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    Home » Recipes » Cookies

    Walnut Date with Honey Orange Glaze Cookies - Revised

    Published: Jul 21, 2022 · Updated: Oct 22, 2024 · by Barbara · This post may contain links on which I could make a small commission if an item is purchased · Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This cookie I created about three years ago. I needed new photos, so I wanted to add a few things to the cookies to see if I could improve the taste, and I think I did a bang-up job.

    Walnut Date with Honey Orange Glaze Cookie being held to show the front view of cookie.

    The all-time favorite is walnuts when searching for a nut to go with dates. Maple syrup is just sticky enough to bind the two ingredients for the filling plus is a sweet additive.

    Of course, I need a citrus flavor that will bring out the taste of the walnut date filling, and I thought orange would be the best.

    Ingredients

    Walnut Date with Honey Orange Glaze Cookies ingredients.
    Jump to Recipe for Amounts

    COOKIE DOUGH

    • All-purpose flour
    • Sugar white
    • Butter unsalted
    • Cream Cheese
    • Kosher Salt

    COOKIE FILLING

    • Walnuts
    • Dates
    • Maple syrup

    HONEY ORANGE GLAZE

    • Powdered sugar
    • Orange juice fresh
    • Honey
    • Orange zest

    Dates - To make my life easier, I purchase pitted dates. The great thing about pitted dates is that you can throw them into the food processor to dice them up into small pieces.

    Maple syrup - Ingredients do make the cookie as they say. One thing I do not skimp on is quality. Even if I have to spend a little more on ingredients, it is worth it. The maple syrup I used for this cookie was Escuminac Extra Rare.

    The maple syrup is from Quebec and is bottled by the maker. You can purchase from Amazon, but their price is a little higher. Escuminac offers a gift set of three bottles which includes the Extra Rare. But you need to catch it at the time of year that it is available. But you can put your email address for notification when they are available.

    Honey - So many different kinds of honey out there, but I just use whatever I have handy in my pantry.

    Steps For Making Walnut Date Cookies

    This cookie has three steps; make the filling, make the cookie dough, assemble the cookie then bake. I made these cookies in one afternoon so don't be afraid to make them, thinking it will take a long time.

    Walnuts and Dates

    Besides my Kitchen Aid mixer, the second small appliance I use is my Breville food processor. This machine has done almost everything I have asked it to do, but a favorite feature is the smaller inner bowl. It is perfect for dicing the walnuts and date with maple syrup.

    Dates, walnuts and maple syrup in a food processor getting ready to be minced.

    Add the dates, walnuts, and maple syrup to a food processor and pulse until the dates and walnuts are finely diced.

    Dates, walnuts and maple syrup after it has been minced with a food processor.

    Empty the date walnut mixture into a bowl and set it aside.

    If the walnut-date-maple syrup mixture is still a little dry, you can add a little more maple syrup.

    Mixing the Cookie Dough

    Weigh the flour and add the salt. Run a whisk through to blend and set the bowl aside.

    Add to a mixer bowl the butter and cream cheese. Mix on a medium-low setting speed until the butter and cream cheese are blended. Now with the mixer still running, add the sugar and turn the mixer to medium speed for about three minutes.

    Fluffy butter, cream cheese and sugar in a mixer bowl.

    You should get a fluffy combination. Scrape the bowl sides, turn the mixer to a low speed, and gradually add the flour mixture. Don't overmix. You can always blend in any loose pieces of flour with a spatula. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.

    Cookie Scoop Sizes

    There are three popular sizes for cookie scoopers small, medium, and large. At least when you go to the store or buy online, they are marketed as one of these three sizes. If you search for cookie scoopers at someplace like Webstaurantstore.com, they go by #and a number. The larger the number, the smaller the bowl.

    So there are ranges of sizes for small and the same thing for the medium and large. I have a large, medium, and small. I only need one for each category.

    Large, medium, and small cookie dough balls made with 3 sized cookie scoopers side by side.

    In the image with the tape measure, all three cookie dough balls are the same medium size. The medium size is what I decided to use for these cookies. The tape shows the width to be about 1 ½" after you make the scoop into a ball.

    Cookie dough balls with a tape measure to show the size for each cookie.

    Assembling Walnut Date Cookies

    Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C or 180°C) and place parchment paper on a cookie sheet pan. I get two pans ready, so I can work on the second cookie batch when one is in the oven.

    Twelve cookie dough balls before adding the thumb down through the center.

    Use a medium cookie scooper and make a ball from the scooped cookie dough. I put 12 on a sheet pan, giving plenty of room to expand while baking.

    Size of the wells in the thumbprint cookies before adding the filling.

    Take your thumb and go straight down through the middle of the cookie dough ball. Your thumb does not make a big enough well for the filling, so stretch the hole out, careful not to tear the cookie dough.

    Spoon with the amount of filling to go into each cookie well.

    Use a spoon to add some of the walnut-date mixture and fill the hole. Don't have it sticking up much past the top of the well. It does expand some during baking.

    Nine round cookies with walnut date filling in the middle on parchment paper before they are baked.

    After assembling the cookies, I stick the whole pan into the refrigerator for about 5 minutes. The cookie dough gets warm from handling each ball, so this will give it a chill before baking.

    Bake at 350°F (175°C or 180°C) for 14-16 minutes. After pulling the cookies from the oven leave them on the sheet pan for 2 to 3 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack.

    Side view of a Walnut Date with honey orange glaze cookie. Even shows the orange zest in the glaze.

    Making Honey Orange Glaze

    While the cookies are cooling, add to a mixing bowl the powdered sugar, orange juice, orange zest, and honey, whisking until blended.

    Showing the bottom of the cookie to show the golden-brown color.

    I get this nice golden brown color for the bottom of my cookies. After the cookies cool, I line them up on the cooling rack so I can add the orange honey glaze.

    Round cookie with walnut and date filling and an orange glaze icing on top.

    I take a spoon and go back and forth over the top of each cookie. The orange zest shows so nicely against the cookie and filling. But most of all this fresh orange flavor gives a fantastic taste to the finished cookie.

    Walnut Date with Honey Orange Glaze Cookies on a white plate.

    Storage

    These cookies do nicely in a plastic container with a lid that sits right on your countertop. They will last at least a week in normal temperatures.

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    Recipe

    Walnut Date with Honey Orange Glaze Cookie being held to show the front view of cookie.
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    Walnut Date with Honey Orange Glaze Cookies

    Barbara Hall
    Maple and date are two sticky, sweet items that pair nicely. I then offset that with some bright, tart citrus for a refreshing cookie recipe.
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    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Bake Time 13 minutes mins
    Chill 1 hour hr
    Total Time 1 hour hr 33 minutes mins
    Course Cookies, No-Eggs
    Cuisine American
    Servings 36 cookies
    Calories 191 kcal

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    Ingredients
     

    COOKIE DOUGH

    • 2 ⅓ cup (291.67 g) All-purpose flour
    • ¾ cup (150 g) Sugar white
    • 1 cup (227 g) Butter unsalted
    • 8 ounces (226.8 g) Cream Cheese
    • ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) Kosher Salt

    COOKIE FILLING

    • ½ cup (58.5 g) Walnuts
    • 10 (10) Dates
    • 3 Tablespoons (3 tablespoons) Maple syrup

    HONEY ORANGE GLAZE

    • 2 cups (240 g) Powdered sugar
    • 4 Tablespoons (4 tablespoons) Orange juice fresh
    • 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) Honey
    • 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) Orange zest

    Instructions
     

    COOKIE FILLING

    • In a food processor, add the dates, walnuts, and maple syrup pulse until the dates and walnuts are diced. Empty into a small bowl and set it aside.

    COOKIE DOUGH

    • Measure or weigh the sugar in one bowl and in another bowl, weigh the flour and salt setting the bowls aside. Add the cream cheese and butter to a mixer, and mix for about 2 minutes at a medium-low speed. Add the sugar and mix on medium-high for about two minutes. It should be light and fluffy looking. Stop the mixer periodically to scrape down the sides if needed.
    • Turn the mixer to low speed and gradually add the flour. You want all the flour blended in with the rest of the batter but don't over-mix it. Next, take the bowl of the stand mixer, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
    • Line 2 cookie pans with parchment paper, and using a medium cookie scooper, scoop the cookie dough and roll into balls approximately 1-½ inch in diameter. These make great size cookies. Take the top of your thumb and press gently into the ball to form a well, don't go through to the bottom. If it doesn't look right to you, roll it in your hands again and redo it. Fill the hole with the walnut date mixture. Since the dough has gotten warm from your hands, I pop the cookie pan with the cookies back into the refrigerator for about 5 minutes before putting the cookie sheet pan into the oven.
    • Bake at 350°F (175°C or 180°C) for 14-16 minutes or just till they start to look a light brown around the bottom edges. Pull them out of the oven; they will be soft on top. Let them stay on the cookie pan for at least 2-3 minutes. Then, move the cookies to a rack to finish cooling.

    HONEY ORANGE GLAZE

    • In a large bowl, add the powdered sugar, honey, orange juice, and orange zest, whisking until all the powdered sugar is incorporated. I take a spoonful of the glaze and go back and forth across the top of each cookie. I let them dry for an hour before putting them into a storage container.

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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.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 191kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 2gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 21mgPotassium: 42mgFiber: 1gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 245IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 1mg
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    5 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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    Barb the owner of my cookie journey head shot.

    Hi, I'm Barbara Hall, the baker and photographer behind My Cookie Journey, a blog devoted to creating and sharing unique cookie recipes. A retired IT pro, I now spend my day's baking, styling, and snapping photos of cookies that have been featured in multiple regional magazines.

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