Date Filled Cookie Bars Recipes

DATE FILLED COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a small saucepan over low heat, mix dates, sugar and 1/2 cup of water. Bring to a boil, and cook for 15 minutes, or until thick and smooth. Set aside to cool.
• Cream butter and brown sugar together until smooth. Gradually mix in flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the oatmeal and mix well. Stir in 2 to 4 tablespoons of water. Form the dough into a ball and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• On a floured surface, roll dough to 1/8 inch thickness and cut into 2 inch rounds. Place 1/2 of the rounds on cookie sheets. Spoon date mixture in the center of each round and top with another round. Press edges firmly together.
• Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until browned.

DATE-FILLED COOKIE WRAPS

Steps:

• Line 2 cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper, set aside.
• In large bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and 1 tablespoon sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. On low speed, gradually beat in flour. On large piece of plastic wrap, form dough into 10x5-inch rectangle. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, stir together chopped dates, 1/2 cup water and 2 tablespoons sugar. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cook 5 to 8 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened. Cool 5 minutes. Stir in orange peel, vanilla and walnuts; set aside.
• Heat oven to 325°F. Cut dough in half into 2 squares. On floured surface, roll out 1 square of dough into 10-inch square. Using fluted pastry wheel, trim edges; cut into twenty-five 2-inch squares. Spoon 1 teaspoon date mixture onto center of each 2-inch square. Bring 2 opposite corners of dough together, partially overlapping and covering date mixture. Using fingers dipped in water, press dough to seal. Arrange 1 inch apart on cookie sheets. Repeat with other half of dough.
• In small bowl, beat egg white and 1 tablespoon water; brush onto dough wraps. Sprinkle with coarse white sparkling sugar.
• Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until edges begin to turn golden brown. Cool 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.

DATE-FILLED OATMEAL BARS

Steps:

• Combine flour, oats, soda, salt, & brown sugar.
• Cut butter in until it reaches the consistency of coarse meal.
• Press half of mixture across the bottom of an ungreased 12x8x2 baking pan.
• Combine dates, 1 c. sugar, and water in saucepan.
• Cook on low until sugar dissolves, dates soften, and mixture is thick and mushy.
• Spread date mixture over dough in pan.
• Cover with remaining dough.
• Bake at 325 for 40 min or until lightly browned.
• Cut into 1"x2" bars while still warm; remove to wire racks to cool.

DATE-FILLED SHORTBREAD COOKIES (MA'AMOUL)

Steps:

• Dough: In a small bowl, stir yeast and 1/2 teaspoon sugar into warm water; let stand until bubbly, about 5 minutes.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flours, mahleb, salt, mastic, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Gently mix in clarified butter until it is absorbed. In a small bowl, stir together yeast mixture and milk. Drizzle over flour mixture; using your hands or a rubber spatula, knead just until dough comes together and is moist but not wet. Cover; let stand at room temperature 2 hours.
• Filling: Meanwhile, pulse dates, butter, water, sugar, cinnamon, mahleb, and anise seeds in a food processor until a smooth paste forms. Cover and let stand until dough has rested.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop, scoop 1 heaping tablespoon of dough; roll into a ball. Press dough in the palm of your hand to form a well in the center. Place 1 scant teaspoon of filling in well. Pull up sides of dough to enclose, adding more dough if necessary. Firmly press dough into a ma'amoul mold. Invert mold; tap to release dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing about 1 inch apart. Refrigerate about 1 hour.
• Bake until beginning to turn golden around edges, 14 to 17 minutes. Transfer sheets to a wire rack; let cool completely.

DATE OATMEAL BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Place dates, water and sugar in a small saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until thickened, about 5 minutes, stirring constantly., In a large bowl, mix oats, flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt; stir in melted butter and egg white. Press half of the mixture into an 8-in. square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Spread carefully with date mixture; top with remaining oat mixture. , Bake until lightly browned, 20-25 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

DATE-FILLED SANDWICH COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle., On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2-1/2-in. cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool completely., In a small saucepan, combine filling ingredients. Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Cool to room temperature. Spread on the bottoms of half of the cookies; top with remaining cookies.

GRANDMA'S DATE FILLED COOKIES

Steps:

• Mix in a sauce pan the dates, sugar and TBSP of flour, water, and lemon juice. Cook this for about 5 minutes on a medium heat, until all are blended well.
• Mix together the shortening, sugar, and eggs.
• Stir in the 2 Tbsps. thick cream and l teaspoons vanilla.
• Sift together the 2 1/2 cups of flour, baking soda and salt. Add to shortening mix to form dough.
• Chill dough for at least 1 to 2 hours.
• Roll out dough in thin layers in small batches and cut with round cookie cutter.
• Put mixture (about a tbsp.) in the center between 2 thin cookies pressed together.
• Bake at 350 degrees on lightly greased sheet pan for 8-10 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned.

DATE BAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a nonreactive medium saucepan over low heat, combine dates, granulated sugar, and water. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 15 minutes. Cool completely. In a large bowl or bowl of an electric mixer, place brown sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, and oats. Mix on low speed until combined. While mixer is running, add butter, 1 piece or 2 at a time. Mix until crumb like, with some lumps of butter no larger than pea size.
• Using your hands, press and flatten half of crumb mixture into a greased 9 by 13-inch pan. Spread cooled filling over crust. Cover with remaining crumb mixture, patting lightly. Bake until lightly browned, 25 to 35 minutes. Cool slightly and cut into bars while still in the pan. Gently remove cut bars from pan. Serve warm or at room temperature. Date bars, stored in an airtight container, refrigerate and freeze well.

DATE BARS

Steps:

• In 2-quart saucepan, cook filling ingredients over low heat about 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened. Cool 5 minutes.
• Heat oven to 400°F. Grease bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with shortening.
• In large bowl, stir brown sugar and butter until well mixed. Stir in flour, oats, baking soda and salt until crumbly. Press half of the crumb mixture evenly in bottom of pan. Spread with filling. Top with remaining crumb mixture; press lightly.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until light brown. Cool 5 minutes in pan on cooling rack. Cut into 6 rows by 6 rows while warm.