Date Cookies (2-Ingredient, No Eggs, No Added Sugar)

These Date Cookies are super easy chewy cookies ready in under 30 minutes and made with just 2 base ingredients for a perfect sweet snack.

Table of contents

+ View More- View Less

I love baking with dates. Dates provide (almost) everything you need: flavor, moisture, sweetness, and stickiness. I use dates all the time, like in my Date Loaf or Healthy Date Bars. Today I wanted to make cookies and I tried to find how much I could simplify the traditional cookie recipe.

It turns out that I managed to make date cookies with just 2 ingredients! This recipe is so easy, so quick, that you can make it pretty much any time! And did I mention that they are absolutely delicious? And gluten-free!

Ingredients and Substitutions

You need 2 base ingredients to make these cookies.

• Almond Flour – Provides the base of the cookie, offering a nutty flavor and chewy texture. Using ultra-fine blanched almond flour gives a smoother texture, while almond meal makes the batter drier. It can be substituted with hazelnut flour, but other flours like all-purpose flour or oat flour will not work as well. If you want to try oat flour, reduce the amount, as it’s more absorbent.
• Medjool Dates – These naturally sweet, moist dates serve as both the sweetener and binder for the cookies. Using other types of dates is not recommended, as Medjool dates are softer and bring more moisture to the cookies. Soaking the dates before blending ensures they blend easily into a smooth paste.

You can add more flavors and texture with the cookies by adding the following to the batter:

• Vanilla Extract – Adds a subtle sweetness and warmth to the cookies. Can be swapped for almond extract if you prefer a nutty flavor.
• Cinnamon – Adds warmth and spice. You could also experiment with other spices like nutmeg or cardamom for a different flavor profile.
• Maple Syrup – Enhances the sweetness and adds a caramel-like flavor. If you add maple syrup, you’ll need to balance it by adding a little extra almond flour to prevent the dough from getting too sticky.
• Almond Extract – Adds a deeper almond flavor, which pairs well with the nuttiness of the almond flour. This is optional but adds a nice touch.
• Dark Chocolate Chips – You can add some chocolate chips either into the dough or pressed on top of the cookies for extra sweetness. Other options include white chocolate chips or even dried cranberries for a chewy contrast.

How to Make Date Cookies

These cookies are super easy to make. Here are pictures of the key steps.

Pour the two base ingredients in a food processor.

Process the dough until you can pack the dough together.

Roll cookies dough balls and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Flatten the cookies with your hands and bake them for 8-12 minutes at 340 °F (170 °C).

Expert Tips

While all you need is in the recipe card below, here are a few more tips to never fail this recipe.

1. Soften the Dates Properly – Soaking the dates in boiling water softens them, making them easier to process into a smooth dough. Ensure you drain them well, but save the date water, as you may need a bit of it to adjust the dough consistency.
2. Use Fresh Almond Flour – Almond flour can go stale quickly, so always use fresh almond flour for the best flavor. If using almond meal, expect a slightly grainier texture.
3. Adjust the Dough Consistency – If your dough is too dry, add a small amount of the leftover date soaking water to bind it. If it’s too wet, add a little more almond flour to firm it up.
4. Shape the Cookies Before Baking – These cookies won’t expand in the oven, so make sure to press them into the desired shape before baking. Wet or lightly oil your hands to prevent sticking when shaping.
5. Watch the Baking Time – The cookies bake quickly, so keep an eye on them after 8 minutes to ensure they don’t overcook. Look for golden brown edges to know they’re done.
6. Cool on the Baking Sheet – Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. They will firm up as they cool, making them easier to handle.
7. Storage – Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also refrigerate them for up to a week, or freeze for longer storage.

More Dessert Recipes with Dates

Date Bark

Healthy Date Bars

Date Caramel

Date Loaf

Date Cookies

These Date Cookies are super easy chewy cookies ready in under 30 minutes and made with just 2 base ingredients for a perfect sweet snack.

5 from 2 votes

Print Review Save Saved!

Share on Facebook Pin Save in Email

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 10 minutes mins

Total Time: 25 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings: 10 cookies

Calories: 167.3 kcal

Author: Carine Claudepierre

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

• ▢ 2 cups Almond Flour - (note 1)
• ▢ 1 cup Medjool Dates - pitted, equivalent to 10 Medjool dates, packed in the cup to measure (note 2)

Optional flavor ideas

• ▢ 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• ▢ 2-3 tablespoons Maple Syrup - (note 3)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Almond Extract
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Dark Chocolate Chips - (note 4)

Instructions

• Place the pitted dates in a glass bowl, pour boiling water on top, and set aside for 5 minutes to soften.
• Preheat the oven to 340 °F (170 °C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Slightly oil paper with cooking oil spray. Set aside.
• Drain the dates in a sieve over the sink and press the dates above a bowl to remove the excess liquid trapped in them. Set the juice aside as you might use some of the recipe later.
• Place the drained soaked dates in the bowl of a food processor along with almond flour and process on medium-high speed until it forms a crumbly mixture with tiny pieces of dates – no big ones. It takes about 1 minute.
• Stop the food processor. The batter is ready when you are able to form ball of dough as you squeeze it with your hands. It should stick together nicely. If too dry, simply process again adding a little bit of the date 'juice' you kept earlier until the batter is easy to squeeze. If too wet, add a little more almond flour and process again.
• Roll 10 dough balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
• Lightly wet or oil hands to press down each dough ball into a cookie shape. They won't expand in the oven. The shape you give now is the shape you get at the end.
• Bake the date cookies on the center rack of the oven for 8-12 minutes at 340 °F (170 °C) until golden brown on the side.
• Let the cookies cool down on the baking sheet for 10 minutes then transfer them to a cooling rack.

Notes

Note 1: I recommend ultra-fine blanched almond flour for best texture. Almond meal works as well, but the cookie batter tends to be dryer and requires more liquid – water from the soaked dates – to come together. The recipe works with hazelnut flour. The recipe doesn’t work with all-purpose flour or oat flour. Oat flour is highly liquid absorbent and if you try it, you will need way less oat flour and the cookies won’t be as moist.

Note 2: I don’t recommend another type of dates, Medjool dates are soft and add a delicious moisture to the cookies.

Note 3: You will need a little more almond flour to make the cookie dough less wet as maple syrup makes the dough sticky.

Note 4: Feel free to press in a few chocolate chips on top of the cookies before baking for extra sweetness.

Flavors Ideas: you can add 1 teaspoon of almond extract or vanilla extract to the batter. Other flavors I love are 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon.

Share on Facebook Pin Recipe

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 167.3kcal | Carbohydrates: 15.8g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 11.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.8g | Sodium: 0.1mg | Potassium: 102.3mg | Fiber: 3.4g | Sugar: 10.6g | Vitamin A: 21.9IU | Calcium: 56.4mg | Iron: 1mg | Magnesium: 7.9mg | Phosphorus: 9.1mg | Zinc: 0.1mg