Pecans for this recipe, as I think they give the best flavour.
Chopped Walnuts also work, though, and tend to be a bit more economical.
Everything Else
Rounding out this recipe, you will need:
Golden Raisins
Jack Daniel’s Whiskey*
All purpose flour
Dark Brown Sugar
Unsalted butter
Large eggs
Ground Cinnamon
Ground Cloves
Ground Nutmeg
Baking soda
Salt
... I just don’t really have anything to add about any of these ingredients!
*Alcohol Free Fruitcake Cookies
While the Jack Daniels REALLY works in these Fruitcake Cookies, I know that not everyone wants to have alcohol in their cookies.
Also - contrary to popular belief - it does NOT cook off while baking, btw.
To make this alcohol-free, swap apple juice, apple cider, white cranberry juice, or white grape juice for the Whiskey - just do it in the fridge, rather than at room temperature.
If you’d like to speed the process along: Rather than allowing the fruit to soak in the juice overnight, you can simmer it for about 20 minutes.
Allow to cool before using.
Also, I like to use a couple teaspoons of vanilla extract, when I’m making these as a non alcoholic version. Add them to the batter at the same time as the eggs.
How to Make Fruitcake Cookies
The full recipe is in the recipe card at the end of this post, here is the pictorial walk through.
Ahead of Time
A day or two before baking the cookies, place raisins in a container, stir in the Jack Daniels, and cover.
Note: I’ll usually use a glass bowl or shallow pan that has a cover for it.
Allow to sit at room temperature for 24-48 hours, shaking every once in a while. (You can let it sit longer if you want - even weeks!)
Make the Cookies
Preheat oven to 325F. Line a couple / few sheet pans with parchment paper.
If your fruitcake mix is made of very large pieces of fruit (like whole cherries), chop it up a bit.
Note: I do NOT use a food processor for this - too sticky!
Add eggs to the mixing bowl, continue beating on medium speed until eggs are fully incorporated and mixture is once again smoothish and fluffy.
In a separate, medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, spices, and salt.
Add candied fruit to the remaining flour mixture, toss well to coat the pieces (to separate them a bit).
Add candied fruit, pecans, and soaked raisins to the cookie batter.
Use a tablespoon, cookie scoop, or small ice cream scoop to drop rounded spoonfuls of the cookie dough onto prepared baking sheet.
Allow baked cookies to cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes or so, before gently transferring to wire racks to finish cooling.
Storage
Once cookies are cooled to room temperature, place cookies in an airtight container and store for up to a couple weeks.
(Or more? Dunno, they never last that long!)
Much like actual fruitcake, these tend to get even better with age!
To freeze, cool to room temperature, freeze on the pans, then transfer to a freezer safe bag or other air-tight container.
Will keep in the freezer for at least 3 months. (They’ll keep better in a freezer bag with the air sucked out, than any other storage!).
More Christmas Treats
Looking for more inspiration for your holiday goodies tray? Breakfast, sweet snack or dessert, here are a delicious recipes for you!
Candied Orange Slices
Candy Cane Biscotti
Christmas Bagels
Creme de Menthe Nanaimo Bars
Easy Gingerbread Muffins
Eggnog Muffins
Eggnog Pie
Eggnog Pudding
Eggnog Sticky Buns
Festive Easy Fudge
Gingerbread Bagels
Gingerbread Scones
Gluten-Free Candy Cane Cookies
Gluten Free Fruitcake
Gluten-Free Fruitcake Cookies
Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies
Keto Candy Cane Cookies
No-Bake Gingerbread Pie
Noelles
Pecan Pie Cookies
Peppermint Patties
Traditional Eggnog Mousse
Share the Love!
Before you chow down, be sure to take some pics of your handiwork! If you post it to Bluesky, be sure to tag us - @CelebrationGen. We're also on Pinterest, so you can save all your favourite recipes to a board!
Also, be sure to subscribe to my free monthly email newsletter, so you never miss out on any of my nonsense. Well, the published nonsense, anyway!
Finally, if you love this recipe, please consider leaving a star rating and/or a comment below, and maybe even sharing this post on social media!
If you like cooking with alcohol, you should check out my first cookbook, The Spirited Baker. It’s FULL of fun, tasty recipes using spirits and liqueurs for flavour – you should check it out:
Combining liqueurs with more traditional baking ingredients can yield spectacular results.Try Mango Mojito Upside Down Cake, Candy Apple Flan, Jalapeno Beer Peanut Brittle, Lynchburg Lemonade Cupcakes, Pina Colada Rum Cake, Strawberry Daiquiri Chiffon Pie, and so much more.
To further add to your creative possibilities, the first chapter teaches how to infuse spirits to make both basic and cream liqueurs, as well as home made flavor extracts! This book contains over 160 easy to make recipes, with variation suggestions to help create hundreds more! Order your hard copy through Amazon, or through any major bookseller.
Christmas Fruitcake Cookies
Equipment
- 2 Baking Sheets
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- 1 lb Golden raisins
- ½ cup Jack Daniel's Whiskey
- ½ cup Unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup Dark brown sugar
- 3 Large eggs
- 1 ½ cups All purpose flour
- ½ tsp. Baking soda
- 1 ½ tsp. Ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp. Ground cloves
- ½ tsp. Ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 ½ lb. Candied fruit*
- 1 lb. Chopped pecans
Instructions
- A day or two before baking the cookies, place raisins in a container, cover with Jack Daniels, and cover.
- Preheat oven to 325F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper, or coat well with baking spray.
- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, continue beating until eggs are fully incorporated and mixture is once again smooth and fluffy.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, spices, and salt. Add most of it (reserve about ½ cup) to the butter & sugar mixture, beat gently until well combined.
- Add candied fruit to the remaining flour mixture, toss well to coat the pieces (to separate them a bit). Add candied fruit, pecans, and soaked raisins to the cookie batter.
- Use a tablespoon, cookie scoop, or small ice cream scoop to drop rounded spoonfuls of the batter onto prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.
- Allow to cool on sheets for 5 minutes or so, before gently transferring to baking racks to finish cooling.
- Once cookies are cool, keep them stored in airtight containers. Much like actual fruitcake, these tend to get even better with age!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Older Photos:
Davonna
Thank you, thank you, thank you!! These are SO going into this year's holday baking!
Teresa hayward
my mother used to make these every Christmas when we were children (she soaked her raisons in apple juice not whiskey....i am trying the whiskey) She lost the recipe about 10 yrs ago and we have been looking forever. We used to call them fruit jumbles. I am so excited to make a batch and deliver it to her with your recipe! thanks for sharing!
Lucie Denis
My husband is diabetic and I have been diagnose with celiac desease. Would I be able to replace the flour with gluten free all purpose flour and replace any sugar with spenda.
Thank you
Marie Porter
I have a gluten free version in Beyond Flour... but it has not been tested with Splenda. I'm not sure how Spleda substitutes in, if it's cup for cup, or something else?
Judy Mirabella
I've been baking what I call "Not your average Fruitcake" . It's true most people hate the typical fruitcake and I found a recipe that contains just chopped walnuts, marichino cherries, and white raises soaked in bourbon overnight. . My question is I made too many batches of the bourbon fruit mixture. It's been in the fridge since Christmas and while it looks like it's still good do you think it's safe to use in your recipe for cookies?
Marie Porter
Definitely! Burbon is a great preservative!
Desirae A.
By chance, instead of raisins could I use dates? And if so can I soak the dates with whiskey? I'd still really like to use the whiskey. Haha 🙃
Marie Porter
I don't see why not!
Staci G
Is the mixture supposed to be “wet” and not like a dough right? I couldn’t get the mixture to fluff after adding the eggs. I’m baking them though!
Marie Porter
It's fairly wet, yes - don't worry about getting it to fluff. I've found butter is not really behaving right this year, but the cookies still turned out well!
Jennifer Orkisz
Wow these are really, really good. I make fruit cake every couple years, my Dad’s recipe from the 50’s. His fruit cake is all fruit and just a little cake. That’s why I chose your recipe. It resembles his recipe so closely and is so good. I really like soaking the raisins, I used Brandy and I just might add a little more once they are stored in an air tight container. Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe
Tammy
Are you sure 1 pound of rasins us correct, it seems like alot
Marie Porter
Yes, I'm sure.
Deborah Compton
Just like the lady whose raisins had soaked a bit longer than 48 hours, I have raisins that have soaked in whiskey even longer (several months). I intended to make cookies before the holiday, but... Do I need to start over or can these be used?
Marie Porter
If it was airtight, handled with clean hands beforehand, and doesn't have any visible mold?
Personally, I'd smell first, try one if it smells ok, and go from there.
Deborah
I'm the lady whose raisins had soaked a bit longer than 48 hours. Thanks for your reply. I decided to start over. The first batch of raisins lost some of their flavor. I finally made the Fruitcake cookies today. They are so good; my husband can't stop eating them. I always refer to him as the real Cookie Monster. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe.