Description
Delight in these Date Filled Oatmeal Cookies, featuring a luscious homemade date jam nestled between spiced cinnamon oat cookies. This comforting treat combines the natural sweetness of dates with warm cinnamon and hearty oats, perfect for an afternoon snack or a cozy dessert.
Ingredients
Date Filling
- 12 fresh dates (roughly 1½ cups stoned and chopped)
- ¼ cup caster sugar or superfine granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp liquid glucose or light corn syrup
- ½ cup cool water
Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup caster sugar or superfine granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup dark brown muscovado sugar, packed
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¾ cup plain or all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1½ cup rolled oats
Instructions
- Prepare the Date Filling: Place the chopped dates, caster sugar, liquid glucose, and cool water in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously until the sugar dissolves and the dates begin to break down. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the mixture thickens to a jam-like consistency. Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 375°F (190°C/170°C Fan) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats for easy removal and clean-up.
- Mix Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted unsalted butter with the caster sugar and dark brown muscovado sugar until the mixture is smooth and well blended.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated, creating a smooth batter.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the plain flour, bicarbonate of baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon in a separate bowl. Gradually add these dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring lightly just until combined to avoid overmixing.
- Incorporate Oats: Fold in the rolled oats gently with a spatula until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Shape and Bake Cookies: Using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, place spoonfuls of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing each about 2 inches apart. Bake in the center rack of the oven for approximately 8 minutes, or until the cookie edges start to lightly darken. Note that baking time may vary depending on scoop size.
- Cool Cookies: Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Assemble Date Filled Cookies: Pair cookies of similar size. Flip one cookie in each pair upside down so the flat base is facing up. Spoon a generous dollop of the cooled date filling onto the base, spreading it evenly. Top with the paired cookie, pressing gently to sandwich the filling. Repeat with remaining cookies until all are filled.
Notes
- Chilling the date filling before assembling helps manage spreading and makes sandwiching easier.
- Use parchment paper or silicone mats to prevent sticking and promote even baking.
- Adjust baking time slightly if using larger or smaller scoops of dough to prevent under or overbaking.
- Store assembled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for longer freshness.
- For a gluten-free option, substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Western
