Fruit Cake Cookies are the delightful little twist you’ve been waiting for—combining the warm, festive flavors of a traditional fruit cake with the comforting ease of a cookie. These cookies begin with golden raisins, chopped dates soaked in brandy, a yellow cake mix base, brown sugar, orange zest, and traditional holiday spices like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. The dough is then studded with maraschino cherries, toasted slivered almonds, and optional candied green cherries. A quick bake at 350 °F delivers soft, fragrant cookies that are ideal for holiday gatherings, cookie exchanges, or just a cozy treat at home.
Why You’ll Love These Fruit Cake Cookies
You’ll love this recipe because it brings the beloved flavor profile of a classic fruit cake—rich dried fruits, warm spices, a hint of spirit—from a box-style cake mix to the chewy, portable form of a cookie. It’s easier and faster than making a full fruit cake, and still full of character and holiday cheer. Plus, using a cake mix as part of the base makes it more forgiving for less-experienced bakers while still delivering a festive, flavorful result. Whether you bake them for yourself or share them with friends, they offer a delicious balance of sweet, nutty, boozy, and spiced.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup golden raisins
- ½ cup chopped dates
- ½ cup brandy
- 1 box Betty Crocker Super Moist Yellow Cake Mix
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp grated orange zest
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ cup butter, melted
- 1 egg
- 2 Tbsp water
- ¾ cup coarsely chopped maraschino cherries, drained & patted dry
- ½ cup coarsely chopped toasted slivered almonds
- ½ cup chopped candied green cherries (optional)
Step-by-Step: How to Make Fruit Cake Cookies
- Preheat your oven to 350 °F (approx. 175 °C).
- In a 1-quart saucepan set over medium heat, stir together the golden raisins, chopped dates, and brandy. Heat until the mixture reaches a gentle simmer, then remove from the heat and let it sit for 15 minutes. After soaking, drain the fruit and set aside; discard the liquid.
- Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl stir together the cake mix, brown sugar, orange zest, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg until well blended.
- In a smaller bowl, whisk the melted butter, egg and water until combined. Add this wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir with a spoon until well blended.
- Fold in the drained fruit mixture, the maraschino cherries, toasted slivered almonds and the candied green cherries, if using.
- Drop the dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 11 to 13 minutes or until the cookie edges are set (centers may still look slightly soft). Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely (about 30 minutes).
- Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container.
Helpful Tips
- Make sure to drain the soaked fruit completely before folding into the dough to avoid excess moisture that could make cookies spread or become too soft.
- Use toasted slivered almonds to enhance the nutty flavor and provide a nice crunch.
- The cookies are best when edges are set but centers are still a bit soft when you remove them—carry-over heat will firm them up as they cool.
- If you want a stronger flavour of spirit, you can increase the brandy slightly (keeping overall dough consistency in mind), or substitute with rum for a twist.
- Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat for easier release and cleanup.
- These cookies improve in flavour if made a day ahead: the spices and fruit flavours deepen.
Substitutions And Variations
- Spirit substitution: If you prefer not to use alcohol, replace brandy with juice (such as orange or apple) or a non-alcoholic rum extract.
- Nuts: Swap slivered almonds for chopped walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts according to your preference.
- Fruit mix-up: Use different dried or candied fruits such as chopped apricots, figs or crystallized ginger.
- Spice tweak: Add ground cloves or allspice for a deeper holiday flavour.
- Cake mix base: While this version uses a yellow cake mix for convenience, you could adapt to a scratch cookie dough if you prefer fully homemade, though timing and texture might vary.
Storage Instructions
- Once completely cooled, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay good and maintain texture for up to about one week.
- For longer storage, you can freeze the baked cookies: place them in a freezer-safe container with parchment between layers, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw to room temperature before serving.
- Alternatively, you can freeze dough balls in advance: scoop them onto a baking tray, freeze until solid, then transfer to a sealed container. When ready to bake, allow to thaw slightly or bake directly (adding a minute or two to the bake time).
Serving Suggestions
- Serve warm (just cooled) alongside a hot cup of tea or coffee—perfect for a cozy afternoon snack or holiday treat.
- Present in a decorative cookie tin or packaged in clear treat bags with ribbon, making them ideal for gifting or cookie swaps.
- Arrange on a holiday dessert platter with assorted cookies: ginger snaps, shortbreads, peppermint cookies—your fruit cake cookies will add a flavorful seasonal contrast.
- Pair with a glass of milk, hot cocoa or spiced cider to complement the warm spices and sweetness of the cookies.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fruit Cake Cookies
Can I make these cookies without using a boxed cake mix?
Yes, you can. While our version uses a yellow cake mix for convenience and consistent texture, you could adapt a basic cookie dough recipe (flour, baking soda, butter, sugars, egg) and fold in the dried fruits, nuts and spices. That said, if you go scratch, you’ll need to adjust the proportions and baking time accordingly, so it may require a little trial and error.
Will the brandy flavour be strong?
In this recipe, brandy is used to soak the raisins and dates, which enhances flavour and moisture, but most of the liquid is drained away before mixing into the dough. As a result, the cookies carry a subtle, warm hint of brandy rather than a strong boozy flavour. If you prefer a stronger spirit taste, you could add a splash more, or use rum extract, but be cautious with dough moisture and texture.
Why are the cookies soft in the centre when I remove them from the oven?
That’s intentional. The centres should still look slightly soft when you take them out because they will continue to set as they cool. Overbaking can lead to cookies that turn out hard or dry instead of soft and chewy. Many holiday cookie recipes recommend removing when edges are set but centres still slightly glossy.
Can I prepare the dough ahead of time?
Yes! You can refrigerate the dough for a few hours or even overnight if you like (which can intensify the flavour). Some recipes even say the cookies improve with age. You can also freeze dough balls for future baking—just thaw slightly before baking and adjust timing.
Final Thoughts
Thank you so much for reading and baking along with me. I hope you enjoy making these Fruit Cake Cookies as much as I enjoyed writing this recipe for you. They are such a fun, flavorful twist on the classic holiday fruit cake, so much easier, so much friendlier, and yet they still bring that festive warmth of spices, rich fruits, nuts and a little spirit. I truly believe you’ll find these cookies both simple and delicious, perfect for sharing or for enjoying quietly with a cup of something warm. Wishing you joyful baking, full hearts and full cookie jars. Happy baking and thanks for being part of our food-loving community!
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Fruit Cake Cookies
- Total Time: 38 minutes
- Yield: 36 cookies 1x
Description
Fruit Cake Cookies are chewy, spiced, and filled with brandy-soaked fruits, nuts, and holiday cheer. A quick and festive cookie recipe made with cake mix.
Ingredients
¾ cup golden raisins
½ cup chopped dates
½ cup brandy
1 box yellow cake mix
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp orange zest
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ginger
½ tsp nutmeg
½ cup butter, melted
1 egg
2 Tbsp water
¾ cup chopped maraschino cherries
½ cup toasted slivered almonds
½ cup candied green cherries (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 °F (approx. 175 °C).
- In a 1-quart saucepan set over medium heat, stir together the golden raisins, chopped dates, and brandy. Heat until the mixture reaches a gentle simmer, then remove from the heat and let it sit for 15 minutes. After soaking, drain the fruit and set aside; discard the liquid.
- Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl stir together the cake mix, brown sugar, orange zest, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg until well blended.
- In a smaller bowl, whisk the melted butter, egg and water until combined. Add this wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir with a spoon until well blended.
- Fold in the drained fruit mixture, the maraschino cherries, toasted slivered almonds and the candied green cherries, if using.
- Drop the dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 11 to 13 minutes or until the cookie edges are set (centers may still look slightly soft). Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely (about 30 minutes).
- Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container.
Notes
Soak fruit ahead to deepen flavor.
Use parchment for easy cleanup.
Cookies keep well for a week and freeze beautifully.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 13 minutes
- Category: Dessert
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: ~150
- Sugar: ~12g
- Carbohydrates: ~20g
- Protein: ~1.5g