Recently, I’ve been using date paste to replace sugar in cookies, so I felt I would come on here and show you how I make my date paste cookies.
If you are currently on a healthy eating journey and are trying to replace your typical processed white and brown sugar with something more plant-based, then you will love these cookies.
These date paste cookies are perfect for days when you want to cozy up with something sweet but don’t want to feel guilty for putting all those processed sugars in your body.
What is Date Paste, and Why Should I Bake With It?
If you just stumbled across this post and are wondering what the heck date paste is, well, in simple terms, it is a sweetener that’s made out of dates.
Dates are a plant-powered food that not only tastes delicious but has a ton of great benefits associated with it.
According to research, eating dates has been linked with numerous health benefits, such as enhanced brain function and cognitive abilities, thanks to their rich content of B-complex vitamins and minerals like potassium and magnesium, which are crucial for optimal neurological functioning.
Basically, you can’t feel guilty for eating these date paste cookies!
How To Use Date Paste In Place of Sugar in Cookies
Replacing sugar with date paste is not rocket science and is actually very simple to do.
When I first started cooking and baking with date paste, I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to create some of my favorite foods with it.
However, after several tests and trials in my kitchen, I was able to find creative ways of using date paste to replace sugar.
In order to effectively use date paste in place of sugar in cookies and other dishes, here are some tips that I recommend.
Choose the proper dates
I really like using Medjool dates because they’re sweet and soft. When you’re baking, it’s important to have the right texture in your batter so your treats turn out great. I’ve found that using Medjool dates helps make sure the batter is just right.
Get the right consistency
When making your date paste, aim for a smooth, thick, and spreadable consistency. It should resemble the texture of peanut butter, in order to ensure it blends well with other ingredients and evenly flavors your recipes.
Pay attention to Moisture and Substitution Ratios
Don’t be that person who finds a recipe online and doesn’t religiously follow it.
With date paste cookies or any other recipe that calls for date paste, you will need to pay attention to moisture content and substitution ratios, as well as baking time, because this can make or break your final result.
Because of the moisture content of date paste you may need to adjust the overall amount of liquid or flour in your recipe.
This is crucial to making sure your date paste cookies come out as desired.
Ingredients for Date Paste Chocolate Chip Cookies
Date Paste: The star of the show. As mentioned earlier, I use Medjool dates and highly recommend them for baking. I also suggest making your own homemade date paste instead of purchasing store-bought options. That way, you are well aware of the quality and purity of the ingredients used.
Unsalted Butter: Preferably room temperature butter. I would not recommend using melted butter.
Cinnamon: Date paste cookies pair well with cinnamon. I find that the cinnamon really pulls out the sweetness of the dates. You do not want to skip this.
Flour: I used all-purpose flour for this date paste cookies. I have not tested it with any other flours YET, but if you’re curious, you can subscribe to my email list and find out when I do *wink*.
Baking soda: Fresh baking soda is always best.
Vanilla extract: For extra flavor
Raw agave nectar: I used agave to give these date paste cookies extra sweetness. Using date pasta alone sometimes gets overpowered by the flour, so a slight sweetness from the agave nectar helps bring back the sweetness.
Chocolate chips: Feel free to use dark chocolate or white chocolate chips if that’s what you prefer. Nuts will also work as well.
Eggs: For all my vegan besties out there, feel free to use aquafaba (which I like best). However, for this recipe, I chose to use real eggs.
Salt: Completely optional, but it helps balance all the sweetness together.
How To Make the Date Paste Cookies
The first step to making these date paste cookies is to preheat your oven to 350F (175C) and line your baking sheet with parchment paper, or lightly grease it if that’s what you prefer.
Cream the Butter and Date Paste
In a mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and date paste until well combined and creamy. Then beat in the egg, agave and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth.
Combine Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until a soft dough forms.
Fold in Chocolate Chips and form cookie dough balls
Gently fold in chocolate chips or dried fruit if that is what you prefer. At this stage, you can chill your dough in the fridge to give it more time to rest and meld together.
Using an ice cream scoop, take small portions of the dough and place them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
Bake and Leave Date Paste Cookies to Cool
Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are set and the edges are lightly golden brown. Do not overbake!
Allow to cool and enjoy!
What You’ll Love About These Date Paste Cookies
These cookies are naturally sweetened with date paste and agave, so you won’t feel guilty for eating them. Plus, they have a soft and chewy texture that we all love in cookies.
No kidding, the first time I made these date pasta cookies, my husband almost ate all 18 of them!!! Mind you, he doesn’t like dates. That’s how good these cookies are.
Enjoy them with a glass of milk or some hot chocolate.
How To Store
Before storing, make sure you allow the cookies to cool, then place them in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag with a tight-sealing lid.
While not necessary, refrigeration (for up to a week) or freezing (for up to three months) can further extend their shelf life, ensuring your date cookies stay fresh and delicious.
Let me know in the comments if you give this date paste chocolate chip cookies a try!
Date Paste Cookies
Equipment
- 1 Stand Mixer I used kitchen Aid
Ingredients
- 1 cup Date Paste
- ½ cup unsalted butter - at room temperature (approximately 1 stick of butter)
- 1 egg - substitute with 3 tablespoons of aquafaba if you're vegan
- 4 tbsp agave nectar
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1½ cups all purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 °F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it. In a mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and date paste until well combined and creamy. Beat in the egg, agave nectar and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until a soft dough forms. If you're adding chocolate chips, or dried fruits, fold them into the dough at this stage.
- Using an ice-cream scoop, scoop small portions of the dough and place them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are set and the edges are lightly golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely and serve!
