Another fabulous recipe shared to the Penna Community Recipe Box! This classic holiday recipe comes from Connie Dunwoody, or perhaps more accurately, Connie's Nanna, Geneva Walters. We have been warned that these confections go fast, so you may want to double the recipe. See Connie's notes for more on this. Thanks, Connie & Nanna Geneva!
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NANA'S HOLIDAY FRUIT & NUT DROPS
These are gonna go fast; you might want to consider doubling the recipe, but only if you have a seriously heavy duty mixer. Consume the remaining ½ cup of eggnog with your first “tasters.” A cook’s gotta have quality control, after all …
Yield: Well...it says 6 dozen but I make ‘em slightly larger than the recipe calls for. Say, 5 – 6 dozen.
NOTE! This recipe requires a one-hour chill time!
Don’t preheat (because chill time) but the oven will be set to 400F.
INGREDIENTS
1 c shortening (3/4 c Crisco and ¼ c butter)
2 c brown sugar (packed)
2 eggs
½ c soured milk, buttermilk or water (I use Chai-flavored soy milk or egg nog)
3-½ c flour
1 tsp salt
1 ½ c broken pecan pieces
2 c candied cherries, halved
2 c cut-up dates
1 c eggnog, divided (NOT TO BE COOKED WITH)
DIRECTIONS
Mix shortening, sugar and eggs together well. Stir in the milk. Sift the dry ingredients together, and stir in. Add pecans, cherries and dates.
*Chill at least one hour*
While the dough chills, hang some Christmas decorations, pour ½ c egg nog liberally into the cook, and listen to Christmas carols … soon you’ll be chillin’ like nobody’s business, too.
Heat oven to 400F. Drop rounded teaspoonfuls of dough about 2” apart on lightly greased baking sheet. Place a pecan half or half of candied cherry on each cookie, if desired. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until almost no imprint remains when touched lightly. If larger, 10 - 12 minutes at the outside.
Let cool slightly on the cookie tray, then transfer cookies to a cooling rack.