Fruit Cake Cookies

Attributed to: Gram

Source: Five Family Cookbook

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 3 hours

Serving Size: 3 Dozen Cookies

Difficulty: 2

Ingredients: 

1 cup Shortening

2 cups Brown sugar, firmly packed

2 Eggs

4 cups All-purpose flour

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

1 teaspoon Salt

2/3 cup Buttermilk

1 cup Pecans, chopped

1 cup Candied cherries, cut into quarters

2 cups Dates, chopped

1 cup Candied fruit and peel, chopped

2 cups Red and green cherry halves (optional garnish)

2 cups Pecan halves (optional garnish)

Special Tools/Utensils Needed: 

Stand mixer or hand mixer

Cooking spray

Instructions:

1. In a mixing bowl, cream shortening until pale; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs one at a time; beat each until fully incorporated before adding the next.

2. In another bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. 

3. Fold in pecans, quartered cherries, dates, and candied fruit and peel until evenly distributed across the mixture. Cover and chill dough 2 hours or overnight.

4. Preheat oven to 375* F. Grease two cookie sheets lightly.

5. Drop dough by 1 tablespoon increments, 2" apart onto cookie sheets. Top each cookie with a cherry or pecan half. 

6. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.