YES to sugar-free Almond-Tahini-Date Cookies! With these almond date cookies there is absolutely no sacrifice on flavor. They are made with naturally sweet Medjool dates, ground almonds and tahini. Plus a little spice to deepen the flavor: cinnamon and ginger. So since there are no flour, no eggs, no sugar, meaning these make the perfect snack for anyone following a gluten-free or vegan diet or… anyone simply looking to eat a little healthier (without feeling they are missing out on a delicious snack).
Why I love these almond dates cookies
Well, they have a cookie-like exterior with a chewy inside that kind of takes you by surprise. Dates have their own special kind of sweetness which is complimented by a subtle taste of tahini (sesame paste) together with the nutty taste of almonds. I also use a little coarse see salt in these cookies which is really terrific because you only get a little hint of sea salt, and not in absolutely every bite.
And these are cookies that grow on you. Or at least for me. The more I ate them the more I loved them. That said, I loved them more when they were fully cooled. Warm , I poked a little piece of dark chocolate in middle to let it melt a little and yeah, oh yeah, that was good. But of course, then this would no longer be a sugar-free cookies recipe.
So do these fall into the category of Christmas cookie?
Sure why not. Okay, maybe they don’t look as fancy as decorated or sugar-coated cookies, or even thumbprint cookies with their colorful jam in the middle, but they definitely earned a place among my Christmas table. And probably any time I am looking to bake something that makes the perfect healthy snack.
Almond-Tahini-Date Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons tahini (well-stirred)
- 10 Medjool pitted dates, see notes
- 2 tablespoons water
- 120 g ground almonds
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
- 1/8 teaspoon bourbon vanilla powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (Ceylon)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
To coat (optional):
- ground almonds
Method
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Preheat the oven to 350°F / 165°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Place the Medjool dates and tahini in a food processor and process until the dates are minced and mixture is quite smooth.
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Add the rest of the ingredients and process until the mixture forms a ball in the food processor (yes, this actually happens!)
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Use a tablespoon and hand roll into tightly formed balls (about 3 cm in diameter) and place the balls onto the prepared baking sheet. If coating the cookies with almonds, roll the cookie ball lightly in small bowl of ground almonds until completely coated, then place on the baking sheet.
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Using a small flat-bottomed glass, press down on each cookie until it is lightly flattened to a little more than 1 cm thick.
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Bake in the preheated oven for 14-16 minutes, or until the cookie edges firm up and are set. The cookies will rise slightly.
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Remove from the oven and gently transfer each cookie from the baking sheet to a cooling rack. Store the completely cooled cookies in an airtight container.
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Enjoy!
Notes
Look for Medjool dates that are soft and moist as these will give you the best results. I pick mine up at the farmers market, but some supermarkets sell them fresh (not packaged) or you can find them at Turkish markets. If the Medjool dates seem dry, then I would recommend soaking them in warm water until they are tender/soft enough. I don't recommend other types of dates for this recipe.
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