Spiced date cookies are a simple and fragrant recipe that instantly brings the holiday spirit into your home. Dates provide a naturally sweet taste without the need for added sugar, while cinnamon, ginger, and cloves create a warm and enveloping aroma reminiscent of Christmas and afternoons spent with a steaming cup of tea.
The dough is easy to prepare and works very well with decorative molds, which impress Christmas shapes clearly and precisely. Each cookie becomes a small edible decoration: reindeer, snowflakes, snowmen, and stars that form one after the other with great satisfaction.
These are genuine cookies, perfect for those looking for a simple yet fragrant sweet, to serve at breakfast, gift, or savor slowly after a busy day. A recipe that is prepared with a few gestures but brings with it all that makes winter moments special.
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: About 25 cookies
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Christmas, New Year's
Ingredients for Spiced Date Cookies:
- 7 oz pitted dates
- 2 tablespoons warm water
- 5 tablespoons soft butter
- 1 medium egg (at room temperature)
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (or half all-purpose and half whole wheat)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 pinch fine salt
- to taste powdered sugar
Tools for Spiced Date Cookies:
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Mixer
- 1 Work surface
- Molds Christmas
- 2 Baking trays
- 1 Fork
Steps for Preparing and Baking Spiced Date Cookies:
In the mixer, place the pitted dates cut in half and add the water, blending them well until you get a smooth and fragrant puree.
Pour the date cream into a bowl and add the soft butter. Using a spoon or a whisk, work the mixture until the two ingredients form a uniform and velvety cream. At this point, add the egg and continue mixing until you get a soft and homogeneous consistency.
Add the flour, baking powder, a pinch of salt, and your spices: cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. The aroma will be immediately noticeable. Start kneading with your hands or a spatula until the dough comes together. If it turns out slightly sticky, you can add a tablespoon of flour at a time until it becomes easy to handle.
Form a dough ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and let it rest in the fridge for about twenty or thirty minutes. This step is important because it allows the dough to firm up and perfectly imprint the mold designs.When ready, roll it out between two sheets of parchment paper to a thickness of about one-sixteenth or one-fifth of an inch. Use the decorative molds to press down firmly and cut out the cookies slowly, one by one. Re-roll the scraps to make more cookies.
If you don’t have Christmas molds, you can easily use a circular mold or cut many diamonds or rectangles with a knife. Transfer them onto the non-stick baking tray without needing to add parchment paper; leave some space between each cookie.
Bake in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes, and they’re ready when the edges are slightly golden.
If you want, you can also bake them in an air fryer at 340°F for about 8 minutes until they start to brown.
Once baked, let them cool completely: they will harden as they cool, although they won’t reach the crispness of classic shortbread cookies. The presence of dates makes them slightly softer and pleasantly tender.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I use only whole wheat flour?
Yes, but the cookies will be slightly denser. You can also do half whole wheat and half all-purpose flour for a softer compromise.
Do they keep well?
Stored in a tin box or an airtight container, they remain good for five or six days.
Are they suitable for children?
Yes, but if you prefer, you can slightly reduce ginger and cloves for a milder flavor.
