Thanksgiving is over, and Christmas will be here before you know it! This is the time of year when I begin to stockpile various cookie doughs in my freezer to bake in the coming weeks. I’ll be posting a few of my favorites here, starting off with my Great Aunt Pearl’s Date Cookies.
The dough:
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
The filling:
- 10 ounces package of pitted dates
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- Chop the dates, combine the filling ingredients in a sauce pan, and cook over medium heat until it thickens – about 15 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat. When mixture has cooled to room temperature, stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.
- Sift flour, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. Combine butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a bowl and with an electric mixer, beat until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, and gradually mix in flour. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour.
- Divide dough in half.
- On a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, roll out dough to make a 10″ x 12″ rectangle, trimming the edges with a knife. Spread half the filling on the dough, and from the 12″ side, roll into a log. Repeat with the other half of the dough. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for one hour (or freeze for later use).
- Preheat oven to 350º. Cut 1/4″ slices from the logs, and place on a parchment line baking sheet one inch apart. Bake for 15 minutes, let the cookies cool on a wire rack. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days. Makes about 5 dozen.
