Date Roll Cookies

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Shortbread cookie dough wrapped around a sweet filling made with dates and nuts is what makes these date roll cookies perfect for the holiday cookies platter. Today, I'm using macadamia, and yet, pecans or walnuts make an equally delicious combination with dates. Also, a few red and green stripes give this a festive look.

What is the one thing you remember most about Christmas from your childhood? Is it presents? Santa? The decorations? Christmas dinner? For me, it's baking with my mom.

I think I told you before, as a single mom the two things she did to raise us were sewing and cooking/baking. She'd take lots of orders during Christmas time just so she could give us the Christmas she dreamed for us. Gosh, I cannot imagine how hard she worked just so Santa could bring us the gifts we asked for. She hated to see us disappointed and pushed herself to do so much more.

These are date rolls and while the nut often changes, the dates remain the same. I'm sure they'd taste amazing with figs or apricots as well. And yet, I've always used dates and that's because mom always used dates.

About this recipe

Honestly, this is a simple and easy recipe. There are a few extra steps and yet, at Christmas times, a few extra steps are worth it. Don't you think? The cookie dough is a simple shortbread dough that does not spread, which is why these stay in shape. And they also have that nice crisp bite. A cookie that crumbles in your mouth with a sweet nutty center? Oh yes!

Whatever you do, make sure you don't try to do this in one go. Take your time. Let the cookie dough chill so it's easy to roll and easy to work. Like my mom always said - A CHILLED COOKIE DOUGH IS YOUR BEST FRIEND.

Also, crush the nuts in a food processor so they are crushed but not powder consistency. It's nicer to bite into pieces of nuts rather than powder. The quantities of dates and nuts given below are a good proportion but you can add a few more or less of either dates or nuts.

Give them a Christmas makeover

As you can see these make great Christmas gift jars. Perfect treats for the holiday. And to take them one step further, I even gave them a Christmas makeover with these red and green stripes. I used edible color gels diluted with some water. You can use supermarket brand water-based colors for this job. No big fuss with which colors to use here.

Ingredients and substitutes

• Dates - Date roll cookies can be made with dates and yet, they can very well be with figs or apricot or prunes. You can use a combination of them too!
• Macadamia - I used macadamia nuts this time. And yet, I often use pecan (my husband's favorite nuts). While my mom made them with cashews or walnuts. So, you see the nut can be your choice too - told ya!!
• Consistency - While you can change the nuts and the fruit - the one thing you wanna make sure you do is to keep the ratio of fruit to nuts as 3:1. Which means 3 parts fruit and one part nuts, more or less. As you will see in the video - these need to be rolled into logs so they can be then wrapped into the dough.
• Spices - For variation, you can add some Christmas spice in these. I don't, and honestly, it's just because mom didn't. And yet, a mix of some warm spices such as ginger, cinnamon, or nutmeg would really add a lot to these cookies.

Step by step instructions (pin)

Dough

• In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter, and powdered sugar until creamy.
• Add egg and vanilla extract. Followed by the flour mixture. Combine well.
• Divide the dough into three and shape each into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrapand chill for an hour or two until firm enough to roll.

Filling

• In a food processor, pulse the nuts and spices to a coarse breadcrumb consistency. Set aside
• Deseed from the dates and add them to the food processor. Pulse until broken into tiny pieces.
  Tip - Use moist dates so the moisture will hold the nuts together and you have a nice moist filling.
• Return the nuts back into the food processor with the dates. Pulse until it all comes together.
• Test - Take a little mixture into your hand, you should be able to roll into a ball. If not, pulse some more
  Tip - you want the dates to become almost pasty and hold the nuts together
• Take a little date mixture into your hand - shape into a ball then roll it into a long rope (see video) - Set aside
  Tip - You want a thin rope so the resulting cookies will be delicate and pretty. Do not make them very long - they are easier to handle in lengths of 10 to 15 inches.

Assemble

• Roll dough into a sheet about ⅛ inch thick. Place one prepared date and nut rope on the sheet at one end.
  Tip - if the dough is rolled too thick the finished cookie once filled will look bulky. So keep the filling and dough thin
• Use a tiny amount of water to help stick the dough together. Wrap the dough into a log. Cut it just where the seams meet and place the roll on a baking tray.
• Continue until you have used up all the dough or filling.
  Tip - Don't cut the rolls into smaller pieces now. Wait until they are chilled so you get sharp edges
• Keep the prepared roll in the fridge to keep them chilled. Cover the baking tray with cling wrap to avoid them getting too dry.
  Tip - you can keep these in the fridge for up to 12 hours
• Preheat oven at 190 C / 374 F.
• Once chilled, cut the rolls into two-inch pieces - I use a ruler so they are all same size.
• Brush with egg wash. Or, create red and green Christmas stripes. Sprinkle some granulated sugar on them.
• Bake in the preheated oven for about 9 to 10 minutes.
  Tip - these cookies need to be taken one when they are still white. Since the filling does not need to be cooked the outside gets done quickly. Overbaking can make them hard.
• Once baked let them cool 10 minutes before you move them to a baking rack.
• Cool completely before you place them in an airtight cookie jar.

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Frequently asked questions

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Christmas Collaboration

Since this month is all about the holidays, I and my food blogger friends thought we'd come up with some Christmas Cookies for you. Here are six festive cookies that are absolutely amazing. And they do include two no-bake cookies as well as a gluten-free cookie recipe in there.

Finally, here are the links to the rest of the cookies in the collage above

• Holiday White Chocolate Mini Popcorn Balls - by Gloria Duggan  of Homemade & Yummy
• Gingerbread Cookies - by Melissa Radcliffe of My Wife Can Cook
• No-Bake Cinnamon Peanut Butter Cranberry Cookies - By Arlene Braun Mobley of Flour on my Face
• Gluten-Free Spiced Cookie Brittle - by Sarah Jane Parker of The Fit Cookie
• No-Bake Chocolate Cranberry Cookie - by Kirsten Burrows of Treat yourself Sweeter.
  And of course - My Macadamia Date Roll Cookies  

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