Mrs. Claus' Fruit & Nut Cookies

Name: Mrs. Claus' Fruit & Nut Cookies
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 c butter flavor shortening; 2 1/4 c brown sugar, firmly packed; 3 eggs; 1 Tbsp half and half; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 4 1/2 c all purpose flour; 1 tsp baking soda; 2 c nuts, chopped; 2 c raisins; 5 oz package dried cherries; 1 c dried cranberries; 8 oz package pitted dates, chopped; 8 oz candied pineapple, chopped; 7 oz package sweetened, flaked coconut

By Anne Bruscato Nunez
@FleurdeSel

Fruit cakey, without the boozy aftertaste. Adapted from northpole.com.

Rating:

★★★★★ 1 vote5

Comments:

4 Comments

Method:

Bake

Ingredients

2 c

butter flavor shortening
2 1/4 c

brown sugar, firmly packed
3

eggs
1 Tbsp

half and half
1 tsp

vanilla extract
4 1/2 c

all purpose flour
1 tsp

baking soda
2 c

nuts, chopped
2 c

raisins
5 oz

package dried cherries
1 c

dried cranberries
8 oz

package pitted dates, chopped
8 oz

candied pineapple, chopped
7 oz

package sweetened, flaked coconut
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How to Make Mrs. Claus' Fruit & Nut Cookies

Step-by-Step

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine coconut, fruit and nuts in LARGE bowl. Toss with 1/2 cup of flour until evenly coated. Set aside.
Whisk 4 cups of flour with baking soda in medium bowl. Set aside.
In mixer, cream shortening and brown sugar. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add half & half and vanilla and mix well. Stir in flour mixture until combined. Scrape the cookie batter into the large bowl containing the fruit and nut mixture. Using a large wooden spoon (or clean hands) stir until the fruit and nuts are evenly mixed into the cookie batter.
Drop by ice cream scoop* about 3 inches apart onto baking pan (I fit 6 cookies on each pan). Bake 20 minutes, (rotating pan after 10 minutes) or until set. Leave on the pan for a few minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

*Baking time will depend on the size of your scoop. Watch carefully.