Date Cookies

5 from 2 votes

If you're a fan of oatmeal raisin cookies, you'll love these soft and chewy Oatmeal Date Cookies with a healthier twist. They're packed with hearty oats, crunchy pecans, and the natural sweetness of dates. They're freezer-friendly and customizable and as nutritious as they are delicious!

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Resting Time30

Total Time1

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings: cookies

Calories: 184kcal

Author: Christy Faber

Ingredients

1 cup butter room temperature
1 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
2 tablespoon molasses
2 large eggs room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups rolled oats
1 ½ cups dates chopped
1 cup pecans chopped

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the room temperature butter and sugar until thoroughly combined.
Add the room temperature eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add the molasses and vanilla, combining well.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, including the rolled oats, until evenly mixed.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
Gently fold in the chopped dates and pecans. Do not overmix.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). If your dough seems soft, chill for 30 minutes before rolling your cookies.
Using about 3 tablespoons of dough for each cookie, roll the dough into balls and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Add a few chopped dates to the top of each cookie for appearance if desired.
Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they are lightly golden around the edges but still slightly soft in the centre. (It takes closer to 12 minutes in my oven.)
Enjoy! (This recipe makes about 24-26 cookies.)

Notes

Measure the flour carefully and accurately. The best way to do this is to spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with the back of a knife.

Use light or "fancy" molasses. It's best for cookies.

Make sure your butter and eggs are at room temperature.

Purchase plump, moist dates. If the dates you have are slightly dry, you can soak them in warm water for a few minutes to rehydrate them before chopping and adding to the dough. Just be sure to remove all excess water.

If the finished dough is soft, chill for 30 minutes before rolling into balls.

Add a few bits of dates to the top of the cookies before baking for a finishing touch.

Keep a close eye on the cookies as they bake, especially towards the end of the baking time. Remove them from the oven when the edges are lightly golden brown for soft, chewy cookies.

For perfectly round cookies: place a round cookie cutter (or large drinking glass) that is slightly bigger than the cookies over each individual cookie while they're still warm and move the cookie around in a circular motion until the sides of the cookie are perfectly rounded.

Nutrition