When you hear "fruitcake," you probably envision a dry, dense cake that arrives by mail during the holidays. The fruit-filled loaf has a bad rep, and it’s time to change that. These five delicious recipes dismantle everything you thought you hated about fruitcake.

"For anybody who doesn’t like fruitcake, forget it. You'll love these," says Ina Garten. And we believe her. Sherry-soaked fruit is infinitely more appealing when encased in buttery cookie dough with crunchy pecans and a touch of lemon.

Chocolate is always a good idea. Part brownie, part cookie, these fudgy bites are the perfect capsules for dried apricots and pears. Instead of soaking it overnight, zap dried fruit in the microwave with a combination of brandy and rum.

Fruitcake fans who don’t like actually making fruitcake, this no-bake recipe is for you. Small in size but big in flavor, each sugar-rolled ball is filled with spiked dried dates, figs, cranberries, toasted pecans and candied citrus.

Scroll through Alton Brown's 5-star recipe and you'll quickly discover how special it is. The brandy-soaked loaf has become a tradition for many families.

So you’ve been gifted a fruitcake, and you don’t like fruitcake. Here’s what you do: Crumble it up and make fruitcake granola. When it's piled on top of yogurt swirled with blueberry sauce, you’ll forget you're eating the maligned dessert.