as requested - date filled cookies

[Kitchen Witch]

In the past couple days I have shared PM's and emails with fellow date lovers regarding date filled cookies.

When it comes to date filled cookies we all are talking about "date-filled" but are they bars, turnover-style, pinwheels, or baked and filled pressing 2 cookies together.

Here's a few of my oldies but goodies - I hope you enjoy them -

Date Filled Oatmeal Cookies

• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, stirred before measuring
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup soft shortening
• 1/4 cup butter
• 5 cups uncooked quick-cooking rolled oats
• .
• Filling:
• 1 cup chopped dates
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/4 cup water


Stir vinegar into milk; set aside.

Sift flour with baking soda and salt. Cream shortening and butter until light and fluffy, gradually adding the 3/4 cup sugar. Blend in half of flour mixture, then blend in soured milk, then blend in remaining flour mixture. Stir in rolled oats.

Refrigerate cookie dough for at least 4 hours. Meanwhile, make the date filling. In a saucepan combine dates, 2/3 cup sugar, lemon juice, and water. Bring date mixture to a boil and simmer for a minute. Remove from heat and let cool.

Preheat oven to 350°. Roll about one-third of the chilled dough out to about 1/8-inch thick on a generously floured surface. Keep remaining dough refrigerated until ready to roll out. Cut rolled out dough with floured 2-inch round cookie cutter. Place on ungreased cookie sheets and bake 10 to 12 minutes; cool.

To serve, spread 1 teaspoon of date filling on half of cookies; top with remaining cookies.
Makes about 3 dozen filled cookies.

[Kitchen Witch]

Date Cookie Turnovers

• Cookie Dough:
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour *see note below for self-rising flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• milk
• sugar
• .
• Date Filling:
• 2 cups chopped dates
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Mix 1 cup sugar, the shortening, eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour, salt and baking soda. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.


Prepare Filling

In a saucepan, combine date filling ingredients. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Cool completely.

Heat oven to 400°. Roll dough about 1/16-inch thick on a floured surface. Cut into 3-inch rounds or squares. Spoon about 1 teaspoon date filling onto one side of each circle leaving enough of an edge to seal. Fold dough over filling; pinch edges to seal. Place cookies about 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake until lightly browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Immediately remove from baking sheet. Makes about 4 1/2 dozen date turnover cookies.

*If using self-rising flour, omit salt and baking soda.

[Kitchen Witch]

Date Bars

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, room temperature
• 1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces finely chopped dried dates (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional

In a large mixing bowl, using a hand held electric mixer, cream butter and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Into a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, and salt; gradually blend into the creamed mixture. Stir in chopped dates and the chopped pecans or walnuts, if using. Pour into greased 13 X 9 X 2-inch baking pan. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Cool; cut into bars.

Makes about 24 date bars.

[Kitchen Witch]

Date Squares

• 3/4 cup butter or margarine
• 1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon soda
• 1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats, uncooked
• date filling (below)

Cream butter (or margarine) and sugar together until light and fluffy. combine flour, salt and soda; add to creamed mixture. Stir in oats, blending well.

Pat half of the mixture into a lightly buttered 13x9x2-inch baking pan; spread with date filling then top with remaining crust mixture. Pat lightly to smooth top crust. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes. Cut into bars while still warm; remove from pan. Makes 32 date squares or bars.


Date Filling

1 1/2 pounds dates, chopped
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups water

Date filling for date squares. Combine dates, sugar, and water in a medium saucepan; cook over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, or until smooth and thick. Cool slightly before spreading on oat crust. Makes 3 cups of date filling for date squares.

[Kitchen Witch]

Date Roll Cookies - Pinwheels


• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• .
• Filling:
• 8 ounces chopped dates
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup boiling water

Cream Shortening and add sugar. Beat in eggs; add dry ingredients and vanilla until dough is formed. Chill dough thoroughly.

Meanwhile, combine filling ingredients in a saucepan; boil until thick. Let cool to room temperature.

Roll out the chilled cookie dough into a rectangle between two sheets of waxed paper. Spread the cooled date filling over the cookie dough. Roll up the cookie dough, jellyroll fashion. Wrap in waxed paper and chill before slicing. Slice and bake at 375°.

[Kitchen Witch]

Date Squares

An easy version of an old favorite.

Filling:
8 ounces dates, finely chopped
1 cup water
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose white flour

Crust:
1-1/4 cups quick-cooking oats
1-1/2 cups all-purpose white flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, at room temperature
In a small saucepan, combine all the filling ingredients. Cook over low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until thickened. Set aside for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the dates to soften fully.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

To make the crust, mix together the oats, flour, brown sugar, and soda. With a fork, blend the butter into the oat mixture. Divide in half and press half into the bottom of an ungreased 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan. Spread the date filling on top. Sprinkle with the remaining oat mixture.

Bake for 30 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into squares.