Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
1 cup date paste (mash down about 2 cups of dates, pitted, in the cuisinart)
2 sticks unsalted butter
2 eggs
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t sea salt
lots of vanilla extract (I like to use about 3 T)
2 cups spelt flour
1 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup dried cranberries (optional)
Directions
- Make date paste in cuisinart.
- Add in butter, eggs, baking soda, sea salt, and vanilla and mix. Add spelt flour and mix.
- Transfer dough to a bowl, and stir in chocolate chips, walnuts, and dried cranberries.
- Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees. Check after 10 minutes. Remove from over when browned to your liking.
Leslie B. says:
Okay, this recipe sounds great, but just one caveat-the price of the date sugar, even if one makes it themselves, will probably run about 6-8 DOLLARS for the cup! i just bought 1/2 lb of medjool dates at my local, in season, farmers market and they were $8 a pound. Judging by the amount/volume one needs for the recipe, i believe i am not that far off with this price. And remember, this is for LOCAL/ORGANIC/SEASONAL dates. Therefore, these cookies are expensive in comparison to using organic sugar, no matter how you look at it. Just a thought to consider, when so many people are trying to watch their expenditures, and believe me, a treat is not considered a necessity when one is feeding a family. Fruit is a whole lot less expensive!
Gemma P. says:
You are so right! Giving out fruit instead of cookies is better all around--economically and healthwise. I feel terrible when I eat sugar, so I don't eat it, and that's why I use dates (with the extra cost). But if you do better than I do with sugar feel free to use that. I am sure your cookies will taste great either way.
Jenevieve R. says:
I LOVE these cookies. YUMMY! And they are a hit with several of my friends especially nick who is diabetic. I buy Sunsweet brand dates in the grocery store at about 4 dollars for a container; and I use the whole containter to make the date paste. It comes out to about 2 cups. I like it sweet! LOL These are not organic but have no added sugar and are obviously cheaper. I also do about 2 times as much chocolate chips that are sweetened with molasses and 1 and a half cups of nuts. This last time I made them I added 1 cup of oats chopped up in a blender. I like to do maybe 3 table spoons of molasses along with a cup of stevia. Judging by all my "sweet" additions you can only imagine how hard it was for me to get off sugar! ha ha ha Thank you Gemma P. for this great recipe!
Gemma P. says:
Thanks for sharing all your tips and tricks, Jenevieve. It's great to hear how you have taken these cookies to the next level for you and your friends. You sound really creative in the kitchen. I love these cookies because they show people that eating cookies doesn't have to leave you with a sugar crash--cookies can be what they were intended to be: something that makes you feel GOOD! So fun to hear you're sharing the love with your friends. Good job!