My chewy dried fruit cookies strike the perfect balance between wholesome and delicious. If you’re like me, you love indulgent treats that are still a little healthier and super easy to make. My recipe is exactly that – with half the amount of sugar and whole wheat flour, and featuring tart, dried cherries, and crunchy pecans. It’s perfect for anyone who loves a fruity dessert that’s ideal for the whole family and great for the holidays too!
My cookies were inspired by fruitcake – in a good way! They are speckled with nuts and cherries and have a moist, decadent texture.
I promise, this is not your average spin on fruitcake. Instead of a dense, aged cake filled with artificial colors, I’ve taken all the best parts of the classic holiday recipe and gave it a cookie makeover that’s soft, chewy, and full of flavor.
Even for those who don’t love fruitcake, trust me they’ll love my dried fruit cookies! And if you’re looking for more fruit-filled cookies like this one, be sure to check out my cranberry oat cookies and for more cookie inspiration, try one of my 40 easy vegan cookie recipes!
I love the moist and chewy texture of these cookies, followed by the crunch of pecans and a pop of tart cherry. They’re so good, that I find it hard to stop at just one, and my kids just can’t resist these chewy fruit cookies either!
Plus, my recipe is made with all-natural ingredients, free of artificial colors or flavors, and is both low in sugar and fat, making these healthy dried fruit cookies. I use less butter, reduce the sugar, and opt for unsweetened dried fruit instead of candied fruit. Each cookie contains just 6 grams of added sugar.
Another bonus is that they’re a good source of fiber. Instead of traditional white flour, I use whole wheat flour, giving each cookie 3 grams of dietary fiber. If I pair one with a piece of fruit, I’ve got a nutritious snack. It’s a treat I feel good about serving!
And I love how simple these cookies are to make! I use affordable basic pantry ingredients and the recipe is nearly effortless—with just 10 minutes of prep, a quick chill, and about 10 minutes in the oven. That’s it! You can also easily customize them with mix-ins or make them vegan or gluten free – see my tips below on how to do this.
But the best part is that I can bake these cookies all year long! They make a fantastic homemade gift during the holidays and are perfect for Christmas parties, but I love them so much that I find myself making them in the middle of summer too!
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???? Ingredients
My dried fruit cookies recipe calls for simple ingredients that you can easily find at your local grocery store! Each one plays a key role in ensuring these cookies have the perfect texture. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the exact amounts and nutritional information.
Butter: Added for richness and moisture, I use less butter than most cookie recipes. I use room-temperature butter for easier mixing.
Egg: In baking eggs help to bind dough together as well as add moisture and structure. I use a large egg for this recipe.
Brown Sugar: To give the cookies a deeper molasses-like flavor and chewy texture, I use dark brown sugar. But light brown sugar will also work. You can also use cane sugar or coconut sugar in place of the brown sugar or even monk fruit to make the cookies even lower in sugar.
Milk: I add a little full-fat milk to help give the cookies more richness and moisture, but you can use lower-fat or plant-based milk if you prefer.
Whole Wheat Flour: To make my recipe a little healthier and add some extra fiber, I like to use whole wheat flour. However, all purpose flour works too.
Baking Soda: This popular leavening agent, gives my cookies rise and contributes to their perfect texture. If you don’t have baking soda, you can use baking powder but you’ll need to use it in a 3:1 ratio (so this recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of baking soda, so you’ll need to use 3 teaspoons of baking powder as an equivalent).
Salt: Just a pinch of salt helps to bring out the best flavor in all of the ingredients.
Pecans: The pecans add a nutty flavor and a yummy crunch. I use a mix of chopped and whole nuts for a varied texture. Feel free to substitute them with any nuts you like such as macadamia nuts, walnuts, or almonds.
Unsweetened Dried Cherries: I mix in some dried cherries to give the cookies their fruitcake-like appearance. and to add some classic cherry flavor. However, feel free to use any type of dried fruit you like such as raisins, currants, dried cranberries, dried blueberries, and diced dried apricots. For a holiday feel, you can add some candied green cherries.
Making cookies with dried fruit and nuts really isn’t much different from making my oat flour chocolate chip cookies! You don’t need to be an experienced baker to whip up a perfect batch of these chewy treats.
Watch my video below to see my dry fruit cookies recipe in action!
Cream Butter And Sugar: To begin, I put the room temperature butter and brown sugar in the large bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment. Then I beat the mixture at medium speed for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy. You can also use an electric hand mixer or a large food processor.
Add Wet Ingredients: Once creamed, I add the egg and milk to the sugar mixture and beat again until thoroughly combined.
Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, I whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
Combine Wet And Dry Ingredients: First, I add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix to combine. Then I add the remaining flour and stir again just until fully combined. Do not over-mix the dough.
Add Nuts and Fruit: After the cookie dough is formed, I stir in the pecans and dried cherries.
Portion Dough: I use a small cookie scoop to portion out the soft dough onto a plate or sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Then I transfer the cookie balls to the fridge to chill for 1 hour.
Bake: When ready, I preheat my oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celcius). Next, I arrange the chilled cookies on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, making sure that they are spaced about 2 inches apart. Then I put the cookies in the preheated oven and let them bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool: After baking, I remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the cookie sheet for one minute before transferring them to a cooling rack.
My #1 Secret Tip for making the perfect dried fruit and nut cookies is to chill the dough for a full hour before baking.
Trust me, this step makes all the difference! When you chill the dough, it gives the fat time to solidify.
This means your cookies will spread less in the oven and stay nice and thick. Plus, chilling enhances the flavor, giving you that perfectly chewy texture we all crave in a good cookie.
Other Tips To Keep In Mind:
- Room Temperature Ingredients: I always start with room temperature butter, eggs, and milk, which helps the dough blend together more smoothly. Cold butter doesn’t cream as well with sugar, and cold eggs can make the batter lumpy. I let my ingredients sit out for about 30 minutes before I begin baking.
- Mix Wet and Dry Separately: This might seem like an extra step, but it’s totally worth it. It helps prevent clumps of flour and reduces the risk of over-mixing, which can make cookies tough instead of tender.
- Use A Cookie Scoop: If you’ve never used a cookie scoop before, you’re going to love it. This handy tool helps me make all my cookies the same size, so they bake evenly.
- Crispier Cookies: If you prefer crispy cookies, just bake them a bit longer. Instead of pulling them out at 8-10 minutes, leave them in for closer to 12 minutes. Just be sure to keep an eye on them so they don’t overbake.
- Use Unsweetened Dried Fruit: When choosing dried fruit, I always avoid those with added sugar. Dried fruit is naturally sweet, and the extra sugar can make the cookies overly sweet – but if you want a super sweet cookie then sweetened dried fruit will also work.
???? Variations
Dried Fruit Oatmeal Cookies: Start with an oatmeal cookie base made with old-fashioned oats or quick oats like my sugar free oatmeal cookies or vegan oatmeal cookies. Then fold in the nuts and dried fruit and you’ll have the perfect oatmeal dried fruit cookies!
Mixed Fruit Cookies: Turn this into a mixed dried fruit cookies recipe. I just used dried cherries in this version, but you can use any combination of fruits you like. You can even omit the pecans and sub with more fruit. Think cranberry, raisin, dried pineapple and dried ginger, or diced dried fig and craisins.
Add Other Flavors: If you want to add another layer of flavor try using a 1/2 teaspoon of aromatic vanilla extract or nutty almond extract. I add it to the dough with the milk. You can also add a little maple syrup in place of the sugar for maple flavor (substitute as much as you want in a 1:1 substitution), or add 1/4 teaspoon of warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice for fall flavors!
Chocolate Chips: Adding chocolate is one of my favorite ways to sweeten up my fruit and nut cookies recipe. You can use milk chocolate, dark chocolate, semisweet, or my favorite with this recipe – white chocolate, which works well with the cherries.
Top With Glaze: After the cookies have completely cooled on the wire rack, drizzle them with powdered sugar icing like my chocolate donut glaze or cherry fritters glaze!
Trail Mix: Try using a trail mix in place of the nuts and cherries to make homemade trail mix cookies.
Vegan: To make this recipe vegan, I simply use coconut oil or vegan butter instead of regular butter, a flax egg (1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed mixed with 2.5 tablespoons of water) in place of the egg, and any dairy-free milk instead of cow’s milk.
Gluten-Free: For gluten free cookies, all you have to do is use an all-purpose gluten free flour blend. I recommend using one that contains xanthan gum for the best texture. Gluten free oat flour is also another option.
???? Serving Suggestions
You can serve my healthy fruit cookies as a sweet and wholesome treat on their own, or pair them with a delicious beverage or toppings for an even sweeter experience. Here are some of my favorites.
Drinks: Dried fruit biscuits are perfect with hot beverages like my oat milk hot chocolate, lavender latte, and oatmilk honey latte. Around the holidays, you can’t go wrong with serving them as festive Christmas cookies with some eggnog or a simple glass of regular or plant-based milk.
Ice Cream: Turn these cookies into an indulgent dessert by pairing them with my caramel nice cream, chocolate banana ice cream, mango nice cream, or lychee ice cream! I like either warming the cookies and topping them with ice cream or making mini ice cream sandwiches.
Other Cookies: If you’re having a family gathering or party, try adding these cookies to a spread with some other favorites like my powdered peanut butter cookies, black sesame cookies, and no bake cookies without peanut butter.
???? Storing And ♨️ Reheating
Room Temperature: I store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If I still have some on day 3, I move them to the fridge, where they stay fresh for about a week.
Freezing & Reheating Baked Cookies: For longer storage, I freeze the cookies once they’ve cooled completely. I place them in a freezer-safe bag or container, and they keep well for up to 3 months. When I’m ready to enjoy them, I just let the cookies thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Freezing The Dough: I love freezing the dough to have cookies ready whenever I want!
- Method 1: I roll the dough into a log, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and store it in an airtight container or freezer bag. When I’m ready to bake, I thaw the dough at room temperature, slice it into rounds, roll those into balls, refrigerate for 1 hour, and then bake as usual.
- Method 2: I scoop the dough into balls as directed in the recipe, freeze them on a tray until solid, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag. When I’m ready to bake, I place the frozen dough balls directly on a baking sheet and bake, adding 2-3 extra minutes to the baking time.
❓Recipe FAQs
I know my cookies are done when the edges are lightly golden and set, while the centers still look a little soft. The trick is to take them out before they’re fully firm because they’ll continue to set as they cool on the baking sheet. If you wait until they’re firm in the oven, they’re likely to end up over baked.
Hard cookies are usually caused by over-baking or using too much flour. To avoid this, I remove the cookies as soon as the edges turn golden. Additionally, if the dough feels dry before baking, try adding a little more milk.
Absolutely! You can use dehydrated fruit just like regular dried fruit. Simply add it to the dough as directed, no need for any extra steps.
For my recipe, soaking the cherries isn’t necessary. However, if your dried fruit feels extra dry or tough, soaking it can help rehydrate and soften it a bit. Soaking is completely optional and doesn’t dramatically change the texture or taste of these cookies.
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???? Recipe Card
Dried Fruit Cookies (Soft, Chewy, Easy!)
My chewy dried fruit cookies strike the perfect balance between wholesome and delicious. If you’re like me, you love indulgent treats that are still a little healthier and super easy to make. My recipe is exactly that – with half the amount of sugar and whole wheat flour, and featuring tart, dried cherries, and crunchy pecans. It’s perfect for anyone who loves a fruity dessert that’s ideal for the whole family and great for the holidays too!
Servings: 16 cookies
Calories: 199kcal
Shop Ingredients on Jupiter- Mix Separately: Mix wet ingredients and dry ingredients in separate bowls before combining.
- Be Mindful Of Bowl Size: Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, which means you’ll want to put the wet ingredients in a larger bowl.
- Use A Cookie Scoop: This handy kitchen tool helps you get perfectly uniform cookies.
- Refrigerate Cookie Balls Before Baking: This process solidifies the fat in the cookies. This means that when the cookies are baking, it will take longer for the chilled fat to melt than room temperature fat which will help keep the Christmas fruit cookies from spreading too much when they bake.
- For Crispier Cookies: If you prefer crispy dried fruit Christmas cookies, bake for closer to 10-12 minutes.
- Each cookie has 6 grams of added sugar, the remaining sugar is from the cherries.
- To make these cookies vegan, use coconut oil in place of the butter, a flax egg in place of the egg, and your choice of dairy free milk in place of the milk.
- To make these cookies gluten free, use gluten free oat flour.
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
Originally published in pickyeaterblog.com
