These delicious cookie rolls are filled with a smooth date filling and wrapped in buttery dough with finely chopped almonds for extra crunch. Sweetened mostly with dates, they're packed with flavor, making it a fancy but easy treat.
Cookie Rolls With Date Filling
I love making desserts with dates; they are intensely sweet and satisfying. Everyone in our family enjoys date-based treats, such as our maamoul and date banana muffins.
The inspiration for these cookies comes from a box of cookies that was gifted to us. I was delighted by the unique shape, texture and taste. So I tested a few cookie dough recipes to create these date cookie rolls.
It had to be a dough that was pliable but also with a rich texture, so it took some trial and error. With sufficient binding and careful attention to time and temperature, these were easy and fun to make.
Why I love These Cookies
- Beautiful Presentation: They have a lovely shape, texture, and taste.
- Great for Gifting: They're easy to make in large quantities and can be prepared in steps, making them convenient to spread out over multiple days.
- Date based desserts are also healthier. Plus I have several ideas to test dietary variations.
Key Ingredient Notes
- Butter: Use softened, room-temperature butter. To soften butter quickly, fill a tall glass with boiling water, pour it out, then invert the glass over the butter for 5-10 minutes.
- Dates: Use very soft, moist Medjool dates, preferably fancy or extra-fancy, as these process more easily. Once pitted, you should have about 425 grams. If using ready-made date paste (often in 13-ounce packs), check and remove any stray pits.
- Ground Almonds: The almonds should be very finely chopped, ideally using a food processor or sharp knife. Avoid almond flour, though you could experiment with almond meal. If you prefer not to use almonds, substitute with additional all-purpose flour.
- Vanilla Sugar or Extract: I use Dr. Oetker vanilla sugar, or use a clear vanilla extract.
- Nuts for Decoration: Finely chop walnuts or almonds, or use small slivered pistachios for a colorful topping.
Step By Step Visual Overview
Here are step-by-step photos showing how to make date cookies. Full printable recipe with measurements are below at the end of the blog post.
- Prepare date paste and chop almonds finely.
- Cream butter and sugar. Add egg, vanilla and salt.
- Incorporate flour and ground almonds to make a smooth dough.
- Divide dough into two parts, wrap and chill until firm but pliable.
- Divide date paste into 10 portions. Roll each portion into a smooth rope.
- Roll out the chilled dough into a rectangle. Place a date rope at the shorter edge of the dough. Roll the dough around it to enclose the date filling. Seal to make a date filled roll.
- Repeat with the remaining dough and date filling. Chill until firm and cut each into 4 cookies, for a total of 40 cookies.
- Bake until light golden on top with slight cracks. Cool completely.
- Extra dough tip: Use extra dough, as follows for a variation with crunchy walnut. Cut Medjool dates in half, stuff with walnuts and press to seal.
- Wrap these stuffed dates with the remaining dough to make cookies. Bake as above
Top Tips
Measure by Weight: For accuracy and consistent results, use weight measurements whenever possible.
Chill the Dough: Follow temperature and chilling suggestions closely. Chilled dough reduces spreading in the oven, resulting in neat, even cookies. It also makes the dough easier to slice without compressing the date filling.
Rolling Tips: If you have trouble rolling the date paste or dough on parchment paper, try rolling on a lightly floured wooden board for better grip. For a smooth surface, roll lightly at the end.
Shaping Thicker Rolls: If the date-filled rolls are thicker, refrigerate them until firm. Lightly dust a wooden board with flour and place the rolls on it. Using the heel of your palms, apply firm pressure (but not smashing) on the center and roll back and forth to lengthen without crushing the outer dough. Add more flour if the dough becomes sticky.
How To Serve
- These date cookies are best with tea (saffron tea), coffee or your favorite beverage.
- They also make excellent gifts-decorate with various nuts, patterns, and colors to create an assorted cookie gift box.
Variations
Here are a few suggestions for dietary variations, some of which I've not tested.
- Vegan: Substitute dairy butter with coconut oil or vegan butter, and use vegan sugar. For binding, test replacing the egg with plant-based milk.
- Gluten-Free: Try substituting with a gluten-free flour blend.
- Dairy-Free: Use coconut oil or vegan butter instead of regular butter.
- Nut-Free: Omit the nuts and replace with an extra ¼ cup all-purpose flour.
- More Flavor: Add ground cardamom or cinnamon with a pinch of nutmeg to the date filling. For richness, mix in 2 teaspoons of ghee.
- Healthier: Reduce saturated fat by using 1 stick of butter plus ¼-⅓ cup oil. Lower the sugar in the dough to 2 tablespoons, and consider using whole wheat pastry flour.
Nutrition Notes
Sweetened mainly with dates, these cookies contain significantly less added sugar than most cookie recipes. Dates offer a natural sweetness, but moderation is still key-these cookies are satisfyingly rich, so even one is delightful and filling!
More Date Desserts
- Ranginak (Date Walnut Dessert)
- Chocolate Date Avocado Truffles
- Date Bar Cookies (With Nuts)
★ DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? PLEASE COMMENT AND GIVE IT A STAR RATING BELOW!
Date Filled Cookie Rolls
Ingredients
Date filling
- 1 lb medjool dates very soft and moist, remove pits, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon or cardamom, optional
- Oil for handling date paste about 1 tablespoon, most will not be used
Dough
- ¼ cup whole almonds ground very finely
- 2 sticks butter room temperature, softened, 225 g (or ¾ cup ghee, 175 g)
- ¼ cup sugar or ½ cup powdered sugar, 50 g
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 to 2 teaspoons vanilla sugar extract, or ground cardamom
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2¼ cups all purpose flour 280 grams
- 1 egg yolk optional for egg wash (whisked with 1 teaspoon milk)
- Topping Options
- Chopped or slivered nuts pistachios or walnuts
- Powdered sugar
Instructions
Prep
- Date Paste: Process dates until smooth. Refrigerate if it is a bit sticky.
- Prepare the Almonds: Pulse almonds in a food processor until very fine but not powdery, about the size of bulgur grain. Hand-chop any larger pieces using a sharp chef's knife.
Dough Preparation
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a medium bowl, using a hand mixer at medium speed, beat softened butter and sugar, until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes).
- Add Egg and Flavoring: Add one egg, vanilla sugar (or cardamom), and salt. Mix on low until incorporated.
- Incorporate Flour and Almonds: Gradually add flour, mixing on low speed until the mixture becomes crumbly. Add the finely chopped almonds and use a spatula to combine, forming a smooth, pliable dough with light kneading.
- Chill Dough: Divide dough into two equal parts, flatten each into a 6x8-inch rectangle, wrap in parchment. Chill the dough in refrigerate for 1 hour, until firm but pliable.
Date Filling Preparation
- Setup: Place a silicone baking mat on a large wooden cutting board, then place parchment paper over the mat. Place the date paste on the parchment and apply a few drops of oil to make it easier to work with.
- Divide and Shape: Divide the date paste into two equal halves. Roll one half into a smooth cylindrical shape, like a sausage. Using a lightly oiled butter knife, cut it into 5 equal portions. Repeat with the other half to make a total of 10 portions. Adjust sizes by eye or weigh them for precision.
- Form Ropes: Take each date paste portion and flatten it slightly. Using the heel of both palms, roll it into a smooth, 8-inch rope, using a little oil on your palms if it's sticky. Repeat with all portions to create 10 date paste ropes.
Shape Cookies and Bake
- Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Roll Out Dough: Take one chilled dough half from the refrigerator. Place it on a silicone baking mat. Open the pack, and on the same parchment paper, using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into an 8x14-inch rectangle, about ⅛-inch thick. Tip: Flip the dough in between, to make sure it doesn't stick, using a light dusting of flour as needed. Straighten the edges using your hands. Watch the video.
- Add Date Filling: Place a date rope along the shorter (8-inch) edge of the dough, then roll the dough around it to fully enclose the date filling. Trim the dough along the edge of the date-filled section, pinch the edges to seal, and roll lightly to smooth. Set aside. Repeat with the remaining dough and date filling to make 4 more date-filled rolls. Use the second chilled dough half and remaining date ropes to create 5 more date-filled rolls.
- Top and Slice: Optionally roll cookie rolls in chopped nuts or brush with egg wash and top with nuts for variation. Chill filled rolls until firm, about an hour, then cut each into 4 pieces, using a lightly floured butter knife. You should have about 40 cookies.
- Bake: Arrange cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until barely light golden on top with slight cracks. Cool for 5 minutes on the sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Dust plain cookies with powdered sugar.
- Extra dough tip: If you have extra dough, make more cookies by cutting dates in half lengthwise, removing the pits, and stuffing each half with a walnut piece. Press the date gently to close around the walnut. Roll out the extra dough into thin strips or sheets. Place each stuffed date along the edge of the dough and roll it up to fully enclose, sealing the edges. Bake as instructed above. These make a lovely variation with a crunchy walnut surprise inside.
Notes
- Finely chopped nuts: If you don't want to use nuts, substitute with all purpose flour.
- Vanilla sugar or extract: I use Dr. Oetker brand vanilla sugar. Or try a clear extract.
- Storage: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for several weeks. Freeze for longer storage, wrapped with parchment paper and in freezer safe containers. To refresh frozen cookies, thaw to room temperature and bake for 5 minutes at 325°F.
- For troubleshooting, check the tips in the blog post.
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