Sticky date cookies

We put these cookies to the test. Lunchbox sturdy? Check. Best friends with vanilla ice-cream (hello sandwich!)? Check. Love a cookie that can go from teatime to dessertime. Pudding should be jealous. These cookies offer up the gooey richness of dates combined with the chewy caramelness of brown sugar.

Credit: China Squirrel

• makes

  32

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 125 g butter, roughly chopped
• 100 g pitted dates, chopped
• 125 ml (½ cup) water
• 185 g (1 cup lightly packed) brown sugar
• 150 g (1 cup) self-raising flour
• 225 g (1½ cups) plain flour
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 250 g store-bought dulce de leche (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 160°C.

Place butter, dates, water and brown sugar into a medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until butter melts. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Sift flours and cinnamon into a medium mixing bowl. Stir in date mixture, egg and vanilla essence. Mix until well combined.

Place tablespoonfuls onto baking paper-lined trays, allowing room for spreading.

Bake in oven for 20 minutes or until golden. Allow cookies to cool on trays.

Enjoy cookies with a dollop of dulce de leche.

Photography, styling and food preparation by China Squirrel.

This recipe is from Cookie Scout, our weekend cookie project. Bake with us. 

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.