Oatmeal Date Cookies
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These oatmeal date cookies are guaranteed to be your new favorite cookie recipe! They’re studded with sweet dates and crunchy walnuts and have the perfect texture – crisp edges with a soft and chewy center.
As most of you already know, I love cooking and baking with dates. Some of my faves are my 4-ingredient samoas, snickers stuffed dates, date energy balls and now these oatmeal date cookies.
Before I go any further I have to tell you that everyone who has tried these cookies is OBSESSED!
Oatmeal cookies have always been one of my favorite cookie recipes. I have a few different recipes on the blog from my healthy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and oatmeal raisin cookies to these pumpkin oatmeal cookies. Turns out adding dates to oatmeal cookies is a genius idea! The dates get soft and caramely after baking and every bite that contains a date is literally the best.
Also, the texture of these cookies is basically perfect! Trust me on this… or make these cookies and find out for yourself how tasty they are.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love These Cookies
- Naturally sweetened – No refined sugars here! These cookies get their perfect sweetness from maple syrup, coconut sugar and Medjool dates.
- Wholesome ingredients – Made with oats, flaxseed, and coconut oil, these cookies are both delicious and nutritious, making them the perfect treat.
- Perfectly soft and chewy – The texture is just right; soft and chewy with crisp edges that’ll have you wondering where they all went.
Ingredients Needed
- old fashioned oats – the heart and soul of these cookies, giving them that classic chewy texture. I like Bob’s Red Mill rolled oats as they are certified gluten-free.
- oat flour – keeps things gluten-free and adds even more oat flavor.
- coconut sugar – for a rich, caramel-like sweetness that’s all-natural.
- baking powder and baking soda – these two team up to make your cookies light and fluffy.
- flaxseed egg – the plant-based binder that holds it all together.
- maple syrup – naturally sweet and adds moisture to these cookies.
- coconut oil – keeps the cookies soft and adds a hint of coconut flavor.
- vanilla – because everything’s better with a touch of vanilla.
- medjool dates – sweet, chewy, and loaded with natural goodness.
- walnuts – for a little crunch and healthy fats to keep things interesting.
Find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card below.
Substitutions
- Oat flour: Don’t have oat flour? No worries! You can easily make your own oat flour by blending rolled oats into a fine powder. If you don’t need these cookies to be gluten-free, you could also swap in all-purpose.
- Coconut sugar: If you’re out of coconut sugar, feel free to use brown sugar or another unrefined sugar like date sugar or maple sugar. Each will add a slightly different flavor but keep that natural sweetness. If you’re looking for a low sugar option, try these oatmeal raisin protein cookies instead which have no added sugar.
- Flax egg: No flaxseed on hand? You can use a chia egg (1 tablespoon chia seeds + 3 tablespoons water) or a regular egg if you’re not concerned about keeping these vegan.
How to Make Oatmeal Date Cookies
Step 1: In a small bowl whisk together the ground flaxseed with water.
Step 2: In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
Step 3: In another bowl combine the wet ingredients.
Step 4: Add the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Gently stir in the chopped dates and walnuts.
Step 5: After the dough has chilled in the fridge for at least 30 minutes drop rounded tablespoons onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Step 6: Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are golden brown. Cool on the pan for 1-2 minutes then move to a wire rack and cool completely before eating or transferring to a storage container for later.
Brittany’s Tips!
- Chill the dough: This is important! Don’t skip chilling the dough, otherwise your cookies will spread too much in the oven.
- Size matters: Try to keep your cookie dough balls around the same size for even baking. A cookie scoop works great for this, but if you don’t have one, just eyeball it.
- Get creative with mix-ins: Don’t limit yourself to just dates and walnuts. You could totally throw in some dark chocolate chips, shredded coconut, or even dried cranberries for a little variety. The more, the merrier!
Storing Oatmeal Date Cookies
After letting your cookies cool completely, I recommend storing them in an airtight container. They’ll last 3-4 days on the countertop, a week in the fridge and up to 3 months in the freezer. I love making these in advance, freezing and then serving during the holidays!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, chilling the dough is key! It helps the cookies firm up and prevents them from spreading too much during baking. Don’t skip this step—it makes a big difference!
If you’re not a fan of dates, or don’t have any on hand, you could try swapping them for raisins or even chocolate chips for a different twist. You might want to try my oatmeal raisin cookies or oatmeal chocolate chip cookies instead. They’re both delicious options and perfect for anyone who loves a good oatmeal-based cookie!
I wouldn’t recommend using instant oats for these cookies. Instant oats are more processed and finer than old-fashioned rolled oats, which can affect the texture of the cookies. You’d lose that chewy, hearty texture that rolled oats bring to the table. Stick with rolled oats for the best results!
More Cookie Recipes
- Healthy No Bake Cookies
- Oatmeal Chia Cookies
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
- Sweet Potato Breakfast Cookies
- Banana Samoas Cookies
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Oatmeal Date Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups rolled old fashioned oats
- ¾ cup + 3 Tablespoons oat flour
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 flaxseed egg, (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water)
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ⅓ cup + 2 Tablespoons coconut oil, measured in a liquid state
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ cup chopped Medjool dates
- ¼ cup finely chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl whisk together ground flaxseed with water to make your flax egg and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients – oats, oat flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In another bowl combine the wet ingredients – flaxseed egg, maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla.
- Add the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Gently stir in the chopped dates and walnuts.
- Place dough in the fridge to setup for 30 minutes (do not skip this step).
- Drop rounded tablespoons onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a baking stone. Make sure you space the cookies out because they tend to spread a bit. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are golden brown.
- Allow cookies to cool on the pan for 1-2 minutes then gently move to a wire rack and cool completely before eating or transferring to a storage container for later. Store cookies in the fridge for up to 5 days or freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
- You can buy oat flour or make your own oat flour by blending regular oats in a blender or food processor until they create a fine flour.
- Recipe adapted from Oatmeal, Walnut, Dried Plum Cookies from The Kind Diet.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
I refrigerated for a little over 30 minutes and the cookies still spread into a mess and were completely falling apart. Don’t know if I did something wrong but was disappointed.
Hey Sonja – So sorry to hear that. Did you change anything about the recipe?
Absolutely love these. I had to make a few modifications because my pantry just didn’t have everything!!!!
I substituted the oatflour with 1 cup of almond flour. I also used honey instead of maple syrup. This made them much sweeter and will definitely look into getting a stash of maple syrup (the price though). Overall, they held well, tasted absolutely great and cooked in 12 minutes. They are the tastist egg, dairy and gluten free biscuits to grace these hands. Thank you.
So glad these cookies turned out for you!! Thanks for coming back to share the subs you made and for leaving a review. I so appreciate it!
These cookies are amazing! I can’t believe how much they taste like an oatmeal cookie. I’m simply loving your recipes Brittany. Thank you so much for making sweets that have healthy ingredients in them taste good.
Ahh, that makes me so happy to hear!! So glad you loved this recipe, Joyce. Thanks for the review. I so appreciate it!
I used all the same ingredients except the coconut oil, I used butter, which may have been why they spread so much. I put the batter in the fridge for 30mins before baking. I put the required amount of baking powder and baking soda, but it made the cookies bitter and have a terrible after taste. I thought maybe I was just sensitive to the flavour but 2 others tried them and they said the same thing. I am an avid baker so was really disappointed.
The taste of baking powder is overwhelming.
Oh no!! So sorry to hear that, Mel. Did you change anything about the recipe? And you used 2 teaspoons or baking powder, right?
I used all the same ingredients except the coconut oil, I used butter, which may have been why they spread so much. I put the batter in the fridge for 30mins before baking. I put the required amount of baking powder and baking soda, but it made the cookies bitter and have a terrible after taste. I thought maybe I was just sensitive to the flavour but 2 others tried them and they said the same thing. I am an avid baker so was really disappointed.
I made these for my kids and I “accidentally” ate most of them! I don’t think I should make these again because they are too delicious! I will definitely have to limit myself to one a day if I make them again.So good!
Haha love it!! So glad these cookies were a hit! Might need to make a double batch next time! And you could always store some in the freezer to limit how many are consumed. 🙂
I loved the oatmeal date cookies. They were delicious!!!
I made them two weeks ago and am going to make them again tomorrow. Thank you very much for an amazing recipe.
Ahh yay!! You’re so welcome, Natalie. I’m glad you’re loving these cookies. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment + star rating. I so appreciate it. 🙂
is it okay if I use canola oil instead of coconut oil? these look awesome
Hey Isa – Canola oil should work just fine. Let me know how these turn out for you!
they turned out great! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Yay!! I’m so happy to hear that, Isa. 🙂
If I don’t have coconut sugar, would it be better to use brown sugar or regular cane sugar? And would the same amount be appropriate? I realize it’s not as healthy, but I’m trying to work with what I have on hand!
I’d use brown sugar instead of the coconut sugar and the amount amount. Let me know how they turn out for you.
Made these today, except I didn’t have a blender or oat flour, so I used quick oats for the “oat flour.” A bit chewier and very oaty (which I prefer), but overall turned out amazing!! So good.
So glad these cookies turned out for you, Madeline! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment + star rating. I so appreciate it. <3