Stuffed-Date Cookies

These cookies hide a whole date stuffed with a walnut half inside every single one. The brown sugar and sour cream dough wraps around each stuffed date like a blanket, then bakes into a soft, cakey shell with a chewy, sweet surprise in the center.

The dough is intentionally soft and sticky. Sour cream makes it tender and slightly tangy, which balances the intense sweetness of the dates. Don’t expect to roll these into neat balls. You’re wrapping dough around a date and dropping it from a fork, so they’ll look rustic. That’s the charm.

Stuff each pitted date with a walnut half, then roll it in dough until completely covered. Make sure there are no gaps or the date will burst through during baking and caramelize onto the pan.

The sour cream icing on top is a nice touch. Melted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and a tablespoon of sour cream blend into a tangy-sweet glaze that complements the date filling better than a straight powdered sugar icing would.

Kitchen Tips

• Use soft, moist Medjool dates if you can find them. Dried-out dates won’t stuff as easily and will be tough in the center.
• Cover the dates completely with dough. Any exposed date will stick to the pan and burn.
• Grease the cookie sheet well. Between the sugar in the dough and the dates, these stick more than regular cookies.
• Ice the cookies after they’ve cooled completely. Warm cookies melt the icing into a puddle.

Variations

• Use pecan halves instead of walnuts for a sweeter, more buttery nut filling.
• Add ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon to the dough for a spiced version.
• Skip the icing and roll the warm cookies in powdered sugar for a simpler finish.