Fruitcake Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter softened, 2 sticks
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar packed
• 2 large eggs
• 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 cups unbleached all purpose flour bleached flour toughens baked goods - see note below about flour amount
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 cups fruitcake
• 1 cup candied cherries diced
• 1 cup dried apricots diced
• 1 cup chips pecan, not chopped pecans, these are very finely diced pecans
• 32 ounces vanilla frosting tubs
• 60 whole pecan halves
• colored sugar red and green, crystals for decoration, if desired, optional