English Dried Fruits Slice & Bake Cookies

These little cookies contain a cornucopia
of delicious fruit bits in every bite!

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups (8 ounces) chopped dates

2 3/4 cups (12 ounces) raisins

1 1/3 cups (8 ounces) candied cherries, coarsely chopped**

1 cup (6 ounces) dried apricots, coarsely chopped

3 3/4 cups (12 ounces) chopped pecans

2 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup dry sherry or vermouth

2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon pink Himalayan or fine sea salt

5 1/3 cups all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon pink Himalayan or fine sea salt

1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamon

1 cup superfine sugar***

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

parchment paper

Method:

Add the dates, raisins, cherries, apricots, pecans, honey, sherry, lemon juice and 1/8 teaspoon of salt in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and allow to sit 8 hours or overnight.

Sift together the flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside.

In an extra large bowl, cream the butter, cloves, cardamon, and sugars with an electric mixer, at medium speed, for 3 minutes or until the mixture is smooth. With the mixer at low speed, mix in eggs, on at a time, until completly mixed in. 

With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour to the creamed ingredients. Mix just until combined, being careful not to overmix. Fold in the fruits and pecans (including any liquid in the bowl).

Cut 4 pieces of parchment paper that are 18 inches wide. Divide the dough into 4 portions. (about 10 ounces each) Place each portion of dough onto a piece of parchment paper. Roll the dough into logs that are 18 inches long and 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 inches thick. Wrap with the parchment paper and refrigerate for 2 hours or longer. (The logs need to be firm.)

Preheat the oven to 350*. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Remove one log from the refrigerator. Use a sharp knife to cut the log into 1/2 inch thick slices. Place the slices 1/2 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Repeat with remining logs.

Bake for 17 minutes or until the cookies are lightly golden. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a rack to finish cooling.

Makes about 104 cookies. (8 dozen + 8) Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

**Dried cranberries may be substituted for the cherries.

***If you do not have Bakers Superfine Sugar, you can put granulated sugar in a food processor

Notes: I needed a lot of cookies because I was baking for a Christmas party and to give as gifts. You can cut the recipe in half if you want a smaller batch. 

These cookies freeze well. ~ Just place in an airtight container with a piece of waxed between layers. Wrap the container with plastic wrap. Freeze for 3 to 6 months.

I cut 1/2 inch slices, which makes a soft cookie. If you would like a thinner cookie, cut the recipe in half and make 1/4 inch slices. Reduce cooking time to 13 minutes.

The original name for these cookies was "Fruitcake Cookies". I changed the name because many people who do not like fruitcake do like these cookies made with dried fruits.