Arabian Date Cookies

METHOD

• 1
  First, prepare the filling: Place the dried dates in a small saucepan, add 50 ml of water, and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Then reduce the heat to medium, cook the mixture for 3–5 minutes, mashing the dates with a fork to create a coarse date paste. Afterward, remove the saucepan from the heat.
• 2
  Now preheat the oven to 160 °C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then prepare a food processor, add the spelt flour, coconut oil, milk, cane sugar, and baking powder, and mix the entire mixture for 1–2 minutes until all ingredients combine into a compact mass. Divide the resulting dough into 8 equally sized portions and form them into balls. Then, flatten each ball in your palm into a thin disc, place ⅛ of the date filling in its center, wrap the edges of the disc around the filling, press them together with your fingers, and reshape it into a ball in your palms. Place the filled balls onto the lined baking sheet. Once all the dough and filling are used, slightly flatten each ball with the bottom of a glass to make them as thin as possible (approx. 0.5 cm), but without tearing the dough.
• 3
  Place the prepared balls into the preheated oven and bake until golden brown for 25–30 minutes at 155–160 °C.
• 4
  Store the finished cookies in an airtight container. They will last 2–3 days at room temperature, and up to 4–5 days in the refrigerator.