Recipe: Perfect Fruit and Nut Cookies

Fruit and Nut Cookies. These cookies are absolutely delicious, and it's fun to mix it up with the fruit and nut combos. (Apricot and dried cranberry with walnuts is a current favorite.) They're a big hit at bake sales too! Transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool. Cream butter, shortening and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. The cookies don't spread too much so you should be able to fit a fair few on each baking tray.

If you can resist the temptation, allow to cool before eating. With the nuts and dried fruit the log isn't the easiest to slice. Wrap in waxed paper or clear wrap and chill overnight or until firm. You can have Fruit and Nut Cookies using 9 ingredients and 7 steps. Here is how you cook it.

Ingredients of Fruit and Nut Cookies

1. Prepare 125 grams of Butter, chopped.
2. You need 75 grams of Caster sugar.
3. You need 75 grams of Brown sugar.
4. You need 1 of no Egg, beaten.
5. You need 185 grams of Plain flour.
6. You need 1/4 teaspoon of Baking soda.
7. Prepare 1 teaspoon of Vanilla essence.
8. You need 1 cup of Cashew nuts, chopped (lightly roasted).
9. Prepare 1/3 cup of Raisins, halved.

The red and green make a great Christmas cookie. Have used other nuts instead of pistachios with success. Close Beth's Spicy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. Add the flour, nuts, and fruit, and stir until just combined.

Fruit and Nut Cookies instructions

1. Preheat oven at 160°C for 10 minutes..
2. Beat butter, sugars, egg and vanilla essence in a bowl with electric mixer until smooth. Stir in sifted flour and baking soda mixture. Add cashew nuts and raisins, mix well..
3. Drop level tablespoons of mixture about 5 cm apart onto a baking paper lined oven tray, press down lightly. Bake for 15 minutes or until browned. Stand cookies 2 minutes before lifting onto wire rack to cool..
4. NOTES - Sift together the flour and baking soda..
5. Any kind of fruit and nut can be substituted for cashew nuts and raisins. The original recipe calls for walnuts and choc bits..
6. For measuring fruit and nut i used 250 ml measuring cup..
7. Recipe source - cafe cakes by Australian Women's Weekly..

Lightly grease two baking sheets, or line with parchment. These delicious cookies are a real treat, especially in the summer time. The shortbread has the right amount of sweetness, subtly spiced with cardamom and a fragrant zing of lemon-y zest. They make for a perfect accompaniment with a cup of tea or coffee or just serve them as a dessert. Eastern Europeans use nuts in every course of the meal, but nuts really shine in their desserts and cookies.