Christmas Cookies #3: Spiced Brown-Sugar Fruit Drops

These delicious cookies are dainty enough for a tea party and yet hearty enough for afternoon snacks. They have a rich, delicately spiced brown-sugar flavor and are filled with pecans, dates, and raisins. If the cookies are not over baked, they have a better flavor and remain soft for a longer period of time.



Makes about 30 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp apple pie spice
• 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp.) butter, room temperature
• 1 cup dark-brown sugar
• 1 tsp orange zest
• 1 large egg
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 Tbsp. milk (or orange juice for dairy free)
• 1/3 chopped pecans
• 1/3 chopped dates
• 1/3 cup seedless raisins
• glacé cherries, halved

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and apple pie spice, set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter on medium-low speed until smooth, about one minute. Add the dark-brown sugar, orange zest, increase the speed to medium and beat until slightly fluffy, about 1 minute, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix in the egg, and vanilla extract, then add flour mixture alternately with milk. Stir in nuts and fruit.

Drop from a teaspoon, 1 inch apart, onto lightly greased baking trays. Push half of a glacé cherry in the top of each cookie. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until browned around the edges. Do not bake too brown. Cool and store airtight.