Candied Fruit Slices

My husband and I both grew up with moms that made several different Christmas cookies. So when we got married and I started making Christmas cookies, I got our favorite recipes from our moms, and then have added a few new ones over the years.

This cookie recipe was one that my mother-in-law always made when my husband was growing up. It has become one of my family's favorites and I make it every year now, too!

Candied Fruit Slices

1 cup unsalted butter
1cup confectioner's sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
1 cup pecan halves
2 cups soft candied cherries (1 cup red, 1 cup green)

Cream butter in mixing bowl. Gradually add sugar, cream until light & fluffly. Blend in eggs & vanilla. Add flour, mix well. Stir in pecans and cherries, mix well. Chill dough for 1 hour and 15 minutes (no longer or dough will be too hard to handle). Divide dough into thirds. Shape each third into 10" long rolls. Wrap in wax paper and chill for at least 3 hours or overnight (this will make for easier slicing). When ready to bake, only pull out one roll at a time. Slice into 1/8" slices. Bake at 325 degrees on an ungreased cookie sheet for 16-20 minutes or until edges are delicately brown.


Now, these may sound like a lot of work to you, but let me tell you the my 11 year old son made these last week with just supervision from me. He did all the work. If he can do it, you can do it!!

A couple of quick notes on these. 1) Once you add the cherries and pecans, only mix until they are just blended otherwise they will break up into little pieces and they wont look as pretty when you slice them. 2) I do not double this recipe because it makes a lot of cookies, and I think it would be too hard to mix up. Also, the cookies don't spread so you can fit lots of them on a cookie sheet. Try to get all your slices pretty even otherwise you will have some cookies browner than others. I am not very good at this, but my husband loves the ones that are over browned so he happily eats those for me!

If you are looking for a different cookie that will add some "pizazz" to your cookie plates, then this may be the one for you!!