Fruitcake Cookies

Starting in late October, I create a document where I copy and paste Christmas cookie ideas for the year. I generally try to make about 6-8 of the old favorites and 6-8 new cookies. Since my Kitchenaid mixer didn't make it to Boise, along with my rolling pin, silpat, cookie cutters and a few other baking essentials, I had to rethink the list. While I normally make Gingerbread men cut outs, sugar cookie Christmas trees, chocolate sugar cookie snowflakes and spritz cookies, they weren't an option this year.

As I was noting recipes I thought to myself how it would be fun to make a certain cookie that each member of my family would really like. So over the next few days you'll see different cookies that I made hoping to make each family member feel extra special!

First up is my husband! He is one of the only people I know who love fruitcake. Seriously... So when I saw these Ina cookies I knew they'd be a hit with him. I made a few small changes to the original recipe. First, I couldn't get dried figs at the store and I didn't feel like trying another so I used dates. Turns out my husband prefers dates! Next, I soaked the fruit/nuts in Bourbon rather than sherry. Lastly I left out the candied cherries and used dried cherries instead. Do not be afraid of these cookies, yes Fruitcake is a polarizing thing, but they're so good! They plethora of dried fruit and nuts is just lightly held together with a brown sugary dough, totally delicious!

Fruitcake Cookies

loosely based on Ina Garten's recipe 

1 c. diced dried dates
1 c. diced dried apricots
1/2 c. golden raisins
1/2 c. dried cherries, chopped
1/2 c. dried cranberries
3 tbsp. Bourbon
1 tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp. lemon zest
3/4 c. chopped pecans
1 c. butter, softened
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
2/3 c. light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
2 2/3 c. all purpose flour

Toss dried fruit and pecans in a bowl, drizzle with bourbon, lemon juice and zest, add a pinch of kosher salt.
Cover and let fruit sit overnight at room temperature.
Cream butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
Add egg and cloves, mix well.
Add flour and mix until it is just combined, do not overmix.
Add fruit mixture and gently fold to distribute evenly.
Chill dough for at least one hour.
Preheat oven to 350*
Scoop dough by heaping tablespoons full into palms, roll into a ball then gently flatten into a disc, place 2" apart on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
Bake for 15-17 minutes until golden brown.
Cool on a metal rack and store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Deep Dish Apple Bourbon Streusel Pie

Last weekend I invited some friends over for dinner, but they weren't just any friends. They were the one and only couple I've ever set up on a blind date, and they're still together 18 months later! I'm really proud, obviously. They like to cook, so during the week before dinner, we threw around ideas and had a few dishes we each could make. We ended up with quite an eclectic menu, but it was all so delicious. 

For dessert, I went to the Williams-Sonoma website for some ideas, and the recipe on the front of the 'desserts' tab looked perfect. This pie is meant to feed a crowd, but it was just the four of us, so I cut the recipe in half. I also added some old fashioned oats to the crumbly topping because I think all streusel toppings need it! The only difficult part of making this pie was choosing a bourbon from my husbands collection. For the record, I went with Maker's Mark because he has 2 bottles, and wouldn't miss a few tablespoons! 

Deep-Dish Apple Bourbon Streusel Pie

just slightly adapted from this Williams-Sonoma recipe

Dough: 

1 3/4 c. unbleached all purpose flour

1 tbsp. granulated sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

8 tbsp. butter, very cold (or frozen)

1 egg yolk

1/4 c. ice water

Filling:

3 lbs. baking apples (I used 1.5 lbs. Golden Delicious, 1.5 lbs. Gala)

1/3 c. packed light brown sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. fresh grated nutmeg

2 tbsp. cornstarch

1 tsp. vanilla extract

pinch of kosher salt

2 tbsp. bourbon

Streusel:

1/4 c. unbleached all purpose flour

1/2 c. old fashioned oats

1/4  c. packed light brown sugar

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 c. chopped pecans

4 tbsp. very cold butter (or frozen)

To make dough:

Add flour, sugar and salt to a mixing bowl.

Using a box grater, grate butter into the flour mixture, toss with a fork to distribute.

Add egg yolk and 1 tbsp. water, toss dough with a fork, when it begins to come together, quickly mix with fingertips, be careful to keep butter pieces in tact. 

Add water by the tbsp. to moisten flour just until dough comes together.

Form into a disc and wrap in saran wrap.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes to a day in advance.

Prepare filling:

Add all ingredients except apples to a large mixing bowl.

Peel apples, core and slice into 1/4" slices.

Toss apples with sugar mixture, coat pieces evenly.

Prepare streusel:

Add all ingredients except butter and nuts to a mixing bowl.

Grate butter into streusel, use a fork to distribute evenly.

Add nuts, stir with a fork.

Place streusel in the refrigerator while preparing pie.

Preheat oven to 350*

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into shape of your baking dish (I used a deep pie dish).

Place pie crust into baking dish, flute edges by pinching.

Pour apple mixture into pie crust, scrape out all of the syrup and drizzle over apples evenly. 

Crumble streusel mixture on top.

Place pie in the oven and bake for 40 minutes.

Check to see if top has browned too much, if so, cover with aluminum foil.

When crust is golden, top is browned and apples ooze up the sides, remove from the oven (timing depends on shape of your baking dish)

Cool and serve warm to room temperature with vanilla ice cream, if desired.