Fruit Basket Cookies

These fruit-studded cookies are loaded with candied cherries, dates, dried apricots, and golden raisins, all finely chopped and folded into a brown sugar butter dough with pecans and walnuts. They’re dense, chewy, and packed with fruit in every bite.

Processing the dried fruit in two batches with a tablespoon of flour keeps it from turning into a sticky paste in the food processor. The flour absorbs surface moisture and lets the blade chop cleanly. You want finely chopped pieces, not a puree.

The dough benefits from a brief chill before shaping. All that fruit adds moisture, and cold dough is much easier to roll into neat one-inch balls. Flattening them gently with a fork gives each cookie a classic crinkled top and ensures they bake evenly instead of staying round and doughy in the center.

Kitchen Tips

• Use room-temperature butter so it creams smoothly with the brown sugar
• Chop the nuts finely so they distribute evenly through the thick dough
• Watch closely after 15 minutes. These cookies go from golden to overbaked fast because of all the sugar in the dried fruit
• Store in an airtight container. The fruit keeps them moist for days

Variations

• Swap dried cranberries for the raisins for a tart, festive twist
• Add a teaspoon of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice to the dough for a warmly spiced version
• Roll the balls in coarse sugar before flattening for a sparkly, crunchy exterior