Right now I don’t seem to have the energy to make my in-laws their favorite fruitcake, which is really a cherry and pecan nutloaf. I do need to use up some pecans to make room for the new harvest, and these cookies are so scrumptious, I know they’ll forgive me. One of the best things about this recipe, well really like all shortbread, you make rolls of cookie dough, and pop them in the fridge. Then when you need cookies, you slice off a few and bake them fresh. It just doesn’t get any better than that.
Fruit and Pecan Shortbread
Really these are my version of "fruitcake cookies"
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup chopped dried figs, hard stem removed
- 1/4 cup cream sherry
- 8 oz of chopped dates
- 8 oz of chopped candied cherries
- 1 TBSP honey
- 1/2 lb of butter (2 sticks)
- 1/2 cup superfine sugar, or powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 extra large egg
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 lb crushed pecans
Instructions
- In a small pan, simmer together the figs and cream sherry, with the lid on. When they are quite soft, turn them off.
- Place dates, cherries, and honey in a bowl. Add figs and 2 TBSP of the sherry to the fruit mixture, and stir. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars together. Then add the egg and salt and mix well. Slowly add the flour until just combined.
- Stir in the fruit.
- Next stir in the pecans. At this point I changed to the bread hook to combine everything.
- Divide the dough in half and create two dough logs about 1 1/2 - 2" around. Wrap and refrigerate until firm.
- Heat oven to 325°.
- Cut the logs into 1/2" slices. Place the slices on a parchment or silpat lined cookie sheet and bake about 20 min. You want very little color on them when they're done.