Date Oatmeal Cookies

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Our favorite soft and chewy date oatmeal cookies are simple to make, studded with the sweet caramel flavor of dates, and full of warm spices.!

Step aside, chocolate chips and raisins, there’s a new cookie in town!

Don’t get me wrong, I’m still a sucker for a classic chocolate chip cookie (these triple-chocolate cookies are legendary in my family!), and these peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies hold a special place in my heart.

But sometimes, you just gotta shake things up, right? Let me tell you, these date oatmeal cookies will rock your world.

More often than not, when I have a box of dates, I am making these popular date energy balls. Those energy bites are the reason that dates have become one of my favorite natural sweeteners, so I’ve been looking for ways to incorporate them into other desserts.

Date squares and sticky toffee pudding have always been among my favorite holiday desserts, but during the busy holiday season, we need snacks that travel well and satisfy those quick cravings. These easy date oatmeal cookies are just the ticket!

While these particular cookies do have brown sugar in them – the oatmeal and dates combo packs a nutrition punch too. Desserts don’t have to be completely devoid of sugar – enjoy the sweetness, but why not sneak in some good-for-you ingredients too? And what’s better than the fiber-rich goodness of oats and the natural sugars and vitamins of dates?

Why You’ll Love this Date Oatmeal Cookie Recipe

If you’re an oatmeal raisin cookies fan – you need to try this oatmeal cookies recipe! They’re soft, chewy, have the perfect caramel notes, and are perfectly spiced. They’re not far from the classic oatmeal cookies we all know and love, but with a little extra something special.

• Dates and oats are a match made in baking heaven. The rich, caramelized sweetness of Medjool dates pairs beautifully with the earthy, nutty chew of rolled oats.
• They’re easy to bake. No fancy ingredients or complicated steps here! Whip up a batch in no time for a quick and easy treat. I also love to give these as gifts, as they keep really well in a cookie tin.
• You can play with the mix-ins and flavors! Add chopped nuts or even some chocolate chips.
• These date oatmeal cookies also freeze beautifully, so bake a double batch and stash some of the cookie dough for the next time you’re craving something sweet. Or freeze the baked cookies.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

All purpose Flour

All purpose flour gives these oatmeal structure without making them too heavy. Remember to spoon and level (or even better, weigh) your flour when measuring, as packed flour can lead to dense cookies.

Since these are chewy oatmeal cookies, you can substitute the all-purpose for bread flour if you want to play up the chewiness even more.

Baking Soda

This is your leavening agent. It reacts with the acidic components in the dough (in this case brown sugar and molasses), creating bubbles that help the date oatmeal cookies from becoming too dense.

I have not tried these cookies with baking powder, but you would need to increase the quantity for the substitution to work and it could give these cookies a slightly bitter taste.

Warm spices

I love the combination of cinnamon and nutmeg in oatmeal cookies, but a blend of warm spices, like chai, apple pie or pumpkin pie spice can be substituted. Warm spices like these infuse the cookies with a cozy, comforting aroma that’s hard to resist.

Butter

The key to perfectly textured cookies. Softened butter creams beautifully with sugar, creating a light and fluffy base for your dough. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the salt level in your recipe, ensuring the perfect balance between sweet and savory.

Light brown Sugar

Light brown sugar has a warm molasses flavor that is great in oatmeal cookies, and also contributes more chew than white sugar. You can certainly use white sugar instead, or a mix of the two, but there would a difference in the texture and flavor.

Dark brown sugar works great too, and is a great substitute especially if you don’t have molasses on hand.

Molasses

I also like to add a bit of molasses in my cookies. You don’t really taste it, it’s just in their to bump up the effect of the brown sugar. Typically, commercial brown sugar is also just white sugar with molasses. It also lends these date oatmeal cookies that gorgeous golden brown color.

Egg

The egg in this recipe helps to bind all the ingredients together, creating a dough that bakes evenly. You can also use a flax egg in this recipe if you’re avoiding eggs or need a vegan substitute.

Oats

In cookies, rolled oats add texture and a delightful chewiness. They also bring a nutty flavor that complements the sweetness of the dates.

Old-fashioned oats are less processed than quick oats, which helps the date oatmeal cookies maintain their structure, but quick oats will also work.

Dates

Most of the time when I use dates in a recipe, they’re Medjool dates. Medjool dates are superior in both flavor and texture. These dates are larger, sweeter, and softer than regular dates.

When chopped into small pieces, they distribute wonderfully throughout the cookies, offering little bursts of caramel-like sweetness and a chewy texture in every bite. Their natural sweetness also means you can cut back on unrefined sugar.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat it to 350°F (175°C). Take 2 baking sheets and line them with a sheet of parchment paper or a silicone mat.

1. In a medium bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients – the all purpose flour, baking soda, a pinch of salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

1. In a large bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup butter, brown sugar, and molasses on medium speed for 3-4 minutes. It should be fluffy and well combined. Scrape down the sides if needed.

1. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix for another 2 minutes.

1. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix on low speed. Do not overmix!

1. Now add in the rolled oats and chopped dates and stir to combine.

1. Take a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop and drop some cookie dough onto your prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between each cookie.

1. Bake them in the preheated oven for 11-12 minutes, giving the baking sheet a half-way spin for even browning. Look for golden brown edges and a set center.

1. Let the date oatmeal cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to chill out completely.

And you have your perfectly chewy oatmeal date cookies. These are so good for sharing with friends and family over the holidays (if you don’t end up eating all of these by yourself!).

Recipe Variations

There is plenty you can do to change up these date oatmeal cookies according to your taste and preference.

• Swap the cinnamon and nutmeg for warming spices like ginger, cardamom, or cloves for a different aromatic experience.
• Swap or add chopped nuts like crunchy pecans, walnuts, or almonds for a contrasting texture and extra crunch.
• Add some dark chocolate chips or chunks for a decadent, unexpected twist.
• Make them festive by adding dried fruits like cranberries or cherries.
• Add some more whole grain goodness by swapping out the all purpose flour for whole wheat flour.

Tips to Make the Perfect Date Oatmeal Cookies

• Make sure you are using room temperature eggs and softened butter for the best texture.
• Don’t over-mix after adding your dry ingredients to the dough! Overmixing develops gluten, resulting in tough cookies. Mix just until the dry ingredients are combined with the butter mixture.
• Use a light-colored baking sheet to prevent over-browning.
• Aim for slightly underbaked cookies with just-set centers. They will firm up as they cool.

Storage Instructions

You can store these delicious date oatmeal cookies at room temperature for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Store cookies in a cool, dry pantry or cabinet to keep them away from direct sunlight and heat.

You can also keep them in the refrigerator in an airtight container for about a week. Just let the refrigerator cookies come to room temperature before having them or pop them in the microwave for 10 seconds for perfectly chewy cookies.

If you would like to freeze the baked cookies, individually wrap them in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container or freezer bags and they’ll last for up to 3 months. You can also freeze unbaked cookie dough balls – just portion them out and flash freeze them on a baking sheet before transferring to the freezer bags.

Thaw frozen cookies overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature for a few hours before enjoying. You can also bake them directly from the freezer – they’d just take a bit longer to cook!