Fruitcake Cookies with Maple Eggnog Glaze

Happy December First!

It’s holiday cookie time!

This year fruitcake is getting a makeover and becoming trendy and more appealing than it’s classic loaf form. With a kick of Brandy-soaked dried fruit, this is anything but your grandma’s fruitcake recipe. These cookies are filled with sugar, spice, and everything nice. Bring them to your holiday parties and they will definitely be a hit.

Fruitcake Cookies with Maple Eggnog Glaze

Makes 14 cookies

Ingredients

For the cookies:

½ cup butter

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp. light brown sugar, packed

¼ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. nutmeg

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 Tbsps. Whole milk

1/3 cup dried cherries

1/3 cup dried apricots, cut into small pieces

1/3 cup golden raisins

½ cup chopped walnuts

½ cup chopped pecans

1 cup of brandy

 

For the maple eggnog glaze:

1 ¼ cup powdered sugar

3.5 Tbsps. Eggnog

½ tsp. pure maple syrup

 

Directions

For cookies:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Position oven rack at the top of the oven.
2. Soak the dried cherries, apricots, and golden raisins in 1 cup of brandy for 10-15 minutes.
3. With a stand or hand mixer, begin to combine butter, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla until combined and smooth.
4. Slowly incorporate flour until well combined.
5. Add whole milk to the mixture and combine.
6. Drain the brandy from the dried fruit. Using a paper towel, remove any remaining brandy off of the fruit.
7. Add all of the dried fruit and chopped nuts into the cookie mixture. Mix until combined.
8. Using a Tablespoon. Gather 2 tablespoons worth of cookie mixture and roll into a ball.
9. Place dough ball on a baking sheet with parchment paper.
10. Press dough ball into a flattened round 2-inch circle. This will allow for even cooking as the cookie mixture is thick.
11. Baked for 12-14 minutes on the top rack of the oven.
12. Let cookies cool then drizzle with maple eggnog glaze*

 

For maple eggnog glaze:

1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl.
2. Whisk until well-combined.
3. Drizzle onto cookies once they are cooled.

Notes:

* I used a whisk to drizzle designs on the cookies