These easy sticky date cookies are crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside and are the perfect sweet treat for school or home.
Packed with spices and drizzled with melted chocolate, these simple cookies take just 25 minutes to make!
Just like the classic favourite sticky date pudding but in cookie form, these sticky date cookies are the perfect combination of crunchy, chewy and sweet with delicious caramel and chocolate flavours.
Dates are such a great ingredient to bake with and feature in many of my favourite classic bakes, from batches of date slice and date and walnut loaf to oaty date crumble squares.
Not only do dates add a natural sweetness, but also the most delicious toffee flavour. They are the secret in turning a classic cookie into sweet sticky toffee pudding cookies!
Why You're Going To Love This Recipe
- Basic ingredients - no fancy ingredients are needed to make these date sweetened cookies, just a few pantry staples.
- Inexpensive to make - the ingredients in this recipe are reasonably priced, and the whole recipe will set you back just a few dollars.
- Freezer-friendly - bake a batch (or two!) or these cookies and freeze for later. They thaw quickly, making them perfect for adding to lunchboxes.
- Egg free cookie - sticky date cookies are perfect if you're cooking for someone with an egg allergy.
- Conventional and Thermomix - both methods are written in the recipe card below.
What You Need
A handful of basic pantry and fridge staples are all you need to make these old fashioned date cookies.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.
- Pitted dates - are easily found in the baking section of your supermarket. There is no need to use medjool dates in this recipe.
- Butter - I use unsalted butter to make this recipe, however you can use salted butter if you prefer.
- Brown sugar - you can use light or dark brown sugar, however I light to use light soft brown sugar as the dark brown sugar can overpower the flavour of the dates.
- Golden syrup - golden syrup is a cane sugar syrup used in Australian, New Zealand and British recipes. If it isn't available where you live, you can replace it with honey or maple syrup.
- Plain flour - also known as all purpose flour.
- Baking powder - this rising agent helps create light cookies.
- Spices - ground ginger, ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg.
- Dark chocolate - choose a good quality dark chocolate. My favourites are Cadbury or Nestle.
Equipment Required
- Saucepan, mixing bowl and spoon, or Thermomix.
- 2 baking trays lined with baking paper.
- A fork, for pressing down the cookies just before baking.
- Oven - I specify fan-forced oven temperatures in my recipes, so if you have a conventional oven, increase the temperature by between 10 and 20 degrees Celsius.
Step By Step Instructions
These melt and mix chocolate drizzled date cookies take just 10 minutes to prepare!
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.
Step 1 - Melt The Dates, Butter & Sugar
Preheat oven to 190 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Line 2 baking trays with baking paper and set aside.
Place the chopped dates, butter, brown sugar and golden syrup into a saucepan. Heat on low, stirring until the butter is melted, the brown sugar has dissolved and the dates have started to break down.
Step 2 - Mix The Dry Ingredients
Meanwhile, sift the flour with the baking powder, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl and create a well in the middle.
Step 3 - Combine Wet & Dry Ingredients
Add the butter and date mixture to the flour/spices.
Stir until well combined. The mixture will be quite wet.
Step 4 - Bake
Take teaspoons of the mixture and place onto the prepared baking trays, allowing room for spreading. Press down a little with a fork or back of the spoon.
Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden. Cool sticky date cookies on the tray slightly before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 5 - Drizzle With Melted Chocolate
Melt the chocolate and drizzle it over the top of the cookies once cooled.
Leave the chocolate to set then store in an airtight container.
Expert Tips
- The texture of the cookie dough is supposed to be wet!
- Melt the sugar and dates mixture over a low heat - you want the sugar crystals to dissolve and the dates to start to soften. If you cook them over too high a heat they may catch on the bottom of the pan before they've had a chance to break down.
- Don't over-mix the cookie dough - otherwise you can end up with tough cookies.
- Cool the baked date cookies completely before drizzling with melted chocolate.
- Storage - store the sticky date cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week or you can freeze them for up to 3 months.
FAQs
If you'd prefer, you can heat the dates, butter, brown sugar and golden syrup in the microwave, heat on 50% power for 4 minutes or until the mixture has softened.
Yes, you can, however they are more expensive than the dried pitted dates that I have used to make this sticky date cookie recipe, so I recommend using the dried pitted dates rather than medjool dates.
Yes, you can freeze date cookies! Wrap them well and place in a freezer safe bag or container.
Related Recipes
If you love baking with dates as much as I do, here are some more of my favourite recipes that use dates:
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Sticky Date Cookies
Ingredients
- 350 g (2 cups) pitted dates chopped
- 170 g butter
- 150 g (¾ cup) brown sugar
- 1 tbs golden syrup
- 300 g (2 cups) plain flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 100 g dark chocolate melted
Instructions
Conventional Method
- Preheat oven to 190 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Line 2 baking trays with baking paper and set aside.
- Place the chopped dates, butter, brown sugar and golden syrup into a saucepan. Heat on low, stirring until the better is melted, the sugar has dissolved and the dates have started to break down (see notes).
- Meanwhile, sift the flour with the baking powder, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl and create a well in the middle.
- Add the butter mixture to the flour/spices and stir until well combined. The mixture will be quite wet.
- Take teaspoons of the mixture and place onto the prepared baking trays, allowing room for spreading. Press down a little with a fork or back of the spoon.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden. Cool on the tray slightly before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Melt the chocolate and drizzle over the top of the cookies once cooled. Leave to set. Store in an airtight container.
Thermomix Method
- Preheat oven to 190 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Line 2 baking trays with baking paper and set aside.
- Place the dates into the Thermomix bowl and chop for 5 seconds on Speed 8. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and repeat for a further 5 seconds.
- Add the butter, brown sugar and golden syrup into the Thermomix bowl and heat for 5 minutes, 90 gredrees, Reverse, Speed 3.
- Add the flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg to the bowl and mix for 10 seconds on Speed 4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for a further 5 seconds.
- Take teaspoons of the mixture and place onto the prepared baking trays, allowing room for spreading. Press down a little with a fork or back of the spoon.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden. Cool on the tray slightly before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Melt the chocolate and drizzle over the top of the cookies once cooled. Leave to set. Store in an airtight container.
Notes
- The texture of the cookie dough is supposed to be wet!
- Melt the sugar and dates mixture over a low heat - you want the sugar crystals to dissolve and the dates to start to soften. If you cook them over too high a heat they may catch on the bottom of the pan before they've had a chance to break down.
- Don't over-mix the cookie dough - otherwise you can end up with tough cookies.
- Cool the baked date cookies completely before drizzling with melted chocolate.
- Storage - store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week or you can freeze them for up to 3 months.
Tracy Wright
Would adding glace ginger alter the "chemistry"too much? Also, I only have self raising flour? Thanks
Lucy
Hmm I think that would be ok as long as you like ginger! That's ok - just omit the baking powder.
Helen
Hello. I have just made these and I’m about to put chocolate on them but I’m wondering how long they will store for?
Lucy
Hi Helen, they will last 4-5 days (or you can freeze them in an airtight container). xx
Helen
These cookies are delicious. I have a fan forced oven and put them in for 190 degrees for 12 minutes but they were a tiny bit overdone (might just be my oven). Next time I will reduce by 1-2 minutes and they should be perfect. I left out the ginger because I didn't have any, but added a little bit more cinnamon and nutmeg and a tiny shake of allspice to compensate. Will be making these again 🙂
Lucy
Hi Helen, that's so fantastic to hear! Thank you 🙂
Kristina
Love this recipe. So easy and tasty. Have made these twice already, my husband loves them.
Lucy Mathieson
That's fantastic! Thank you so much! xx
Robyn
Could these be made dairy free as well as egg free by using olive oil or coconut oil ?
Lucy Mathieson
Hi Robyn, I personally haven't tried them with coconut or olive oil. If you do decide to try them this way I would definitely suggest coconut oil as olive oil will have a very strong taste which will overpower the cookies. Good luck!!! xx
Kaleigh
I used nuttelex and worked well
Lucy Mathieson
Awesome!
Lisa
Hi Lucy, love your recipes! This looks awesome! Can you use dried dates or did you use the fresh ones? Thanks.
Lucy Mathieson
Hi Lisa, dried pitted dates are absolutely fine! xxx
Riu
Hi, Lucy. I want to ask, if I want to change pitted dates with raisins, can or not? because I have trouble finding pitted dates here. btw Thank’s for the recipes
Lucy
Hi Riu, unfortunately they wont have the same texture. The dates is what really makes these delicious! xx