One Nutty Date

By Coppermouse

Ingredients

• For One Nutty Date:
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup smooth natural peanut butter
• 1/2 teaspoo ground cinnamon
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces pitted dates, chopped
• 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
• For Drizzle:
• 8 ounces white chocolate chips (see Tip)
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• Tip: Most brands of white chocolate chips are actually not white chocolate at all; they’re called "white morsels" and contain no chocolate. Eight ounces chopped pure white chocolate can be used in place of the chips.

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375°F.



Beat brown sugar, butter, peanut butter and cinnamon in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until well mixed. Add egg and vanilla; continue beating until well mixed. Reduce speed to low. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; beat until well mixed, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Stir in dates and walnuts. Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour before baking.

Use a small scoop (1 3/8- to 1 1/2-inch) and drop balls of dough 2 inches apart onto an ungreased baking sheet. (If you do not have a scoop, shape the dough by hand into 1- to 1 1/4-inch balls). Gently press each ball to flatten slightly.

Bake the cookies until the edges are lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To decorate: Place white chocolate and oil in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave on Medium, stirring every 30 seconds, until the chocolate is melted and smooth. To drizzle, dip a fork in the chocolate then wave it over a cookie to create a lacy finish (see Variations). Let the chocolate set for at least 1 hour.

Variations: Instead of drizzling, dip the top side of the cooled cookies in melted white or dark chocolate and sprinkle with chopped walnuts.