Stuffed Date Cookies Recipe

1. For the Dough: In a large bowl, beat together butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add sugar and salt and beat to combine. Add flour and mix just until dough comes together. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for 1 hour.

2. Adjust oven racks to middle and upper positions and preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

3. For the Filling: In the bowl of a food processor, combine dates, sugar, and vanilla and pulse until mixture is a paste, scraping down sides as necessary, 20 to 30 short pulses.

4. To Assemble the Cookies: Divide dough into two equal pieces. Flour a clean work surface and roll one piece of dough out to 1/8-inch thickness. Use 1 1/2-inch circle cookie cutter to cut dough into circles. Transfer bottom cookies to baking sheet. Top each circle with a rounded 1/2 teaspoon date mixture. Roll out remaining piece of dough. Cut into circles.

5. Top each bottom cookie with another circle of dough. Use a fork to crimp and seal sides together. Brush each cookie with egg wash, then sprinkle with sugar. Bake until golden, 16 to 18 minutes, rotating pans front to back and top to bottom half way through baking. Let cool for 3 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Once cooled, cookies can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Special equipment

Electric beater, food processor, 1 1/2-inch circle cookie cutter, baking sheet, parchment paper

This Recipe Appears In

• Cookie Monster: Stuffed Date Cookies