Retro Recipes: Fruit Cocktail Cookies

 

The second recipe of the two that I completed for the Nom-Nom Baking Challenge at Work was for Fruit Cocktail Cookies (see the first recipe here).  I always loved fruit cocktail as a kid--the cherries were my favorite part--so it seemed like something worth trying.

I'll put the original recipe and then my modern, updated version with more information that might help people who aren't experienced bakers or who aren't used to using old recipes.

Three things to note about this recipe:

• The cookies, as I made them, turned out kind of like little fruit cakes in texture.
• The original recipe said that the raisins and nuts were optional.  I added them and some extra cherries leftover from making the Cherry Nut Loaf.  I would not recommend leaving them out; I think the cookies would be really bland without them.  And if you do leave them out, you should definitely swap them for other fruit and/or nuts. 
• This recipe is really large; I made nearly 6 dozen cookies and still had some extra dough.
• I didn't have any cloves, so I made do with a combo of other spices that I have.  

Original Recipe, as it appeared in Adventures in the Kitchen, the 1954 Waverly Lutheran Church Cookbook:
1 c. shortening
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
3 beaten eggs
1 c. raisins (may omit)
2 c. well drained finely diced fruit cocktail
1 1/2 c. nuts (optional)
1 tsp. vanilla
Sift together 1 tsp. soda, 1 tsp. B. P., 4c. flour, 1 tsp. each of cloves and cinnamon.  Mix well.  Drop by teaspoonful on lightly greased cookie sheet, Bake at 400 degrees until lightly browned.

--Mrs. Sanford Anderson

Modern Version:

Ingredients:

• 1 c. margarine
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. white sugar
• 3 beaten eggs
• 1 c. raisins or other dried fruit (craisins would probably be yummy!)
• 2 c. well drained, finely diced fruit cocktail (this is more than 1 can, but less than 2)
• 1 1/2 c. chopped nuts (I used walnuts)
• 1/4 c. (or more) chopped maraschino cherries
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• dash of salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 4c. flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ginger
• 1 tsp. Penzey's baking spice   

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  
2. Cream together margarine, white sugar, and brown sugar.  
3. Mix in eggs and vanilla.  
4. Mix in all fruit and nuts.  
5. In a separate bowl, sift together salt, baking powder, baking soda, flour, and all spices.  
6. Mix dry and wet ingredients together.  
7. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a lightly greased cookie sheet (I used foil sprayed with Pam spray on cookie sheets).  
8. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until lightly browned.