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Fruit and Nut Cookies

Stash a few of these hearty cookies into a backpack on your next hiking trip. They are packed with wholesome dried fruits and nuts. For variety, try other combinations of dried fruit and nuts: Bananas, mangoes, and macadamias lend a tropical note; hazelnuts and pecans go well with figs, pears, and cranberries.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes about 3 dozen

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
1 1/2 cups chopped dried apricots
1 1/2 cups chopped dates
1 1/2 cups chopped macadamia nuts
1 1/2 cups chopped pistachios

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.

    Step 2

    Put butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until smooth. Add sugars, and mix until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs one at a time until combined; mix in vanilla.

    Step 3

    Reduce mixer speed to low. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined. Stir in coconut, apricots, dates, macadamias, and pistachios.

    Step 4

    Drop batter, 2 heaping tablespoons at a time, onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly. Bake cookies until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer on parchment to a wire rack to cool. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days.

Martha Stewart's Cookies
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