Description
Soft, chewy Halloween Date Filled Cookies with a sweet, gooey date center. These classic stuffed cookies get a festive twist, perfect for fall baking and Halloween parties.
Ingredients
Scale
- Cookie Dough:
- 1 cup shortening
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- Date Filling:
- 2 cups chopped dates
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- In a large bowl, cream together shortening and both sugars until fluffy.
- Add the egg, milk, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, blending until a smooth dough forms.
- Chill the cookie dough for at least one hour to make it easier to handle.
- Prepare the date filling: In a saucepan, combine the chopped dates, sugar, and water.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the lemon juice and salt. Let the date filling cool completely.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out half of the chilled dough to just under 1/8 inch thickness.
- Use a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter to cut out shapes. For a Halloween theme, use cutters like pumpkins, bats, or ghosts.
- Place about one tablespoon of the cooled date filling in the center of each cookie base.
- Top each filled cookie with another cookie round.
- Press the edges of the cookies together with a fork to seal them securely.
- Arrange the assembled Halloween date filled cookies on an ungreased baking sheet.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden brown.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Chilling the dough thoroughly makes it easier to roll and cut.
- Avoid overfilling the cookies to prevent the filling from leaking out during baking.
- For a fun, spooky Halloween touch, use festive cookie cutters or cut small shapes into the top cookie layer.
- Using parchment paper on your baking sheets can simplify cleanup.
- Consider adding 1 cup of rolled oats to the dough for an oatmeal version.
- Chopped walnuts or pecans can be added to the date filling for a nutty twist.
- A drizzle of melted dark chocolate over the cooled cookies adds an indulgent finish.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 50mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 10mg