Date Cookies

by Zehorit Heilicher, Tastemaker in Residence   

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Prep time: 00:35

Cook time: 00:45

Unit SystemUSmetric

Dough

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

31/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Filling

16 ounces dates, pitted and chopped

1 cup orange juice

4 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed

3 tablespoons orange blossom water

Recipe Steps

  1. Make filling: Place dates and orange juice in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer while stirring often until a thick smooth paste is formed. Add honey, cinnamon, orange blossom water and lemon juice and simmer 5 more minutes. Taste and adjust flavors. Cool.

  2. Make the dough: Cream butter and sugar mixer bowl. Add eggs, vanilla and flour and mix until just incorporated. Form dough into a bowl. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

  3. Preheat oven to 350F. To make cookies: Take dough out and divide into 4 portions. Roll first portion between 2 sheets of plastic wrap to a rectangle about 8x10" and to 1/4" thickness. Remove top plastic sheet and spread about 1/2 cup of date mixture on dough, leaving about 1/2" border all around spread. Using the plastic sheet, gently roll the dough to create a log. Carefully place the log on a greased cookie sheet. Repeat with rest of dough placing logs 2" apart until you have 4 logs.

  4. Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes or until dough is lightly golden. cool on cookie sheet as the logs tend to be fragile.

  5. Slide one log at a time to a cutting board and slice it into 3/4" slices diagonally. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve. Store in an airtight container between sheets of wax paper up to 2 weeks.

Additional Notes

Date filling can be purchased online at Makolet I like to add a little orange juice and some cinnamon to the store bought filling before using it. Visit mideasttomidwest.com for more delicious recipes, travel and life posts from blogger Zehorit Heilicher.