Christmas Rocks
Submitted by missy
Old-fashioned Christmas Rocks cookies bursting with candied fruit, dates, figs, pecans, raisins, and currants in a cocoa-spiced batter with a hint of coffee. Dense, chewy, and built to last.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
20 minREADY
30 minChristmas Rocks are the fruitcake lover’s cookie. Dense, bumpy, and packed so full of fruit and nuts that the batter is just barely holding the whole thing together.
Candied pineapple, citron, orange peel, dates, figs, cherries, raisins, currants, and a full pound of pecans get folded into a cocoa-laced, heavily spiced dough spiked with cold strong coffee.
Drop them in walnut-sized mounds and bake until the tops set. They come out looking rough and craggy, like little rocks. Hence the name.
Store them in an airtight tin with a wedge of apple to keep them soft and chewy for weeks.
Kitchen Tips
- Toss the cut fruit in flour before adding to the batter. This prevents everything from sinking to the bottom of each cookie.
- Use a wooden spoon for the final mix. The batter gets so thick with fruit and nuts that an electric mixer can’t handle it.
- Drop small mounds. Walnut-sized means walnut-sized. Bigger cookies don’t bake evenly and stay raw in the center.
- Store with an apple wedge. A small piece of apple in the tin adds just enough moisture to keep the cookies soft without making them soggy.
Ingredients
Directions
- Heat oven to 350℉ (180℃). Have ready ungreased or parchment-lined baking sheet(s).
Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and spices.
Cut candied fruits, dates and figs into small pieces and toss with a small amount of the flour mixture.
Combine in a large bowl with the pecans, raisins and currants.
Set aside.
- Beat butter and sugar in large bowl of electric mixer on high Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the coffee. Stop the mixer and add the flour mixture. Mix on low speed just until combined. Using a wooden spoon, fold in the fruit and nut mixture to coat all the pieces.
- Drop batter onto baking sheet in walnut-size mounds leaving Bake until set and tops are lightly browned, 14 to 16 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container, with a small wedge of apple to keep them soft. The cookies may be glazed or sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.
Comments
