Aunt Hazel's Fruit Cake Cookies

My great aunt, Hazel Hebert Benoit, was an excellent cook and a wonderful lady. I always looked forward to her fruit cake cookies at Christmas. She's no longer with us, but she lives on through these wonderful, cake-like, not-too-sweet, cookies. They've become a family tradition and I'm sharing them so that they may become a tradition in your home for generations to come.

(I haven't baked any, yet, this year. As soon as I do, this post will be updated with photos.)

Ingredients

1 lb candied, mixed fruit. Usually found in the produce section during the holiday season
1 t baking soda dissolved in 1/2 c milk
1/2 c all purpose flour
1/2 stick butter or margarine
3 c chopped pecans (or more)
1/2 c brown sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
1 c all purpose flour
2 t cinnamon or spices
1/3 c orange juice

Directions

Dredge fruits in 1/2 c flour. Cream butter and add sugar. Mix until fluffy. Add in fruit mixture. Add eggs and mix well. Add remaining flour and spices, soda/milk mixture, and orange juice. Mix well.

Drop by teaspoon onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 min.

Yield: approx. 3 dozen