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!
Love these! I kept making these and a texture would turn out all wrong, so I figured if they won’t come out right I might as well skip all the complicating steps like mixing the ingredients in separate bowls, making the “egg”, melting coconut oil beforehand, and chilling the dough … And they came out perfect. Just dump it all in a bowl, mix it, and toss it in the oven. It’ll come out perfect.
Glad you found a technique that worked for you! I appreciate you taking the time to come back and share and leave me a review.
These cookies were very good! I adjusted them a bit to my needs. I reduced the coconut sugar and maple syrup to a 1/4 cup each, used a chia egg instead, and added 1 tsp cinnamon.
That’s a great adjustment! Thanks for sharing, Christine. I appreciate it!
Brittany! I love all your recipes but these didn’t turn out for me as cookies – they were very thin and spread into one mass. I think too much oil? The flavor is good; I’m going to use as granola instead.
Oh no! I’m so sorry to hear that, Angela. Did you change anything about the recipe?
Mine did the same thing. I even added an extra flax egg the second time I made them to see if that would help. They still spread out. I wondered if it was too much oil or not enough time in the fridge??? idk
Hi Kris – I am sorry to hear they didn’t work out as you had hoped. Did you change anything about the recipe?
Like I said, I added an extra flax egg to see if that would help, but it didn’t. Maybe my ground flax seed was too finely ground and the flax egg didn’t gel enough? Idk My mom suggested leaving the dough in the fridge longer (at least an hour or up to overnight) to see if that will help. So, I may try that next time. They are very delicious otherwise.
I didn’t use the flax egg, and I doubled the recipe and added in a little bit of my swerve Brown sugar to help double the Maple syrup. This recipe is so good, I was trying to find something to make for my 16 month old that had more fiber and nutritious benefits to it Then just turkey sausage and eggs every morning. Plus it’s a healthier snack. II did I really wanted the fiber component of the oats and the dates So I was happy when I stumbled upon this recipe. Super moist and crunchy exterior . I have had no complaints out of My son.
Yay! I’m so happy to hear this recipe worked out for you, Rebecca! Thanks for coming back to leave a review and star rating, I really appreciate it.
Made these today ad they turned out perfect! Crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside! I added some mixed spice to them for added flavour. Delicious!
Woo! So glad to hear these were a hit for you, Meeta! The addition of mixed spices sounds delicious. Thanks for making them and coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!
We LOVED these. The flavor of sweet & a tiny bit salty were a perfect combo with the hardy oats and delicious walnuts. I made them exactly as the recipe called for, chilled fully and they turned out just like the photo. Plus, the house smelled so delicious on this cold, Fall night. Thanks for sharing!
Woo!! So pumped to hear these oatmeal date cookies were a success, Lee Anne. Thanks so much for trying the recipe out and coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!
Can I replace the flax egg with regular egg??
I haven’t tried it in this recipe, so I’m not sure how the cookies will turn out with a flax egg. Let me know if you try it!
Amazing as usual. My family including my toddler enjoyed this snack so much!
Thanks so much and keep the good work 👍🏻
Yay!! This makes me so happy to hear, Fatima! So glad everyone loved these cookies. Thanks for trying them out and coming back to leave a review. It means so much to me!
I was so looking forward to these cookies. However, my husband and I both found that they tasted much too salty, unfortunately to the point of being inedible. Other recipes I have for oatmeal cookies call for almost half the amount of baking soda, and no baking powder. I usually follow a new recipe as it’s written the first time, but if I make these again, I’ll be making a number of adjustments.
Hey Kate – Sorry to hear that. Did you just add 1/4 tsp of salt? I’ve made these cookies many times and haven’t had issues with them being overly salty!
Hey there!! I was wondering for the coconut Blossom can you use honey instead?? Just a question I love all your recipes!!!!
Hey Natalie – Do you mean coconut sugar? I wouldn’t swap honey with the coconut sugar as you’d be swapping a dry sugar for a liquid one and it might cause the cookies to be too wet.