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These oatmeal date cookies are easy and unique. With tahini and walnuts, these date cookies have a subtle nutty flavor that complement the sweetness very well.
Dates are a staple in our home, we enjoy them as a midday snack or use them in different recipes. Some of my favorite date recipes are tahini date cake, date balls and of course, maamoul (date filled cookies). It was just a matter of time until I added dates to my oatmeal cookies, and, of course, I worked tahini and walnuts into the recipe because, well, this combination is a no-brainer. Follow along to learn how I make the best cookies with dates and walnuts, using a handful of pantry staples.
Table of Contents
Ingredients For Oatmeal Date Cookies
- Butter: Use unsalted butter for this recipe. Melt the butter and let it cool completely.
- Tahini: Also known as sesame seed paste, tahini adds a lot of flavor to these cookies. You can use homemade tahini or store-bought.
- Brown sugar: Use dark or light brown sugar, if not available, granulated sugar works too.
- Egg: You need one egg at room temperature.
- Old fashioned oats: Make sure you’re using old fashioned oats. Quick oats won’t work for this recipe as they would change the texture.
- Flour: All purpose flour works best in this recipe. You can also use gluten-free all purpose flour but not almond flour as it would change the texture.
- Dates: I use medjool dates to make these cookies.
- Walnuts: Chop the walnuts into small pieces. Alternatively, you can use pecans, almonds or simply leave the nuts out.
How To Make Oatmeal Date Cookies
- In a bowl mix the melted butter with tahini and brown sugar until well combined. Add in the egg and mix again.
- Add in the flour, oats, baking powder and salt and combine well using a spatula. Mix in the chopped dates and walnuts until all is well incorporated. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon, scoop out the cookies and place them on the baking sheet, leaving 2 inches of space between each cookie.
- Bake in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes until they are lightly golden at the bottom. Let the date cookies sit for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack.
Tips For Making Oatmeal Date Cookies
- Use quality ingredients: Your cookie is going to be as delicious as the ingredients you use. That doesn’t mean you should use expensive ingredients, just make sure that they are good quality.
- Substitutions: Baking is science and every items substituted can alter the flavor and texture of the cookies. If you use maple syrup instead of brown sugar, the cookies might not hold their shape. Using almond flour instead of regular flour will alter the texture of the cookies as well as flavor.
- Spices: I’ve made these cookies with the addition of cinnamon and nutmeg and loved the flavor. It’s an optional addition but adds a nice warm flavor.
Storage
Store the oatmeal date cookies in an airtight container and keep at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 10 days.
To freeze raw cookie dough, scoop out the cookie onto a baking sheet, there is no need to leave spaces between the dough balls. Freeze for one hour until they are solid. Place them in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, place the frozen cookie balls on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 350 for 15 to 18 minutes until they are a bit golden around the edges.
To freeze baked cookies, let the cookies cool completely, then place them in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 6 months. Let them come to room temperature before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can keep the cookie dough in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. You can also bake the cookies up to a day ahead of time.
You can use chopped pecans or almonds, or you can just leave the nuts out.
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Oatmeal Date Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter , melted and cooled
- 4 tbsp tahini
- 2/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 6 medjool dates , chopped
- 2/3 cup walnuts , chopped
Instructions
- In a bowl mix the cooled melted butter with tahini and brown sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Add in the egg and vanilla extract. Then mix again to combine.
- To the wet ingredients add the old fashioned oats, flour, baking powder and salt. Give it a good mix using a spatula. Add in the chopped dates and walnuts, mix again to combine completely. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop out the cookies onto the baking sheet using a tablespoon or a cookie scoop. Leave about 2 inches between each cookie to give them enough space to spread.
- Bake in the oven for 12 minutes until they are slightly brown around the edges.
- Take the baking sheet out of the oven, let the cookies cool for 10 minutes and then transfer them to a cooling rack.
Video
Notes
- You can use gluten-free flour and gluten-free oatmeal, however, keep in mind that using almond flour will change the texture and flavor of the cookies.
- It’s possible to leave out the walnuts if needed.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container and keep at room temperature for 2 das or refrigerate for up to 10 days. You can also freeze baked cookies for up to 6 months.
- To freeze cookie dough, scoop out the cookies onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, there is no need to leave any space between the cookies. Freeze the dough balls for one hour so they become solid, transfer them to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the frozen cookies balls on the baking sheet and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until they are slightly brown around the edges.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Loved the dates in this oatmeal cookie recipe – a natural sweetness that makes these cookies extra special. The tahini did add just the right amount of additional flavor.
The natural sweetness of the dates really shined through in this recipe. It was so good!
Such a unique recipe. I loved the textures in these cookies!
I love when cookies have healthier ingredients in them! It makes me feel better about indulging!
Made these delicious cookies for the family and we all loved them. Thank you for this great recipe. I know I will be using it over and over.