{recipe} Robert’s Chewy Amazing Oatmeal Date Cookies

The other night my friend Robert made these fabulous cookies. I am going to go ahead and make the bold statement that they are now my favorite kind of cookie, officially. I actually don’t even generally gravitate towards sweets much at all, but when these are in the room I find them very hard to resist. I think it’s because they have a ton of butter in them, and also because they are a little bit salty and sweet, and because they have that perfect chewy soft texture going on. Strangely, they have stuff in them that I don’t even like- I am not a fan of walnuts in a cookie at all, unless they’re ground up, and I am usually not so interested in coconut or dates in the cookie setting either. Yet somehow they come together in a magical synergistic explosion of deliciousness.

Robert got the recipe from his mother so props go out to Señora Perez, as well as Robert himself who sacrificed a whole night last week to help me make tons and tons of these and other cookies for my holiday party. So I have a lot of love for the whole Perez familia right now!

RECIPE: Robert’s Chewy Amazing Oatmeal Date Cookies
This is a huge recipe, it makes a LOT of cookies. Don’t even think about doubling it, 2 batches won’t fit in your mixer.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup of sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 cups oatmeal (not quick oats)
  • 1 cup of dates, chopped into raisin-sized morsels
  • 1 cup walnuts
  • 1 cup coconut

METHOD:

  • Preheat oven to 375.
  • Cream butter and sugars in a mixer. Add egg and vanilla.
  • Add flour, baking soda, and salt and mix with the butter mixture just until combined.
  • In a separate bowl, combine oatmeal, dates, walnuts, and coconut. Stir together and add to dough.
  • Spoon large tablespoon portions onto baking sheet. Bake for 8-9 minutes. Allow to cool on baking sheets for 4-5 minutes after removing from oven.
  • These are very moist so will keep for a couple of days, and still be soft and chewy if you put them in an airtight container.

UPDATE: click here to see this recipe updated with whole wheat flour and agave nectar.

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12 Responses

  1. Cat says:

    These are so freakin’ good. While they’re not “holiday” cookies I’m totally making them for the cookie exchange I attend– I want to share the love. Thanks to you and the Family Perez!

  2. Martha says:

    Will be trying these this weekend. Sound sooooooooooo good.

  3. The first batch of these just came out of the oven and..wow, I hope I can hold myself back! I love how they hold their shape while cooking and come out looking so nice. Thank you for this wonderful recipe 🙂

  4. Peggy Zoller says:

    Something is obviously missing from the recipe. The cookies really were not moist or very good.

    • Karen says:

      @Peggy- I have made this recipe dozens of times, as have many other people- not sure why it didn’t work out for you! 🙁

  5. Kathleen says:

    Hey, I’d like to make these cookies, but how many cups would 2 1/2 sticks of butter be?

  6. Mary Jane says:

    Excited to make these — assume you use sweetened coconut?

  7. Mary Jane says:

    One more question: can you make the dough up ahead of time and freeze it?