Description
Delight in these Sweet Date Cookies featuring soft, caramel-like Medjool dates baked into a tender, cinnamon-spiced dough. Perfectly balanced with brown and granulated sugars, these cookies offer a comforting blend of sweetness and warm spices, ideal for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Dates
- 1 cup chopped Medjool dates
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Prepare Dates: Remove pits from Medjool dates and chop them into small pieces. If the dates are dry, soak them in warm water for 10 minutes to soften, then pat them dry thoroughly to avoid excess moisture in the dough.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, use a mixer to cream together the softened unsalted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, ensuring a smooth and aerated base for your cookies.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Incorporate the large egg and vanilla extract into the creamed butter and sugars, mixing until the batter is smooth and homogenous, which helps bind the dough together.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening agent and spices throughout the flour.
- Combine Dry and Wet Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until a soft, cohesive dough forms. Be careful not to overmix to keep the cookies tender.
- Fold in Dates: Gently fold the chopped dates into the dough using a spatula, ensuring even distribution without crushing the dates.
- Shape and Chill Dough: Scoop the dough into balls and arrange them spaced apart on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to prevent spreading during baking.
- Bake Cookies: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the chilled dough balls for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown and the centers are set, indicating the cookies are perfectly baked.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes to firm up before transferring them to a wire rack for complete cooling. This ensures they hold their shape and have the ideal texture.
Notes
- Soaking dried dates softens them and prevents dried-out cookie centers.
- Chilling the dough helps maintain the cookies’ shape and avoid excessive spreading during baking.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- For a nutty twist, consider adding 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans to the dough.
