Dried Fruit Cookies
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure.The smell of dried fruit cookies baking in my kitchen always makes me wonder why it is not a more popular cookie. I use simple ingredients like whole wheat flour, tart dried cherries, and crunchy pecans for these cookies with a soft center, lightly crisp edges, and a naturally sweet flavor.
When I think about dried fruit cookies, I picture a lighter, more approachable version of my vegan fruit cake. And unlike classic cake versions, these cookies are not filled with artificial ingredients, nor do they have a heavy texture. If you enjoy the flavors of a traditional fruit cake but cannot wait for Christmas to indulge, then make these cookies instead.
I created these dried fruit cookies during the holiday season when I wanted something festive that I could package up easily and place in gift boxes. And since they were so wholesome, I even served a few alongside my Christmas muffins for holiday breakfasts. When Christmas was over, my kids asked me why I stopped making the cookies, and from then on, they have been made year-round and are great on-the-go breakfast snacks or lunch box treats.
👩🏽🍳 Why I Love This Recipe
A fresh batch of these dried fruit cookies checks every box for me as a nutritionist and a mom. I get the fiber boost from the whole wheat flour, natural sweetness and high antioxidant content from the dried cherries, and healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals from pecans. The texture stays soft and chewy, and the recipe itself has less sugar than most traditional cookies.
The thing that makes these cookies work so well is the simple method I follow when making them. There is nothing overly complicated about the process, but I always pay attention to a few key details that make a huge difference in the outcome. First, I cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, which helps create an airy structure, then mix my dry and wet ingredients separately before adding them in parts to the butter to form the dough. After folding in my fruit and nuts, I form the cookies and chill ithem n the refrigerator before baking them to a soft and golden finish.
My husband has never been the biggest fan of fruitcake mixes. I blame the overly processed and synthetic store-bought versions he tried in his youth. So when I first made these cookies, he was immediately drawn into the kitchen by the smell, but after learning that they were, in fact, dried fruit cookies, he declined to even try one. Fine, I thought, more for me. Ha! But later I saw him picking one apart in search of the typical dried fruit mix. When he realized there were only dried cherries, he made up for lost time and grabbed a handful of cookies. This recipe is perfect for those who do not enjoy the typical raisin-heavy dried fruit mixes.
Latest Recipe Video!
🥘 Ingredients
For these dried fruit cookies, I use simple ingredients that each play a clear role in creating the perfect texture and flavor. This is everything I need:
Butter: Softened butter adds richness and keeps the cookies light and tender.
Egg: I include 1 egg to help bind the dough and give the cookies structure as they bake.
Brown sugar: I like using dark brown sugar for the subtle molasses flavor and the soft texture it helps create.
Milk: A small amount of milk keeps the dough moist and easy to mix.
Whole wheat flour: I use this more for a slightly nutty flavor and to add structure.
Baking soda: This helps the cookies rise slightly.
Salt: A pinch of salt balances out all the sweetness.
Pecans: I mix in chopped pecans for a buttery crunch.
Dried cherries: I use unsweetened dried cherries for a tart, chewy bite that gives the cookies their signature flavor.
🔪 How To Make
This is the process I follow whenever I make these dried fruit cookies:
Cream butter and sugar: I beat the butter and sugar together until the mixture looks pale and slightly fluffy. This creates the base structure that helps the cookies bake up soft.
Add wet ingredients: Then I mix in the egg and milk, stirring until the mixture looks smooth and fully combined.
Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, I whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt to make sure everything is evenly distributed.
Form the dough: Next, I add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 2 parts, mixing gently after each addition. The dough should look soft but not wet or sticky.
Fold in nuts and cherries: I fold in the dried cherries and pecans, ensuring they are well distributed.
Portion and chill: Then, I scoop the dough onto a lined baking sheet and chill for 1 hour.
Bake: I place the chilled dough into a 400F preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges turn lightly golden, and the center remains soft.
Cool: I let the cookies rest in the baking tray for 1 minute, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
💭 Expert Tips
My #1 Secret Tip for this dried fruit cookie recipe is to chill the dough for a full hour before baking. I never skip this step, since it controls spreading and helps the cookies keep their chunkier shape and chewy texture.
Other Tips To Keep In Mind:
- Soft butter: I always use properly softened butter so that it creams smoothly and traps air for a lighter cookie. Sometimes I soften the butter on its own for a few seconds before adding the sugar.
- Room temperature ingredients: I let all my chilled ingredients come to room temperature before using them. This gives everything a much smoother melding process, which leads to a better texture.
- Even spacing: When laying the dough balls on the baking tray, make sure to leave enough space between each, so the cookies can bake and spread slightly without touching.
- Balanced fruit: I chop larger pieces of dried fruit into smaller portions to help them distribute better throughout the dough.
- Gentle mixing: As soon as the flour disappears, I stop mixing. This is how I keep the cookies tender and avoid overworking the gluten.
📖 Variations
I have tested a few different ways to adjust these dried fruit cookies depending on what I have on hand. These are 3 of my favorite variations:
Mixed fruit blend: I swap the cherries for 3/4 cup mixed dried fruit like cranberries, raisins, and chopped apricots. This adds more color and variety. My kids love this mixed blend in their school lunches.
Spiced version: For a warmer, more complex spice blend, I add 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg. If it is closer to the holiday season, I also add 1 teaspoon of finely grated orange zest. This fills my home with the most amazing scent.
Chocolate addition: For a slightly sweeter version, I like adding 1/3 cup of dark or white chocolate chips. This is actually my favorite version, especially with the white chocolate chips.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
I love serving these dried fruit cookies around the holiday season with equally festive treats. If you want to make this part of a seasonal spread, I recommend pairing it with my vegan Christmas pudding and a warm beverage like my oat milk hot chocolate. You could even whip up some of my vegan eggnog if you are in the mood for something a bit stronger.
And if you plan on making these for no particular occasion, they do really well as after-dinner sweet treats. Personally, I love them with a warm and mellow beverage like my lavender latte. My kids, on the other hand, love breaking up chunks of these dried fruit cookies and mixing them into a bowl of chocolate banana ice cream. There really is no wrong way to enjoy these cookies.
🧊 Storing And ♨️ Reheating
Storage: Store these cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week to keep them soft and fresh.
Freezing: I freeze with baked cookies or raw dough portions for up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers, separating layers with parchment.
Reheating: I warm the cookies in the oven for a few minutes to bring back the soft texture and fresh-baked taste. If raw and frozen, I allow the dough balls to thaw in the refrigerator for a few hours before baking.
❓Recipe FAQs
How can I make these dried fruit cookies safe for someone with a nut allergy?
When I bake for someone with a nut allergy, I omit the pecans and use 1/2-3/4 cup sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds for a similar crunch. Rolled oats also work really well for a softer bite. One thing I always check carefully is the dried fruit packaging, as some brands process the fruit in facilities that also handle tree nuts.
What happens if I use a different type of flour in this recipe?
Changing the flour can noticeably affect the texture and structure of these cookies. When I use all-purpose flour, the cookies turn out lighter in color with a slightly softer bite. Oat flour yields a more delicate and slightly crumbly texture, which requires some extra binding with a splash of milk. If I use gluten-free blends, I make sure they include xanthan gum to prevent the cookies from spreading too much.
Why did my dried fruit cookies spread too much while baking?
When my cookies spread too much, it usually comes down to the dough being too warm or the butter being too soft. To avoid this, I never soften my butter with direct heat from a microwave and let it come to room temperature on its own before adding the sugar. Then I make sure my dough has chilled for at least an hour, and give it a bit longer if it still seems too soft. Be sure to measure the flour accurately, as too little flour can lead to spreading.
Love this plant based dessert recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating 🌟 in the recipe below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page!
You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST to see more delicious, healthy, family-friendly food, and if you have any questions, I’m here to help!
📋 Recipe Card
🎥 Watch How to Make It
Dried Fruit Cookies
The smell of dried fruit cookies baking in my kitchen always makes me wonder why it is not a more popular cookie. I use simple ingredients like whole wheat flour, tart dried cherries, and crunchy pecans for these cookies with a soft center, lightly crisp edges, and a naturally sweet flavor.
Servings: 16 cookies
Calories: 199kcal
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 egg
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup milk
- 1¾ cup whole wheat flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½-1 tsp salt use less salt if your dried fruit isn't that sweet or if you prefer less salt in general
- 1 cup pecans mix of chopped and whole
- 1 cup unsweetened dried cherries chopped
Equipment
- Electric Hand Mixer
Instructions
- Place all the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and milk, and beat to combine thoroughly.
- In a small separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.
- Add half the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, combine fully, then add the remaining half and beat until combined. Do not over mix.
- Stir in the pecans and mixed fruit.
- Use a small cookie scoop to portion out the cookie dough and the refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and remove cookie dough from the fridge.
- Make sure your cookies are spaced 2" apart on a parchment or silicone mat lined cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
- Allow cookies to cool for one minute on the cookie sheet before moving to a cooling rack.
Notes
- My #1 Secret Tip for this dried fruit cookie recipe is to chill the dough for a full hour before baking. I never skip this step, since it controls spreading and helps the cookies keep their chunkier shape and chewy texture.
- Soft butter: I always use properly softened butter so that it creams smoothly and traps air for a lighter cookie. Sometimes I soften the butter on its own for a few seconds before adding the sugar.
- Room temperature ingredients: I let all my chilled ingredients come to room temperature before using them. This gives everything a much smoother melding process, which leads to a better texture.
- Even spacing: When laying the dough balls on the baking tray, make sure to leave enough space between each, so the cookies can bake and spread slightly without touching.
- Balanced fruit: I chop larger pieces of dried fruit into smaller portions to help them distribute better throughout the dough.
- Gentle mixing: As soon as the flour disappears, I stop mixing. This is how I keep the cookies tender and avoid overworking the gluten.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 199kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 277mg | Potassium: 88mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 11g
I made this with walnuts I stead of pecans because I already had them. Everyone loved them, will definitely make these again. I can’t wait to try with other fruits.
Hi Katie! So glad everyone loved them! Walnuts are a great swap — I love that you made it work with what you had. The fruit variations are so fun too, can’t wait for you to try them!
The cookies are good, but the amount of salt is overpowering. I will use 1/2 tsp next time. 1 tsp given in the recipe is too much…
Thanks for sharing your experience Anka! My fruit for my cookies was quite sweet, which is why I used the 1 teaspoon of salt, but I think the type of dried fruit will vary dramatically so I have updated the recipe to indicate that anywhere from 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of salt will work! Thanks again!
The cookies are just awesome. They are so easy to make and the result is just perfect. I used dried raspberries instead of dried cherries and they are just perfect. This is my favorite recipe for cookies. Thanks a lot for the recipe, this became my favorite one 🙂
Aw yay!! I’m so happy you liked this recipe! Dried raspberries is a great substitute too!
Beautiful cookies! These look like the perfect lunchbox snack, can’t wait to try this out thanks for the recipe!
Thanks Farah! I’m sure you will love this recipe!
These cookies are so easy to make and bake. The combination of cherries and pecans was a first for me and I’ll definitely make them again.
Awesome!! So glad you liked these!
These were absolutely amazing. I used plain almond milk in place of the regular milk and it worked perfectly.
Thanks so much Cynthia! 🙂
I had all the ingredients in my pantry for these. I made it earlier as an after school snack for my daughter. It came out so delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
Great to hear! Thanks for letting me know Lucy!
Whipped up a batch of these this afternoon and they do not disappoint! Easy, hearty and delicious; definitely, a new favorite treat!
Yay!! So happy to hear that Sara!
Can a sugar substitute be used?
Hi Rory! I haven’t tried it with a sugar substitute but I believe either monk fruit or powdered stevia (used for baking) should work! If you try it with a sugar substitute let me know how it turns out!
There is no egg in your list of ingredients. Assuming it should say one egg.
Thank you for catching that Maura! Yes – this recipe requires 1 egg! I have updated the recipe card!
I love a well made fruitcake – absolutely the best thing every holiday!!!! and well made means no funny colored fruit and aged with a nice brandy or cognac with lots of healthy nuts and whole grain flour. A true treat indeed.
I can totally see that being delicious! These cookies are very similar to the intention of a well-made fruitcake! 🙂
These sound delicious. They would be great for making with my daughter too.
Yay! Thanks Dannii! I’m sure you both will love this recipe! 🙂
I enjoy fruit cake and these cookies sound like a great option for this holiday baking season. Saving for later.
Definitely! They’re perfect for the holidays! 🙂
I love pecans, the combination of cherries and pecan looks so colorful.
Thanks so much Sadia! You will love this recipe!
I have never been a fan of fruit cake, but seeing the pictures made me drool. I want some…Yummers!!
Aw thanks Calleigh! I don’t like fruitcake either but these cookies take the best parts of fruitcake and transform them into something amazing! 🙂
What other flour is suitable, ap, bread flour, cake flour?
Hi Deanna! You can use all purpose flour instead of whole wheat flour in this recipe!
I really love the cherries in these cookies. One of the best parts is the whole wheat flour. My hubby prefers it and he would go crazy for these!
Thank you so much Beth! 🙂 The cherries in these cookies are the best!