Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line sheet pans with parchment paper; set aside.
In a medium bowl, stir together the chopped candied fruit with a few tablespoons of the flour.
This will prevent the fruit from sticking together later. Set aside.
Whisk together the spices, remaining flour, and baking soda. Set aside.
Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, then milk and juice. Add the dry ingredients, then fold in the nuts, floured fruit and raisins. The dough will almost seem more like a cake batter than a cookie dough in consistency - that is ok, it's how it is supposed to be.
Drop by spoonfuls about 1 inch apart (cookies will not spread much at all) on the prepared cookie sheets. If your spoonfuls are particularly rounded, I recommend patting them down slightly with a spatula. Bake for about 18-20 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool for 2 minutes on the cookie sheets before transferring to a rack to cool completely.
Notes
Cookies will last about 2 weeks at room temperature, longer in the freezer. Cookies will get even better as they age, so do not hesitate to make them a few days before you plan to serve them.The original recipe makes 120 cookies. I chose to halve it to produce a more manageable amount, but if you are baking for a crowd, simply double all of the ingredients.