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Chewy Date and Dark Chocolate Cookies

5.0

(7)

Chewy date and dark chocolate cookies on a plate
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Summer Moore

These crispy-edged, chewy-centered wonders deliver the ultimate cookie texture and have an extraordinary sweet-savory balance thanks to olive oil and tahini. To get the cookies just right, measure the ingredients by weight, use good-quality bittersweet chocolate to offset the sweet dates, and mix the tahini very well before measuring. Oh, and flaky salt before baking is a must.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes 16

Ingredients

2¼ cups (281 g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt
2 large eggs
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup well-mixed tahini
2 tsp. vanilla extract
¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar
9 Medjool dates, pitted, 5 chopped, 4 quartered lengthwise
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao), chopped, divided
Flaky sea salt

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Whisk flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl.

    Step 2

    Using an electric mixer, beat eggs, oil, tahini, and vanilla in a large bowl on medium speed until creamy and emulsified, about 2 minutes. Beat in granulated sugar and brown sugar until combined, about 45 seconds. Reduce speed to low and beat in dry ingredients, chopped dates, and three quarters of chocolate, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, just until combined, about 30 seconds. Cover dough and chill at least 3 hours and up to 12 hours.

    Step 3

    Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 375°. Using a #10 cookie scoop (about 6 Tbsp.), portion out dough onto 2 parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 3" apart. Top with remaining chocolate and press gently to adhere. Gently press 1 date quarter into top of each cookie. Sprinkle with sea salt.

    Step 4

    Working with one baking sheet at a time, bake cookies until golden brown around the edges, 13–15 minutes. Let cookies cool 5 minutes on baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks and let cool completely.

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