Published January 3, 2022 Revised 05/31/2025
Candied Christmas Cookies are fruity and delicious and remind me of fruit cake. Growing up in Texas, one of my best memories of Christmas baking with my Mom is making Fruit Cakes. I was going to buy one this year and could not believe the price of the fruit cake. It seems they have become somewhat of a gourmet item since I grew up.
What You Need to make Candied Christmas Cookies
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup butter softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 1 tablespoon bourbon
- And1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 cups candied cherries
- 3 cups dates, pitted and chopped
- 4 cups chopped pecans
Put The Cookies Together
Preheat The Oven
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and then grease the cookie sheets.
Make The Candied Christmas Cookies Dough
- Cream the eggs, butter, and brown sugar in a large bowl.
- Mix the baking soda and milk in a separate bowl, then add to the creamed mixture.
- Next, stir in the orange juice and bourbon.
- In a separate small bowl, toss the candied fruits with a small amount of flour until the fruits separate easily.
- Then add to the dough mixture.
- Now add the flour, dates, and pecans.
- Stir until well blended.
- Drop by teaspoons about 2 inches apart onto the cookie sheets.
Bake the Candied Christmas Cookies
- Bake each sheet of cookies for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Allow cookies to cool before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely
Variations
You can mix it up a little by adding ground cinnamon, some candied pinapple or other candied fruits. Some chopped and toasted Brazil nuts or maybe some toasted almonds.
What is Candied Fruit
Candied fruit, often called glacé fruit, is whole fruit, smaller pieces, or peel put in heated sugar syrup to absorb moisture and preserve it. This can take days or months depending on fruit size and kind.This preservation method, employed since the 14th century, keeps fruit edible for a year.
Candied fruits and vegetables include pineapple, pears, peaches, melon, ginger root, and cherries. the third The mixed chopped peel primarily consists of candied orange, citron, and lemon peels. Carrots, Angelica archangelica stems, pumpkins, and turnips are candied veggies.
Many recipes call for boiling, steeping fruit in higher sugar solutions for weeks, then drying off the excess water. Drenching the fruit in syrup creates sugar saturation, preventing spoilage germs from growing due to osmotic pressure.
Fruitcakes and pancakes both benefit from the addition of candied peels and cherries.
Conclusion
So let me know if you make the Candied Christmas Cookies and how they turn out. These are drop cookies, so they are pretty easy, and they do make a lot around 72, give or take a few. They probably won’t last long if your family is like mine. Once they find my stash, they are gone in a few days.