Date-Nutty Oatmeal Cookies
Submitted by Slacky
Oatmeal cookies packed with chopped dates, sweetened coconut, and nuts in an orange juice-brown sugar dough. Three cups of oats for serious chew, plus cinnamon warmth in every bite.
YIELD
3 dozenPREP
15 minCOOK
10 minREADY
30 minThese oatmeal cookies are built for people who want their cookies to taste like something, not just sugar. Chopped dates, shredded coconut, and nuts fill out a dough that’s three parts oats to one part flour. That heavy oat ratio means chewy, textured cookies with real substance.
Orange juice in the batter is doing quiet, important work. It adds moisture to balance all the dry oats, brings a citrus brightness that plays against the caramel-rich brown sugar, and keeps the cookies soft for days. You won’t bite into these and taste orange, but the overall flavor is lighter and more interesting than a standard oatmeal cookie because of it.
Beat the wet ingredients on medium until fluffy, then switch to low when the flour mixture goes in. Stop the mixer the moment the dry ingredients disappear. These cookies have a lot going on, and overworking the dough toughens them. Fold the dates, coconut, and nuts in by hand so everything stays in chunky, visible pieces.
Bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven. Pull at the first sign of light browning. They set up as they cool on the sheet for those two minutes, and overbaked oatmeal cookies turn into crunchy granola bars.
Kitchen Tips
- Oil your knife when chopping dates. The natural sugar makes them sticky, and an oiled blade keeps them from clumping into a ball.
- Quick-cooking oats give you the right texture here. Old-fashioned rolled oats would work but give a more rustic, chunkier cookie.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature. The dates act as natural moisture keepers and the cookies stay soft for days.
Variations
- Tropical twist: Replace dates with chopped dried mango and add macadamia nuts for a Hawaiian-inspired cookie.
- Chocolate chip date: Fold in dark chocolate chips alongside the dates for a sweet, rich layer that melts against the chewy oats.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 375℉ (190℃)., grease cookie sheets.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the shortening, brown sugar, egg, orange juice and vanilla extract until well blended.
In a medium bowl, combine the oats, flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
With the mixer on low speed, beat the flour mixture into the shortening mixture until just blended.
Stir in the coconut, dates and nuts.
Drop the dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
Bake one cookie sheet at a time for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned.
Cool for 2 minutes on the cookies sheets.
Remove to racks to cool completely.
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