These cookies happened quite by accident. But two things led to these cookies. One, a friend gave me a bottle of the most beautifully fragrant date syrup and two, we were invited for dinner where the hosts didn't eat any eggs.
It's getting quite cold here in Isloo, and oddly I'm enjoying hanging in the kitchen, especially when the oven is on. The gas oven really warms the tiny kitchen up and I am quite content pottering about while something is baking. But only while something is baking. (Which means, I'm really not cooking that much!)
The only problem though is that the aga, really takes a while to warm up in the winters. So by the time I sift the flour, mix up the cookie dough and then make balls and flatten them up, I'm pretty much still waiting for the needle to go up to 180 degree centigrade. But I don't mind standing next to it and warming my legs.
Back to the cookies. By upping the leavening agent and baking them for barely 10 minutes, I've gotten a cookie that is ready in under 18 minutes. (Pretty cool huh?)
The date syrup give them this mellow wintery feel, but if you don't have it substitute with honey or maple syrup.
I've baked this cookies 4 times over already. The second time round I gave them a 15 minutes in the oven, which made them more biscuity than chewey. (that's the picture you see now) but I prefer them to be lighter and chewier so I think about 11 minutes is perfect baking time. The husband had an opinion on these too - can you make them flatter please and not so fat like you - I really had to roll my eyes up for that comment.
The chocolate chunks added a beautiful sharpness to them but you can play around with raisins or currants to make them more wintery. And maybe throw in spot of cinnamon?
Whatever you do, make sure you store them in an air-tight container and maybe, just maybe, they'll last you for the week.
Eggless Date and Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies
An original recipe
Makes 12 normal sized cookies
Ingredients
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup date syrup
1/4 cup oil
2 tblsp milk
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 chocolate chips
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degree centigrade.
2. In a bowl sift together the flours, baking powder and soda and salt. Add sugar to this.
3. In a separate bowl add the vanilla, date syrup and oil and stir till well mixed. The oil will take some time to mix in with the date syrup.
4. Add the wet ingredients to dry along with milk. Add the walnuts and chocolate chips. And mix till they come together. The dough will be sticky, but don't worry the oil will help with making the balls for the cookies.
5. Divide the dough into 12 portions. And roll into balls. Arrange on a baking tray. Press down each portion of cookie dough and add an additional walnut on top.
6. Bake for 10 to 11 minutes. Cool and then eat.
