Russian Rocks

Russian Rocks

These were a must have Christmas cookie at Nina’s house. She would store them in a large antique glass apothecary jar.  We make them every year, too, sometimes more than once! They hold well and will pack for mailing, but nothing is better than a Russian Rock, fresh from the oven. I still have Nina’s jar, but now we keep them in the freezer for freshness. 

These cookies are almost like tiny fruitcakes, but they are addictively good. They are pretty healthy, being mostly nuts and dried fruit. I have been successful in making these with Splenda Brown Sugar for a low sugar cookie. I use less of the artificial sweetener – just one cup, but everything else stays the same.

We have found that a ½ ounce cookie scoop works very well with these cookies. They are small, but just the right size for a one or two bite cookie. You can find measured scoops at a kitchen supply store or in a well-stocked housewares department. They look like ice cream scoops and the best ones are all metal (the plastic ones don’t hold up to stiffer dough). Hint: Put the dough in the refrigerator for an hour and it will come out of the scoop easier. 

Fresh pecans and fresh spices make a big difference in these cookies. We always buy new spices and the current year's pecans before the big Christmas Cookie baking event. Though we have tried using whole spices and grinding them ourselves, we don't do that anymore. There is just no way to get the spices, especially whole cloves, ground fine enough. You will always have tiny woody pieces in the dough. 

Yield: 5 dozen 

cookie sheet, lined with parchment or a silicone mat

 350°

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup brown sugar

1 cup butter

3 eggs, beaten

2 ¾ cup flour

1 tsp soda

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp cloves

1 tsp vanilla

1 lb raisins (we sub Craisins here)

1 lb pecans, chopped

1 cup chopped dates

Instructions:

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs. Mix dry ingredients and add alternately with the beaten eggs. Fold in raisins, pecans and dates. Drop by teaspoonfuls on cookie sheet. Bake for 17 minutes. Watch them carefully, they burn easily.