Date cookies are soft and chewy cookies filled with naturally sweet and sticky dates, cinnamon and chopped nuts. This date cookie recipe is as easy to make as any other drop cookie and makes the perfect sweet treat.
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Why Should You Make This Recipe
I love a buttery cookie filled with an fun and unexpectedly healthier ingredient. A few of my favorite cookie recipes from the blog are my Pistachio Cookies, Coconut Pecan Cookies and Almond Flour Cookies. These date pecan cookies are another recipe I know you will love.
- They are quick and easy to make. All you need to do is bring the butter and eggs to room temperature, mix the ingredients, chill for about an hour, then scoop, bake and eat.
- Layers of flavor and texture. From the soft and buttery drop cookie dough, to the sweet, caramel-y dates and crunchy toasted pecans, these date cookies are full of delicious flavors and textures.
Ingredients
This date cookie recipe requires only a handful of simple ingredients to make and you probably already have them in your pantry and fridge. Here’s what you’ll need.
- Dry Ingredients: Gather all purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
- Wet Ingredients: Gather unsalted butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, an egg and egg yolk, vanilla extract, chopped pitted dares and chopped toasted nuts.
Substitutions
These buttery nut cookies with dates are as easy to make as they are delicious. Here are my recommended substitutions to make these date cookies if you need them.
- All purpose flour: Make these date and nut filled cookies gluten free by using a good 1-1 gluten free flour. I recommend using the one from Bob’s Red Mill. Measure based off the weight of the flour (180 g) versus cup for cup.
- Baking Soda: This recipe hasn’t been tested using baking powder as a replacement for baking soda.
- Cornstarch: Using cornstarch helps to prevent the cookies from spreading too much, as well as giving them an extra chewiness.
- Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon and dates are a perfect match of flavors. Feel free to omit or use another ground spice you like.
- Granulated Sugar and Light Brown Sugar: Maple sugar would also work well to make this refined sugar free.
- Unsalted Butter: Vegan butter or plant based can also be used in place of regular unsalted butter.
- Eggs: This recipe has not been tested without eggs.
- Vanilla Extract: This is more for background flavor and nicely enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Dates: Feel free to use your preferred dates. I love using pitted medjool dates from Trader Joes.
- Pecans: To make these cookies even easier, I like to use dry roasted or oven roasted pecans. If you prefer to toast raw pecans, make sure to allow time for the pecans to cool before chopping and mixing into the cookie dough. Walnuts or pistachios are a good substitute for pecans in this cookie recipe.
Variations
- Coconut Date Cookies: Use my Coconut Pecan Cookies recipe and add 1 cup chopped dates to the cookies dough.
- Oatmeal Date Cookies: Use my recipe for Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies. Replace the dried cranberries with 1 ½ cups chopped dates.
How To Make
Learn how to make date cookies in a few easy steps.
- In a mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, cinnamon and salt until well combined. Set aside for now. Place slices of cold butter in a microwave safe bowl. Heat the butter for 30 seconds. Some of the butter will melt, while other slices remain mostly whole.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream together the partially melted butter, light brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium speed for 2 - 3 minutes or until the butter and sugars are well combined. On low, cream in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Gently fold in the chopped dates and nuts until just combined. Cover the cookie dough and transfer to the fridge to chill for 1 - 2 hours.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C) for about 30 minutes before baking the cookies. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a medium cookie scoop (2 tablespoons, 30 ml), scoop the cookie dough into balls. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are set and are a light golden brown. Within the first few seconds of removing the cookies from the oven, use a large biscuit cutter (wider than the cookies) to help shape any cookies back into a more round shape. Cool the date stuffed cookies on the baking sheet for 3 - 4 minutes.
How To Make Ahead, Store, Freeze and Thaw
- Make Ahead: Prepare the date and nut filled cookies through to the chilling step and decide which storage method meets your needs. If you plan to make the cookies within 1-2 days of making the dough, storing the dough in the fridge in an airtight container is fine. For longer storage, I recommend freezing the cookie dough wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in an air tight container. To thaw the dough, transfer the dough to thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Store: Place the date cookies in an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: Make sure the cookies are completely cooled to room temperature. Individually wrap each cookie in plastic wrap and place in a ziplock bag. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Thaw: The easiest and tastiest way to thaw the date filled cookies is to let them sit out at room temperature until thawed.
M’s Expert Tips
- Measure the flour properly. I highly recommend using a food scale to get perfectly measured ingredients every time.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Always use the lowest speed on your electric mixer or mix in the dry ingredients by hand. Make sure to mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.
- Don’t fret if the dates are hard, do this instead. If the dates are hard, soak them in hot water. Add dates to a bowl filled with hot water. Allow them to sit for 5 - 10 minutes. Remove the dates from the hot water and dry them very well before using them in to make the date nut cookies.
- For more flavor, lightly toast the nuts. Add nuts to a clean skillet. Heat over low-medium heat until fragrant. Remove the nuts from the heat and cool to room temperature before using in the cookie recipe.
- Give your cookies a “cookie scoot.” Within the first few seconds of removing the cookies from the oven, use a large biscuit cutter (wider than the cookies) to help shape any cookies back into a more round shape. Place the cutter over the cookies so the edges of the cookie are inside the cookie/ biscuit cutter. In a circular motion, gently nudge the edges back into a round shape.
FAQs
These buttery date filled cookies are filled with many of the same ingredients as your favorite drop cookies such as chocolate chip cookies. However, dates provide so many nutrients that are very good for you. Dates are a great source of calcium, iron, magnesium, niacin, potassium, copper and vitamins B6 and K.
Date cookies are regular drop cookies like chocolate chip cookies but are filled with dates. Another type of date cookie can be similar to shortbread cookies with flecks of chopped dates mixed into the dough. Yet another type of date cookie is made entirely of dates mixed with almond flour.
If the dates are hard, soak them in hot water. Add dates to a bowl filled with hot water. Allow them to sit for 5 - 10 minutes. Remove the dates from the hot water and dry them very well before using them in to make any date recipe.
I find that a medium cookie scoop, with about 2 tablespoons of cookie dough makes the perfect cookie. However, you can make a small (1 tablespoon) cookie if you like. Bake this size cookie for about 8 - 10 minutes. For a larger cookie, use a large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons, 45 ml) and bake for 12 - 14 minutes.
Chilling the dough allows the flour to hydrate and prevent the cookies from spreading too much. This date cookie recipe needs some chilling time to get the best results.
Other Date Recipes to Try
If you try this Date Cookies recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! - M
Date Cookies
Equipment
- 1 mixing bowl
- 1 microwave safe bowl
- 1 stand mixer with paddle attachment or electric hand mixer with beaters
- 2 baking sheets
- 2 sheets parchment paper
- 1 medium (2 tablespoon, 30 ml) cookie scoop optional
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (180 g) all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon optional
- ½ cup (113 g) softened butter
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (50 g) chopped pecans or pistachios
- 1 cup (140 g) chopped Medjool dates
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, cinnamon and salt until well combined. Set aside for now.1½ cups (180 g) all purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon cornstarch, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Place slices of cold butter in a microwave safe bowl. Heat the butter for 30 seconds. Some of the butter will melt, while other slices remain mostly whole.½ cup (113 g) softened butter
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream together the partially melted butter, light brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium speed for 2 - 3 minutes or until the butter and sugars are well combined. On low, cream in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar , 1 large egg, room temperature, 1 large egg yolk, room temperature, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Gently fold in the chopped dates and nuts until just combined. Cover the cookie dough and transfer to the fridge to chill for 1 - 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C) for about 30 minutes before baking the cookies. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a medium cookie scoop (2 tablespoons, 30 ml), scoop the cookie dough into balls.½ cup (50 g) chopped pecans or pistachios, 1 cup (140 g) chopped Medjool dates
- Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are set and are a light golden brown. Within the first few seconds of removing the cookies from the oven, use a large biscuit cutter (wider than the cookies) to help shape any cookies back into a more round shape. Cool the date stuffed cookies on the baking sheet for 3 - 4 minutes.
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