Rum Fruitcake Cookies –

This is a variation on a time honored Southern tradition.

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened (1 cup)
168 g sugar (3/4 cup)
168 g dark brown sugar (3/4 cup)
3 eggs, separated
340 g all-purpose flour (3 cups)
450 g mixed candied fruit (about 1 lb)
225 g shelled pecans, chopped (about 1/2 lb)
3 g cinnamon (1 tsp)
2 g nutmeg (1/2 tsp)
3 g salt (1/2 tsp)
22 g dark rum (2 Tbs)
5 g baking soda dissolved in 10 g hot water – (1 tsp in 1 Tbs)

Cream together butter and sugar; beat in egg yolks.

Mix in then everything except the egg whites.

Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into the batter. Drop onto greased cookie sheet by the tablespoonful. Warning: This stuff is sticky, lube even non-stick sheets.

Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.

{Herself Sez: Wow – are these ever good! I’m going to suggest to Himself that he soak the fruit in the rum for an hour or so before he uses them. Makes a big difference – keeps a slightly stronger rum flavor in the cookies, and softens the fruit. Since I’m a pecan freak, I’ll also ask for a few grams more pecans, but I doubt he’ll go for that!}