(STYLING/KAROLINE BOEHM GOODNICK; erik jacobs for the boston globe)
Recipe
Date-and-nut brown sugar gems
(STYLING/KAROLINE BOEHM GOODNICK; erik jacobs for the boston globe)
Makes about 2 dozen
| 1 1/2 | cups flour |
| 1/4 | teaspoon baking soda |
| 1/4 | teaspoon salt |
| 1 | teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg |
| 1/4 | teaspoon ground allspice |
| 12 | tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature |
| 1 | cup light brown sugar |
| 3 | tablespoons granulated sugar |
| 1 | egg |
| 2 | teaspoons vanilla extract |
| 1/2 | pound pitted dates, coarsely chopped |
| 1 1/4 | cups chopped walnuts (or pecans), lightly toasted and cooled completely |
1. Set the oven at 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and allspice.
3. In an electric mixer, cream the butter on medium-low speed for 3 minutes. Add the light brown sugar and beat for 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar and beat for 1 minute more.
4. Add the egg and vanilla and beat for 1 minute. On low speed, beat in the flour mixture in 2 additions, mixing just until the flour is absorbed. Scrape down the mixing bowl several times to keep the batter even-textured.
5. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand. With a wooden spoon, stir in the dates and walnuts.
6. Drop heaping 2-tablespoon mounds of dough on the baking sheets, setting them 2 inches apart. Keep the dough mounds even-sized, but do not flatten them or smooth the edges.
7. Bake the cookies for 18 minutes or until set. Let them stand on the baking sheets for 1 minute, then transfer them to wire racks to cool. Store in an airtight tin for up to 1 week.
© Copyright 2010 Globe Newspaper Company.
