If you love soft oatmeal cookies but want to give them a little upgrade, these oatmeal cookies with dates and walnuts are just the thing. The chewy oats, sweet bits of date, and crunch of walnuts make each bite hearty and satisfying like an old-fashioned favorite with a touch of natural sweetness. They're the kind of cookie that tastes even better the next day, perfect with your morning coffee or as an afternoon treat that feels a little wholesome but still indulgent.
Wholesome, soft, and just the right amount of sweetness. These cookies feel like a nod to classic baking but with an earthy, nutty richness that makes them special.
Ingredients Needed for Soft Oatmeal Cookies
- Butter unsalted
- Mascarpone
- Sugar white
- Sugar light brown
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- Orange juice
- Orange zest
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Baking Powder
- Kosher salt
- Cinnamon
- Quick oats or Old fashion oats
- Dates (I used Medjool dates)
- Walnuts chopped
- Raisins
Tips on Comparing Oats!
Wondering whether to use quick oats or old-fashioned oats? I've made this cookie with both over the years, and you can really see the difference.
Quick oats are smaller and softer, which I prefer because they make a softer cookie overall. Cookies made with old-fashioned oats are chunkier and, in my opinion, chewier and a bit tougher. Some bakers soak old-fashioned oats to soften them up, but if you want to skip that step, just stick with quick oats.
Quick oats
Old-fashion oats
Step-by-Step Instructions
Weigh or measure the white and light brown sugars into a bowl and set it aside. Next, in another bowl weigh or measure the flour. Add to the bowl with the flour the baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and quick oats, running a whisk through to blend.
Prep the Dates and Orange
The dates I used were Medjool with pits. but you can use your favorite dates. I switched to adding the chopped dates to a measuring cup to make sure I had enough.
If yours has pits I slice the date down the side and take the pit out before cutting the date into small pieces.
Zest and juice one orange. I try not to zest down to the white under the orange skin (pith); it tends to get bitter.
Make the Dough
Tips on Mascarpone Cheese!
What is mascarpone, and what is it doing in my cookies? This soft Italian cheese is made entirely from heavy cream and a touch of citric or tartaric acid.
I often use cream cheese, mascarpone, or ricotta in my cookie recipes to add extra creaminess. Mascarpone is a bit sweeter and has a higher fat content than cream cheese, which gives baked goods a rich, velvety texture. It's what makes these Oatmeal with Dates and Walnut Cookies so soft and oh-so-good. The mascarpone keeps the dough tender and, when paired with oats, gives each bite that perfect chewy texture.
To learn more about mascarpone cheese you can read all about it on Wikipedia
Add to a mixer bowl cubed butter and the mascarpone cheese.
Blend the butter and mascarpone for a couple of minutes on a medium mixer speed.
Add both sugars to the butter mixture and on a medium mixer speed mix for 3 minutes.
Now, add the egg, vanilla extract and both the zest and juice of the orange. Blend until incorporated.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and accross the bottom. Turn the mixer on to a low speed and add the flour mixture about a third at a time. This should only take about a minute.
Finally, add the dates, walnuts, and raisins and mix for about 10-15 seconds.
Cover and chill for at least an hour. I've been know to go do errands and bake the cookies a couple of hours later.
Scoop and Bake
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C or 180°C) and scoop (medium scooper) onto a parchment-lined sheet pan 12 mounds.
Take your hand or the bottom of a glass and press lightly on the top of each mound. I cut a piece of parchment paper to place between the cookie scoop and the glass, makes this so much easier. Don't press down hard you don't want a flat pancake.
Place the sheet pan in the oven and bake for 12-13 minutes.
They will be soft when they come out of the oven. Leave them on the sheet pan for a minute before moving them to a cooling rack to cool down and firm up a little.
Enjoy!
FAQs
Absolutely! Besides walnuts, you could try almonds, pecans, or hazelnuts. All three pair beautifully with the oats and raisins.
I don't, but you certainly can if you prefer softer dates. I like mine to have a little bite, it adds texture to the cookie.
Oatmeal cookies can get hard pretty quickly, but mascarpone really helps keep them soft. Just store them in a container with a tight-fitting lid, and they'll stay fresh for 5 to 7 days..
Other Oatmeal Cookies You Might Enjoy
Recipe
Soft Oatmeal with Dates and Walnut Cookies
Barbara HallWould you like to save this recipe?
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Ingredients
- ½ cup (113.5 g) Butter unsalted room temperature
- 8 ounces Mascarpone softened
- ½ cup (100 g) Sugar white
- ½ cup (110 g) Sugar light brown
- 1 (1) Egg
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon Orange juice
- ½ Tablespoon Orange zest
- 1 ½ cups (187.5 g) All-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 2 cups (163.64 g) Quick oats or Old-Fashion oats
- 1 cup (147 g) Dates chopped
- 1 cup (117 g) Walnuts chopped
- ½ cup (72.5 g) Raisins
Instructions
- Zest and juice one orange, placing each into separate bowls. I love the sweetness of dates, so I cut them into small pieces and set them aside in a bowl. Next, weigh or measure the white and light brown sugars into another bowl. Finally, weigh or measure the flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon, then run a whisk through the mixture to blend everything together. If you need to chop the walnuts into the size pieces you like.
- In your mixer bowl, add the butter and mascarpone and blend until fully incorporated. Add the sugars and mix on medium speed for 3 minutes. Next, add the vanilla extract, orange juice, orange zest, and the egg. Mix for about a minute, or until the egg is fully blended in and no streaks remain. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the flour mixture about a third at a time. Finally, add the chopped dates, walnuts, and raisins, and mix for about 30 seconds, just until evenly distributed.
- Take the bowl and cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour. Of course, you can do longer, it will not hurt the cookie dough.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C or 180°C). I use a medium cookie scoop to portion even-sized cookies. Place twelve scoops on a parchment-lined half-sheet pan. Next, grab a flat-bottomed water glass and a small square of parchment paper to place between the cookie mound and the glass. Lightly press down to flatten each mound just a bit. Bake for 12-13 minutes. The cookies will be soft when they come out of the oven, so let them sit on the pan for a minute before transferring to a cooling rack.
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NUTRITION DISCLAIMER
I am not a certified Dietitian or Nutritionist. The nutrition amounts given below are provided through a program and are only a guideline.
Keren says
I found this recipe and wanted to try it right away. We live pretty far from the grocery store, so I substituted cottage cheese for the mascarpone. It worked great! I've used the recipe several times, sometimes substituting chocolate chips for the dates and other times using dried apricots, macadamias, and white chocolate chips for the add-ins. All a hit with my family!
Barbara says
Hi Keren, WOW, cottage cheese I would not have thought of that. I am so glad you are willing to substitute what you like in cookies. I just made a White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookie that I really love. You might want to give them a try.