Paula Deen Fruitcake Drop Cookies

Paula Deen fruitcake drop cookies take 45 minutes and candied cherries, dried pineapple and pecans to make a chewy holiday cookie that feeds 10. This easy Christmas cookie fits the holiday table, church supper and Southern comfort food spreads, since it skips the weeks of aging a real fruitcake needs.

Bake these at the low 300°F temperature for the full 23 to 25 minutes, because the dense fruit needs gentle heat to cook through. Crank the oven higher and the edges brown before the middle sets, so the cookies spread and turn greasy.

Paula keeps the dough simple, with only a quarter cup of butter and a cup and a half of flour holding up all that fruit and pecans. Folding the fruit in last and dropping the dough by rounded tablespoonfuls gives you a candy-studded cookie, not a cakey one.

Paula Deen Fruitcake Drop Cookies

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Course: DessertCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

Calories

330

kcal

Chewy, buttery dough holds chunks of candied cherries, sweet pineapple and crunchy pecans in every bite. The slow bake sets the cookies firm and lightly golden without drying out the fruit.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup sugar
  

• 1/4 cup at room temperature unsalted butter
  

• 2 eggs
  

• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  

• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
  

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  

• 1/2 cup candied red cherries
  

• 1/2 cup candied green cherries
  

• 1 cup dried pineapple pieces
  

• 2 cups roughly chopped pecans
  

Directions

• Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 300°F and lightly grease a cookie sheet. That low heat is what lets the fruit cook through without scorching.
• Cream the butter: Cream 1/4 cup room-temperature butter and 3/4 cup sugar in a large bowl with a hand mixer. Keep mixing until the mixture looks smooth and a little fluffy.
• Add the wet ingredients: Add 2 eggs, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon to the bowl. Mix until everything is well incorporated.
• Mix in the flour: Add 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour slowly while the mixer runs on low. Mix well so no dry streaks are left.
• Fold in the fruit: Fold in 1/2 cup candied red cherries, 1/2 cup candied green cherries, 1 cup dried pineapple pieces and 2 cups roughly chopped pecans. Stir by hand until every piece of fruit and nut is coated in dough.
• Drop the dough: Drop the dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the greased cookie sheet. Space them out a little so the cookies have room to bake evenly.
• Bake and cool: Bake for 23 to 25 minutes. Then let the cookies cool completely on the sheet before you move them, so they set firm.

Tools for this recipe

• KitchenAid 5-speed hand mixer, OXO medium cookie scoop, Checkered Chef cooling racks, Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract, 8 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I swap the dried pineapple for another fruit?

Chopped dried apricots or golden raisins work in the same amount, since they are chewy and sweet like the pineapple. Keep the pieces small so the dough still holds together when you drop it.

How long do fruitcake drop cookies keep?

Store them in an airtight container at room temperature, where they stay good for about a week. The sugary fruit keeps them moist, but they lose their chew if the container is left open.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes, mix the dough and chill it covered in the fridge overnight, then drop and bake the next day. Add a minute or two to the bake time if the dough goes in cold.

Do I need a stand mixer for this dough?

A hand mixer is all you need for the creaming and the flour. The fruit and pecans fold in by hand with a sturdy spoon, because the dough gets too thick for most beaters.

Why did my cookies spread flat?

Butter that is too soft or an oven that runs hot is the usual cause, since the dough melts before it sets. Use butter that is just room temperature and check your oven with a thermometer.