Talk about beautiful little delights. My Great-Aunt Renee is famous in the community for this cookie recipe. They’re excellent for when you want to jazz things up a bit for a big get-together or fancy party. Just remember that when you shape the cookies, you need to be gentle with them in the same way you should be gentle with your relationships. If you squeeze too hard, they break. If you handle them with care, something beautiful will emerge.
“Baking requires some TLC: trust, letting go, and composure. Try applying that thinking to your most intimate relationships.” Learn more about the Mind over Batter cookbook in our Q&A with the authors.
Ingredients
Servings 15 cookies
FILLING
- 1 lb [455 g] Medjool dates pitted
- 1 cup [120 g] walnuts chopped
- 1 tsp orange blossom water
COOKIES
- 2 cups [280 g] all-purpose flour
- 1 cup [160 g] semolina flour
- 1/2 cup [100 g] packed light brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp table salt
- 1 cup [220 g] unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup [120 to 180 ml] warm water about 110°F [45°C]
- 1 tsp rose water
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Nutritional Facts
Nutrition Facts
Let’s Go on a Date(-Stuffed) Cookies
Amount per Serving
Calories
373
% Daily Value*
Fat
18
g
28
%
Saturated Fat
8
g
50
%
Trans Fat
0.5
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
4
g
Monounsaturated Fat
4
g
Cholesterol
33
mg
11
%
Sodium
160
mg
7
%
Potassium
299
mg
9
%
Carbohydrates
52
g
17
%
Fiber
4
g
17
%
Sugar
27
g
30
%
Protein
5
g
10
%
Vitamin A
425
IU
9
%
Vitamin C
0.1
mg
0
%
Calcium
44
mg
4
%
Iron
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Instructions
TO MAKE THE FILLING:
- In a medium saucepan, add the dates and just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Simmer the dates for 20 minutes, or until they are softened. Do not drain any remaining water. Use a fork or potato masher to mash the dates into a paste, then add the walnuts and orange blossom water. Stir well to combine and set aside to cool.
TO MAKE THE COOKIES:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F [180°C].
- In a large bowl, whisk the flours, brown sugar, cinnamon, coriander, cardamon, and salt. Add the butter and use a handheld electric mixer on low speed to combine. The butter will not fully incorporate, and you will end up with a crumbly mixture. Don’t worry!
- Add 1/4 cup [60 ml] of the warm water and the rose water. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds, then add another 1/4 cup [60 ml] of warm water and continue to mix until well incorporated.
- Use your hands to knead the dough together into a ball. If the dough is too dry to fully incorporate the dry ingredients, add the remaining warm water, 1 Tbsp at a time, until the dough comes together.
- Cut the dough in half and turn each dough portion out onto a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to 1/4 in [6 mm] thickness. Use a 3 in [7.5 cm] cookie cutter to cut rounds out of the dough. Gather the scraps, re-roll the dough, and cut out more rounds until all the dough has been used.
- Place 2 tsp of the filling into the center of each round, spreading it horizontally into a strip. Use your fingers to gently bring the top and bottom edges of the cookie together, forming a tube shape around the filling.
- Place the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, or until they begin to turn golden. Remove them from the oven and allow to cool completely.
- Dust the cookies with powdered sugar just before serving. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
Reprinted with permission from Mind Over Batter: 75 Recipes for Baking as Therapy by Jack Hazan, © 2023. Published by Chronicle Books. Photographs © Lauren Volo.
