Date filled cookies

Reposting this for my own good.  I've made mistakes on this recipe every time I've made it.  Partly because I didn't have the right recipe posted the first time.  Personal mistake so I took down the old post and here it is again.  I've made it twice now.  The family who have tried it, have given it their stamp of approval (gotta see if I can make this GF for my sister and my nephew so they partake as well).  The biggest tip, don't make these in the middle of the summer.   The dough is rich with butter and melt as you put them together if it's too hot.

A second edit.  I made these on a cool Saturday in October and they were still hard to handle.  I made a few and got pretty discouraged.  I kneaded the rest of the dough with some more flour.  This helped tremendously.  I must not have remembered that tip from Nana all those years ago.  Add flour to your liking to help the dough become more firm. 

Edit three.  We made these today when it was 10 degrees outside.  They were still hard to work with but better.  My little chef and I think that just adding more flour than called for is the way to go next time.

From my original posting-
My Nana used to send me these cookies my freshman year of college. She made me make them once or twice just so I'd know how, I haven't even done it since she passed. And forgive me while I sound really silly but I'm afraid to mess them up. Here's the recipe though. Maybe I'll be really brave someday and give it a go...

Date filling-
3 c. cut up dates, cut into quarters and then chopped, not too big though
1/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. water
Cook over low heat, stirring until thickened about 20-30 mins. Cool completely. (I remember a hot saucepan out on the deck in the snow).

Cookies-
1/2 c. shortening
1/4 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
Cream the above ingredients.
Sift and stir in:
2 1/2 c. flour or more to get a firm dough (start with 1/4 cup on the counter for kneading, adding more if needed)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

And here's where it's a little fuzzy.
Recipe says "Let chill 1 hour."
Just knead it a few times on a floured counter, then make it into a disk, wrap with plastic wrap.
Store in the fridge for an hour.
Roll out on a floured counter top "until desired thickness".
I remember it being about 1/8 inch. (maybe?)
Bake cookies with filling and then sprinkled with sugar for 8-15 mins at 400 or until very lightly browned at the edges and the bottom underside has just turned a little tan.
Keep a close watch on these cookies.  They will go from uncooked to too crispy at the edges quickly.  Remove from the cookie sheet to avoid carry over cooking.  

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