These Chocolate Fruit Cake Cookies loaded with nuts and dried fruit is a delicious twist on a traditional fruit cake recipe. Combined with some cocoa powder, they also have that chewy texture like brownies. And the best part? You don’t need to bake it for hours!
Hello, nice people. Hello nice Monday. Are you ready for some Christmas cookies? I’ve got these Chocolate Fruit Cake Cookies, if you don’t mind.
I’ve wanted to make a traditional fruit cake (Not to be confused with a fruit pudding) for a couple of years, but the idea of baking it for two hours isn’t appealing (A Christmas pudding needs to seat in the oven much longer).
I was almost ready this year. I even imagined the setting and mood for photographs.
But then I thought: “Why not turn a cake into some cookies instead?” Similar flavour profiles – so much faster. Besides, I had only tried a store-bought cake before, and I couldn’t say if I really liked it or not (Although, I do like cakes loaded with nuts and fruit.)
However, I wanted to achieve the darker colour, so I decided to stir in some dark cacao powder, too. Result? Chewy texture, like brownies (Pretty awesome!) Flavour? Here I will be honest with you. Chocolate wasn’t the best choice. Certainly, it makes cookies richer and more delicious, but it’s too overwhelming. After all, fruit cake cookies should be about fruit and nuts, but sadly they weren’t the star of the show.
Don’t get it wrong, though. These Chocolate Fruit Cake Cookies are delicious, and they’re also look elegant. Moreover, their chewy texture is amazing. I’d just recommend omitting the chocolate part. Or even better: divide the dough into two parts, stir in the cacao powder in one of them, then bake, and compare which you’ve liked the most.
I hope you like this Chocolate Fruit Cake Cookies. I think Santa will approve it, too.
Cheers!
Notes
This recipe can easily be customised – feel free to play with variety (and ratios) of nuts, dried fruit, and spices you’re adding.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup fancy molasses
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups pastry flour, sifted (For the chocolate version, substitute 3 tbsp. dark cacao powder for the flour)
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- Good pinch of salt
- 1,5 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
- Good pinch of ground cardamom
- 2/3 cup green and red glace cherries (Halved or roughly chopped)
- 1/2 cup pitted dated, chopped
- 1/2 cup mixed citrus peel (candied)
- 2/3 cup roughly chopped walnuts or pecans
- 1/4 cup pistachios
- ¼ cup cranberries
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine the butter, sugar, and molasses and beat until well incorporated, about 2 minutes.
- Add the egg and beat for an additional minute.
- Stir in the dried ingredients (Flour, baking powder, spices, and cacao powder if making the chocolate version). Fold in the nuts and fruit (You can reserve some of the cherries to arrange them on top). Cover and chill for at least a couple of hours or better overnight.
- Preheat oven to 175 degrees C (350 degrees F). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop out some of the dough (walnut-sized) and arrange it on the baking sheets, leaving some space in between, slightly flattering the cookies. If you reserved some cherries, decorate with them top of the cookies.
- Bake for about 10-12 minutes – they will remain fudgy on top, but they will slightly set once cooled. Allow to rest on the baking sheets for a few minutes (Crumble while hot), then transfer to cool.
- Enjoy!
Hi – I’m Ben, a blogger, recipe developer, and food photographer. I’m glad you’re here! I hope you will enjoy hundreds of delicious recipes and a pinch of havoc in the kitchen.
I really like your thought. Thank you for sharing chocolate fruit cake cookies which is very tasty for me. Please add the KitKat goods into chocolate fruit cake cookies which is make your cake cookies look so unique for everyone. Keep posting and thank you for providing beautiful content.
For the chocolate version you don’t add the flour….. just the cocoa? I’m confused. Sounds delicious!
Hi Erin!
Thank you and sorry for a delayed response.
For the chocolate version, you will need to take 2 cups of flour minus 3 tablespoons (So total would be roughly 1 and 2/3 cups) and add 3 tablespoons of cacao powder instead.
I made these cookies quite a long time ago to remember the details, but according to the post, I believed the addition of cacao was not a good choice as the cookies turned tasting more like brownies than fruit cakes.
So if you do not want the chocolate version, simply use 2 cups of flour only.
Excellent Cakes!!!
I like this type of chocolate cakes. Its looks like very beautiful.
Thanks for share this.
I’m not a big one for the traditional Christmas fruit cake but I could see myself definitely going for these chocolate fruit cake cookies Ben. Love how you only have to bake this for 10 – 12 minutes too. What a timesaver!
OMGoodness! I have tons of these fruits and I am also one that loves fruitcake anything! Pinning these chocolate cookie goodies! YUM! xo
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So fruit cake gets such a bad rap. I’m not sure why, though. A freshly baked fruit cake is amazing! I’m thinking the fact that fruit cakes can stay “fresh” in stores for like months is part of the problem. I’m all about the cookie version here, Ben! These do sound quite tasty. How about you send a batch down, and we’ll see if Santa likes them. Good idea?
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I love fruit cake, Ben. And for some reason, not many of us do. ??? But these look delightful. I never thought of making chocolate fruitcake. so festive!
I make a fruit and nut cake every year, and it’s hard to set aside two hours for it to bake in the oven. I’m either going out or need the oven for something else. Maybe I just need to plan a little better, but I’m all over your idea for fruit cake cookies! All the flavour with less fuss!
I am one of those people that LOVES fruit cake. I know there are some (crazy) people out there that don’t care for it. I lit up when I saw your post! That dark chocolate makes these look extra decadent. Saving these and going to add them to my Christmas baking list!