Update 2023: Please Scroll down to the end of the post for the Vegan version of this cookie!
I was doing a quick search to find out how many carbohydrates were in a date, when I came across a random “answer forum” where someone stated “Dates come from plums.” in a rather matter of fact way.
They what???? Then I started thinking, where do they come from? I’d never really thought about where they came from or how they were grown or anything about them before. Prunes are dried plums, raisins are dried grapes (craisins are dried cranberries, right? :) …are dates dried something?
Well, dried dates are from fresh dates, folks, just in case you didn’t know. Just like dried apricots are from fresh apricots and dried figs are from fresh figs. Why they all don’t have fancy names for their dried counterparts, I have yet to find out, but I think they all should…or they all shouldn’t, don’t you? None of this some do and some don’t stuff!
So, did you know that dates develop in clusters on palm trees that can grow to 75 feet in height?
Date palm with fruits at the Abdul Aziz Date Farm in Medina.
And, yes, people do eat them fresh, though I, personally, have never had the benefit of encountering a fresh date. However, if I did, I think I’d try something like this Candied Dates with Cardamom recipe. Doesn’t that sound/look amazing?
Photo from the Tastespotting Blog
I’ve featured dates of the dried variety before in several different recipes because I love using them to naturally sweeten foods. Have you tried the Orange Date Bars yet? Or the Chia Seed Pudding? The Ginger Confections and the Key Lime Pie I just reviewed also use this delicious, sweet fruit.
The other night, I created another recipe boasting dates. It was my parent’s idea really…Dad asked me if there was any of the crust leftover from the Key Lime Pie I made the night before. Then Mom said, “Couldn’t you make cookies kind of like that?”
“I can try.”, I said. And this is what happened…
The recipe makes 12 cookies, but I don’t know what became of them all, so maybe you should double it.
12 pitted dates
1 c. walnuts or pecans
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
1/8 t. salt
1/4 t. baking soda
4 oz dark chocolate chips
Blend dates and walnuts in a food processor until finely ground. (It might start to form a paste, but conversely, don’t worry if it’s a little chunky.) Add egg, vanilla, salt and soda and blend to combine. Fold in chips. Spoon onto parchment covered cookie sheets.
Bake at 350 for 9-11 minutes. You want them to just turn golden and yet still be soft in the middle. Let cool before serving. These cookies are still moist and chewy a day later…and I don’t know about beyond that. I don’t think I’d ever get them to last that long.
I know, I wrote the wrong amount of salt! I almost forgot to write the chocolate chips down there, too.
So here are some stats – no gluten, no dairy, no grain, no refined sugar. Nutrients galore and approximately 18 grams carbohydrate, 4 grams of protein and 8 grams of fat per serving, which is (cough, cough) 2 cookies.
Enjoy!
Update 2023:
Hello all of you Date Sweetened Chocolate Chip Cookie lovers out there and thank you for all the love you’ve given this recipe! The comments keeps coming and I’m so happy everyone loves these cookies!
Several of my commenters asked about using flax seed instead of egg. I also have a vegan client I cook for who likes her sweets, so I decided to revisit this recipe and try a vegan version!
The only thing that needs to be substituted is the egg and you can replace it with this easy recipe from Minimalist Baker.
1 Tablespoon ground flax seed
2.5 Tablespoons water
Mix and soak for 5 minutes. Then use as you would the egg!
These cookies do have a slight flax seed flavor, but they are nice and moist and I believe they would satisfy a sweet-tooth craving for a chocolate chip cookie.
Also, I only got 9 cookies out of this batch, so beware – you might want to double the recipe!
Please let me know in the comments below if you try this vegan version and what you think of it!
Stir It Up! 
This is now my favorite all time chocolate chip cookie! And this is from a chocolate chip cookie lover. :) You should get some kind of award for this original recipe! It is original isn’t it?
Yes, it is. :D I’m glad you liked them so much, Mom!
I have to second this comment; they are seriously the most wonderful chocolate chip cookies! I’ve been making them about once a week, and they never disappoint. And everyone I share with loves them, to boot!
Thanks for sharing with us.
Thanks so much for giving your feedback, Whitney! I LOVE that you and your friends are enjoying the recipe so much!
I agree as well! I’ve been sharing and everyone who has tried them is shocked there isn’t any sugar or flour. YUM!
Awesome! So glad to hear it. :) Thanks for letting us know!
I use dates in baking a lot. They are a great way to add bulk to gluten free recipes and reduce the amount of fat. Your cookies look delicious, I could eat one right now :)
Yes, it’s amazing to me that these cookies have NO butter! You’d never guess from tasting them.
Thank you!
This sounds and looks so delicious, Cant wait to try it!
I hope you enjoy them as much as we did, Thelma! :D
Wow – these look amazing! They are certainly going onto my ‘to make next’ list. I love how your creativity with food results in something amazing – my creativity with food usually results in disaster! :)
I’ve had some disasters myself! Someday, I’ll post one for all to see – and laugh about! :D Thank you for the comment, Andrea.
Mmmm…can’t wait to try these!!!
Me too! (the second batch that is. :P)
Not being much of a baker, when i see where others use things like dates to sweeten cookies, I’m amazed. These look very good!
Thank you, Sir! The food you cook amazes me, so we’re even. :D I’ve never even attempted fried zucchini flowers – I try to stay a very safe and far distance from pots of HOT oil! :)
I am aware that 3-D printers are on sale now. Whenever they invent 4-D printers (being “flavor” the fourth dimension), I’ll buy one of them just to fully enjoy your blog … Wow!
I have heard they are working on a printer that “prints” flavors on to edible paper, but I can’t imagine it ever being satisfying! :D Thanks for commenting, Covetotop!
Hi sarah! i came here from none other than blogilates.com (of course, right? cassey takes over my whole life!!! LOL) and your blog is so beautiful! i have a blog of my own and yours is just so much more professional looking :)
I bought some Sunmaid dried dates from my grocery store, and they look like really big fat golden raisins. can i use those for your recipe, or do they have to be the expensive medjool kind? thanks so much!! oh and BTW i am so sore from yesterday as well.
love,
ariella
Hi Ariella! Thanks so much for coming by and for your complements! Haha, yes, Cassey is pretty addicting! I love the variety of her workouts – never the same one over and over again – and that I can see improvement. Yay! :D
I think the dates you have will work great, though you might have use more than 12. If they are similar in size to golden raisins I would suggest trying 1/2 to 3/4 of a cup.
Have a great day and let’s embrace this soreness! :P
Right. And plums do not grow on palm trees. Now I have to go and find fresh dates to try.
I bet they have them out where you are! Let me know how they taste, please! :D
I came here from truth and cake. Love you recipe and pictures… I have a baking blog too! I can’t wait to check out more of your posts!
:)
Thanks so much, Caitlin, and thanks for dropping by. Heading over to check out your blog right now. :)
Wow, these look awesome! I am going to have to try making these cookies.
Definitely! :) You’ll have to let me know how you like them. :) Thanks for visiting!
Very yummy looking!
Thanks, Alicia! :)
These look fantastic! I’m always on the lookout for fruit sweetened desserts that are also dairy, soy, and gluten free. It’s a pretty tall order most of the time. I think I’ll make these for my husband, but I’m jealous as I cannot have chocolate either. Do you think they would be good without the chocolate? Or maybe make a good raisin cookie? I’m up for suggestions =)
Do you like carob? I think dried fruit like raisins, apricots, or cherries would be great in these. I hope you both enjoy them! Thanks for stopping by, Miranda!
I use vanilla chips for my son, as he is not a chocolate fan, and he enjoys them. I use dark chocolate in mine and I love them. I especially like that it is a small batch, so none go to waste.
Fantastic Recipe! Really enjoyed it, guilt-free might i add!
Thank you, Jennifer! I’m so glad you tried it and like it! Thanks so much for letting me know how it turned out for you. :D
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Delicious! I used carob chips instead of chocolate chips. I also used 1/2 a cup of shredded coconut because I realized at the last minute that I only had 1/2 a cup of walnuts.
So glad you liked them, Emily! I love your variations – thanks so much for sharing them with us!
loved these..yum yum
Awesome! I’m so glad!
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I’m running out of get walnuts now…I’m so excited to find a gluten-free, sugar-free cookie that doesn’t require 10 types of flour and xanthan gum!
I’m so excited that you’re trying them! This recipe has been a big hit with everyone so I hope you enjoy! Thanks for leaving a comment and happy baking. :)
Found you on Pinterest, and LOVED this recipe. My favorite part–it took literally 10 minutes to make, not counting baking. The biggest time was spent cutting the pits out of the dates. Took some to my neighbors who are GF and they about died. So good. Thank you!
I’m so glad you and your neighbors like them! Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know, Holly!
Thank you for this yummy recipe! I’ve tried others without sugar and they weren’t very good. I used lily’s dark choc which has no sugar, is vegan and non-GMO. I will be making these again!!
Thanks!
Teresa
Hi Teresa! I haven’t heard of Lily’s dark chocolate before, but that sounds great. I’ll have to look it up! So glad you like the recipe and thanks so much for coming by to let me know!
Oh my word! Those look so yummy! Dates are so good for you! Thanks for sharing this recipe! I will try them out! 😄
Yes, they are! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy the cookies!
Appreciating the time and energy you put into your blog and in depth information you provide. It’s good to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same unwanted rehashed information. Excellent read! I’ve saved your site and I’m adding your RSS feeds to my Google account. bfakfbddfgag
Thank you, John! I hope you continue to enjoy! :)
I just made these but used 1/2 ground sunflower seeds and 1/2 cup ground walnuts. These were so easy and quick and yummy. I love that they are only sweetened from dates(and chocolate chips, of course). I could eat the whole dozen!! They will be my go to treat for my kids from now on.
Jen, thanks so much for coming over and letting me know how you liked the recipe! I love your addition of sunflower seeds! Will have to try that in future batches. :) Happy baking!
I’m going to be honest and say I never thought these would be delicious but they are amazing!!! This will be a staple for me as I can’t do many recipes that are paleo because they use almond flour and I can’t do almonds!!!! Thank you for the amazing recipe!!!!
Hi Kristin, It is a crazy recipe, it’s it? I’m SO glad you like it! Thank you for dropping by and letting me know!
holy crap. these are so good.
Thanks so much! Glad you like them. :)
Hello! I just got accustomed to your website today with this recipe! When I first saw it I was amazed at how easy it took to make it. So I decided to make it. And let’s just say that it didn’t turn out to be anything like yours at all. Yours look a lot like a cookie but mine looks a lot like a glob. When I look at yours, the texture looks like a real cookie. Is there something that I did wrong or differently than you?
Did you use a different nut? Another kind of nut could change the texture slightly. Did you use a food processor? Perhaps your food processor ground it more finely than mine. It’s hard to know without more detail. Hope that helps, and I’m sorry they didn’t turn out as you expected!
No.. I used walnuts. But I did use a blender.. Would have made it different than yours?
A blender could have blended a bit too much. I pulse the walnuts and dates in the food processor, which yields a crumbly texture (like butter worked into flour). Your blender might be able to do that, too. But then, you might try removing it to a bowl and hand mixing the rest of the ingredients in.
Let me know how that works for you!
Did your cookies still taste good?
Wow! These were awesome made as is. I also made them a second time omitting the choc chips for coca powder (1/4 cup). They turned out great – tasted just like brownies. Yum. thanks for the delicious recipe.
Thank you, Kathy! So glad you are enjoying the recipe!
Have made these several times now as is ~ they’ve become my go to recipe for easy and delicious! Thank you for sharing! I’ve tried a vegan variation now ~ replacing the egg with a tbsp of ground flax seed & 3 tbsp water sprinkled over the date/walnut crumble & 1/2 cup dried cranberries add at the last run through the processor for a sweet tart treat.
Yum! sounds like a great variation! Thanks so much for sharing. So glad you love the recipe!
Hi! I’m Rebecca from MyNaturalFamily.com. I shared a link to your recipe on my post http://www.mynaturalfamily.com/recipes/paleo-recipes/best-paleo-chocolate-chip-cookies-recipes/
I want to make sure it’s ok with you that I did so. Please let me know if you want me to remove your image.
I would love if you could share a little love by sharing the post on your social media accounts. After all, in the end it will help you get more traffic too.
I am also open to other collaboration ideas so please let me know if you have ideas of how we can help grow each other’s blogs.
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In case you’re not already a member of our sister site, InspiringCooks.com I would like to invite you to join it.
I was frustrated with how much work it is to submit to food submission sites so I created my own site kind of like Food Gawker. The main difference is that you don’t have to submit each recipe. All you need to do is fill out this form – http://inspiringcooks.com/submit-recipes/ and we will add your recipe images for you with a link to your site (no recipe on our site). We will also promote your content by pinning both directly from your site and from our site.
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Wow! Simply almost unbelievable…..I only believe because I ate them……too many of them! I tripled this recipe as we have eight children. There were three left in the morning! New fav!
Awesome! Thanks so much, Kristi, for taking the time to let me know how you and your family liked them! I’m 4th of 9 kids, so I know all about that triple recipe stuff! :)
Hi! I LOVE these. There are so few good suitable replacements for the real deal but these are so delicious! Along those lines… the dough is delicious. Is there a way I could do flax or something else to replace the egg so I can eat the dough raw??
Thanks so much, Calli! Glad you enjoy it. I don’t mind eating eggs raw, as long as they are free range/farm fresh or organic, but I would think flax seed would make a pretty good substitute for eggs in this recipe.
Let me know how it turns out if you try it! Thanks for stopping by!
I tried it last night and thought it had a funny taste from the flax. I baked a couple cookies to see how they were and they tasted better than the dough. I will definitely stick with egg next time :)
Very good to know! Thanks, Calli!
These are amazing! I’ve made them twice with walnuts so far. Do you think they would work with almonds, cashews, or pistachios? I’m curious about variations!
Hi Lauren, Thanks for your comment! I know the texture would change using different nuts (with the exception of pecans), but I really think they would taste just as good! Please let me know if you try different nuts and how it worked for you.
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Mine didn’t look as good as these but they were AWESOME! 3 gone in seconds.
It’s definitely not the looks that count here! :) Thanks for sharing your results, Mandy! So glad you enjoy the recipe.
this recipe is the most mind-blowing recipe i have ever come across. ever in my life! THANK YOU!!!
Ah, thank you so much Grace! I am SO glad that you found it and are enjoying it. :)
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Baked your cookies tonight! Next time I plan on having better self control and only eat two!! Didn’t see that until afterwards!! ha But they were so good!!! Thank you!!
It’s so easy just to eat the whole batch, it’s it! It’s just that they are SOOO healthy! ;) So glad you enjoy the recipe, Kim! Thanks for letting me know!
Awesome cookies! I used almonds instead of walnuts (didn’t have any, and just needed to make these cookies in the moment, you know, do or die situation, ;-P). They were superb! I would probably add more almonds next time to not be as datey and sticky, but they tasted great, especially when they cooled down (and even better the next day!). Thanks so much!
I haven’t tried it with almonds yet, so good to know they work well! So glad you like the recipe and thanks for your comment, Irene! :)
I made these today, half a batch with chia/flax egg and half with regular. Both were wonderful! The regular, both the dough and cookie tasted just like a wonderful, more traditional chocolate chip cookie. The flax/chia, the dough and cookie were both delicious, but a bit sweeter and we could tell that the cookie was more of an attempt at a healthy cookie. Don’t get me wrong, it was very good, just not /quite/ a traditional chocolate chip cookie. I also made my chocolate chips, sweetened with date and a pinch of honey. I did add a tiny amount of honey to the batter, less than half a teaspoon. I have found in using dates that it really enhances the sweetness. These were amazing and I will be making a large chia/flax batch for my next 6 weeks trucking. Thank you so much!
Thank you for sharing about the chia/flax seed egg! Such a great tip for those who are egg free – or just happen to have run out! :) So happy that you like the recipe! Thanks for commenting and happy trucking! :)
These are hands down best cookies I’ve ever had! And that’s coming from someone who’s favorite dessert is chocolate chip cookies! I wanted to make these for the girls at work but a couple of them are vegan. Would you know a good substitute for egg?
Hi Megan! Linda, in a comment above, said, “I’ve tried a vegan variation now ~ replacing the egg with a tbsp of ground flax seed & 3 tbsp water sprinkled over the date/walnut crumble…”.
I, personally, haven’t tried that yet, I think it would work well. Would love to know if you try it and how it works for you. Thanks for commenting and I’m so glad you love the recipe! :)
These look really tasty! I can’t wait to make them!
I have date paste, not whole dates. How much paste do you think I would use for this recipe??
Hi Karen! Hmmm, that’s a tough guess! I’m assuming date paste would be more condensed than pureed dates, so I would start with 1/4 of a cup and taste from there. Thanks for stopping by!
I made the cookies without the chocolate chips and they were still the best cookie I’ve ever had. Kept them in a air tight container and they were still moist a week later. Delicious!
That’s awesome, Jody! Thanks so much for sharing that. I’ll have remember that when I’m out of chocolate! :)
How many calories per serving?
I’m sorry, Susana, I have no idea!
Easy and great tasting recipe. I used 1/2 cup of date paste (homemade) and Lily’s (made with Stevia) chocolate chips. This is the best no grain or refined sugar cookie I have tasted and I have tried lots of recipes. Thank you so much for sharing. I will be using and sharing this recipe a lot. You have been such a blessing.
Hi Pamela, Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your substitutions! I’m so glad you like the recipe! Happy baking! :)
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I grew up in the Coachella Valley and I eat dates every day! I now live in Idaho and have them shipped to me! I had to give this recipe a try and it did not disappoint. So good – especially still warm from the oven!
Hi Jessica, So glad you enjoyed this recipe! Ooooh, did you get dates fresh in California? I have not had the opportunity to try a fresh date, but it’s still on my bucket list. :)
Thanks for coming by and leaving a comment!
All the best, Sarah
Sarah, wow, these are super delicious! And easy! I used walnuts but I’d try pecans too, maybe next time. But wow, I SHOULD have doubled the recipe! No white flour, no sugar but the dates, and I used vegan dark chocolate chips. I will be making these again, I have a feeling these will not last long.
Hi Sherry, I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! And yes, I’m sure pecans would work great too! They do tend to disappear rather quickly… ;)
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment. Have a blessed week!
Sarah
Hi there, silly question.
These sound amazing.
I am allergic to nuts, but I still wanted to try the recipe. Should I chop up the dates first and then maybe add a cup of oat flour to the mix?
Hi Patrice, So sorry for the tardy response! The walnuts and pecans are full of fats, so it helps make the moist cookie, but I would try doing 3/4 cup rolled oats and 1/4 c. butter (or favorite oil) and blend it in with the dates. I have not tried this, so I can’t promise anything, but that’s what I would experiment with to solve the nut problem. Please let me know how it works if you give it a try! All the best!
These are so wonderful and have the same ingredients as some of the healthiest protein bars on the market. . My husband can’t stop eating them and I am so grateful to have an unrefined sugar option for dessert that tastes incredible and satisfies every craving for a warm gooey chocolate chip cookie. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Ev! You’re very welcome! I’m so glad you and your husband enjoy them so much. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment (even if it took me this long to see it! :/).
These are amazing. The texture doesn’t come out looking like yours. I used a food processor as well. How long do you pulse the dates and walnuts for? I am wondering if I needed to make it finer. Any who, I am really not too worried about it. The family loves these. Thank you!
Hi Kristen, I pulsed the dates and walnuts until they almost start forming a ball, but not quite. A little chunky never hurt a cookie ever though, right?! ;) So glad you and your family like these! Thanks for posting!
Wow! I make raw snacks similar to this dough all the time and never thought to bake them. Used half cashews and half walnuts because I don’t like walnuts and didn’t want to taste them too much, but they came out great! I also used date-sweetened chocolate chips, so no refined sugar at all. Amazing, thank you!
Hi Kristie! I like the idea of using half cashews! And where do you find date sweetened chocolate chips??!
Thank you for leaving a comment!
I found them at Whole Foods, the brand is Just Date. ;)
Perfect! Lol Thank you!