you're making mealtime meaningful.
When I think of holiday treats, I think of cookies – lots and lots of cookies. As a kid, I would help put together the famous Christmas cookies trays for all our friends and family. The kitchen would be a total mess and everyone would be buzzing from the amount of sugar they’d consumed.
We’d make the classic chocolate chip and sugar cookies, but my mom’s favorite was always the Fruitcake Shortbread. I didn’t understand what the fuss was about as a kid, but I have really grown to love them in my adult years. I swear these cookies can turn any fruitcake haters into true fans of this misunderstood treat!
These cookies take the nostalgic flavors of a classic fruitcake and blend them into buttery, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread. The result is a cookie that feels festive yet familiar. The best part is how truly simple they are to make. The shortbread dough comes together with just four staple ingredients and then a store-bought fruitcake mix is folded in for a fun and colorful result. Trust me, even fruitcake skeptics will find themselves reaching for another.
Whether you’re planning a cookie exchange, filling up the dessert table, or simply indulging in a holiday treat, these easy cookies are sure to become a staple in your recipe box. Mix things up this season and give our Fruitcake Shortbread Cookies a try. Happy baking!
Fruitcake Shortbread Cookies
Yield(s): Makes 24 cookies
15m prep time
10m cook time
1h inactive
you're making mealtime meaningful.
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter (2 sticks), room temperature
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 8 oz fruit cake mix
- Optional: 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
Preparation
- Add butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla to a large bowl and beat until well combined.
- Add flour and mix until a crumbly dough forms.
- Stir in fruit cake mix and orange zest until well combined.
- Divide dough in half and roll each half into a log. Tightly wrap logs in plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for 1-2 hours.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Remove dough logs from fridge and slice into rounds about ¼ inch thick.
- Arrange sliced cookies on the baking sheet at least an inch apart then bake for 8-10 minutes.
- Allow cookies to fully cool before handling.
Recipe adapted from Bakeitwithlove.com