Christmas Cookies with Dates
These festive Christmas cookies combine tender, warmly spiced dough with naturally sweet chopped dates and crunchy pecans. A light scattering of granulated sugar over the surface creates a delicately sweet finish, while cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves provide classic holiday flavor.
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Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups plain all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon finely ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg preferably freshly grated for fuller flavor
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs brought to room temperature to encourage smoother incorporation
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
Mix-Ins
- 2 1/2 cups pecans chopped
- 2 1/2 cups pitted dates finely chopped to distribute them evenly through the dough
Topping
- 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Cover the baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats to prevent sticking and make the baked cookies easier to lift from the pans.
- Place the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a medium bowl. Whisk until the ingredients are evenly combined, then set the mixture aside.
- Using an electric mixer at medium speed, beat the unsalted butter with 1 cup granulated sugar and the light brown sugar until creamy and thoroughly blended.
- Add the eggs individually, beating well after each addition so that each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next.
- Blend in the vanilla essence until evenly distributed.
- Turn the mixer to low speed. Gradually add the prepared flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing only until the dry ingredients have become moistened. Avoid excessive mixing.
- Gently fold in the chopped dates and pecans, distributing both evenly throughout the dough.
- Scoop rounded tablespoonfuls of dough onto the lined baking sheets, leaving approximately 2 inches of space between each portion.
- Scatter the remaining 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar over the tops of the cookies.
- Bake one pan at a time in the preheated oven for 16–20 minutes, or until the cookie edges develop a light golden-brown color.
- Leave the baked cookies on their baking sheets for approximately 2 minutes after removing them from the oven.
- Transfer the cookies to wire cooling racks and allow them to cool completely before serving.
Notes
- For more pronounced flavor, freshly ground nutmeg may be used.
- Finely chopping the pitted dates helps distribute the fruit more consistently throughout each cookie.
- Room-temperature eggs encourage more uniform blending with the butter mixture.
- Once completely cooled, keep the cookies in an airtight container to preserve their freshness.