Ingredients:
Cookie mixture:
– 125 g unsalted butter, softened
– 150 g brown sugar
– 50 g caster sugar
– 1 large egg
– 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
– 250 g plain flour
– ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
– ½ teaspoon baking powder
– 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
– ½ teaspoon mixed spice
– ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
– ¼ teaspoon salt
Christmas fruit and nuts:
– 100 g sultanas
– 75 g raisins, roughly chopped
– 75 g glace cherries, chopped
– 50 g mixed glace peel
– 60 g chopped walnuts or almonds
– 1 tablespoon orange juice
– Finely grated zest of 1 orange
Optional decoration:
– Extra chopped glace cherries
– A few chopped nuts
– A light dusting of icing sugar
Method:
1. Prepare the fruit: Place the sultanas, raisins, chopped glace cherries and mixed peel in a small bowl. Add the orange juice and orange zest. Stir and leave for 10–15 minutes to soften slightly. Drain off any excess liquid.
2. Preheat the oven: Preheat to 180°C conventional or 160°C fan-forced. Line two baking trays with baking paper.
3. Cream butter and sugars: Beat the softened butter, brown sugar and caster sugar in a large bowl until light and creamy.
4. Add egg and vanilla: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until smooth and combined.
5. Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, cinnamon, mixed spice, nutmeg and salt.
6. Make the dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing until a soft cookie dough forms.
7. Add fruit and nuts: Fold through the prepared dried fruit, glace cherries, mixed peel and chopped nuts until evenly distributed.
8. Shape the cookies: Roll tablespoon-sized portions of dough into balls. Place on the prepared trays, leaving approximately 5 cm between each cookie. Gently flatten each ball slightly.
9. Bake: Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centres still look slightly soft.
10. Cool: Leave the cookies on the baking trays for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
11. Decorate and serve: Add extra chopped cherries or nuts while slightly warm if desired. Dust with icing sugar once cooled.