Do you like Christmas fruitcake? Or do you just pretend to? Some people look forward to making or receiving fruitcakes at this time of year. Other people dread the prospect of eating fruitcake yet again.

If you’ve been faking enjoyment of Christmas fruitcake all these years and would really rather not eat any more of it, I think I have a solution for you:

Make Christmas fruitcake cookies instead.

I hit upon this idea years ago and have never looked back. I liked some of the ingredients in fruitcake, but was never fond of the dense, molasses-y cake surrounding them.

With fruitcake cookies, however, you keep the best parts of fruitcake and add more butter. You also omit the ingredients that are unpalatable to you. The recipe is thereby transformed into something completely new. What results is a scrumptious cookie that is a crowd pleaser whenever I serve it.

In the same way, isn’t that sort of what God does in our lives? When we become believers in Jesus, God keeps the best parts of us and adds the Holy Spirit. As we become more like Jesus, the unpalatable aspects of us are gradually left behind: our impatience, pride, lack of generosity, selfishness, etc.

Our character is transformed:

“Don’t copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.” (Romans 12:2a)

We become a new creation:

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

The result is that His light shines through us and we are a blessing to others wherever we go.

Sweet!

It just so happens that we have some Christmas fruitcake cookies in The Faith Cafe’s dessert showcase. I’m including the recipe at the bottom of this post if you’d like to make them yourself over the holidays.

In the meantime, I’d like to thank you for being part of our first Christmas here at The Faith Cafe. I’m so gratified that this blog has received visitors from around the world, and I hope that each and every one of you has a blessed Christmas.

May Jesus’ gift of love be your gift this Christmas!

“For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.
“And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“ ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!’ ” (Luke 2:11-14)

Warmest Christmas wishes, and God bless!

Christmas Fruitcake Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves, freshly ground
1 8-oz pkg pitted honey dates, chopped
2-3 cups chopped pecans
1 cup candied ginger, chopped
2 8-oz pkgs red and green glacé cherries, quartered

Preheat oven to 375º F. Lightly grease cookie sheet, or use silicone baking mat. If you can fit two cookies sheets in your oven side-by-side, do so.

With an electric mixer, cream butter; gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat well.

In another bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda and spices; gradually add to creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. Put the fruits and nuts in a very large bowl and add the batter to it. The dough will be stiff and it won’t look as though there’s enough dough for the amount of fruits and nuts: this is normal.

Drop dough by tablespoons onto cookie sheet(s). Aim for about 24 cookies per sheet. Using a fork and your fingers, pat the dough into low, even rounds.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until just golden. Remove to wire racks to cool.

If you only used one cookie sheet at a time, run cold water on the underside of it to cool it down so you can use it for the next batch. Re-grease the cookie sheet, if needed. (It usually takes me 3 batches to bake all the dough.)

Makes 5-6 dozen cookies.

© 2019 Lori J. Cartmell. All rights reserved.