Pecan & Date Oatmeal Cookies

There are chocolate chip cookie people and then there are oatmeal raisin cookie people, and I'm definitely, 100%, on team chocolate chip cookie. (I'm pretty sure my love of chocolate is extremely obvious, so many of you could probably guess this already - it's not exactly news.) What I'm actually trying to get at here is that if I'm ranting and raving about cookies with a) no chocolate and b) nuts (!!!), you should definitely trust that something amazing is going on, because there are SO not ordinary cookies. And let's just get it out now ------> they're also 100% whole wheat and have no butter, which is not my way of saying that they're good for a kind of healthier cookie, but just that they're amazing and happen to have some healthier factors to them.  BONUS.

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Now, I have nothing against raisins, buttt I usually don't think they belong in dessert. These oatmeal raisin cookies are my one exception, which is mostly because they involve browned butter and toasted pecans and all that sort of goodness. BUT  - you guys - if you swap the raisins for dates, which are richer, sweeter, and just so much more deliciously complex, this whole cookie situation gets even better. You have the nutty toasted pecans and loads of oatmeal for texture, plus those gorgeously plump, sweet dates that take everything to a new level of oatmeal cookie perfection.

And also?? I'm not about to say that these are purely seasonal cookies, but they do scream fall with all that cinnamon, and hearty oatiness, and down-to-earth nuttiness, and brown sugar richness. They should definitely be baking in your oven ASAP. <------ But really.

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Pecan & Date Oatmeal Cookies

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These nutty, 100% whole wheat cookies are loaded with rich fall flavors from cinnamon, toasted pecans, and plump Medjool dates. It's a spin on the classic oatmeal raisin cookie that just might become your new favorite!

• Cook Time: 14 minutes
• Total Time: 14 minutes
• Yield: about 18 cookies 1x

Ingredients

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• 9 ⅝ ounces (1 ¾ cups) pitted and halved medjool dates, divided
• 5 ⅝ ounces (¾ cup, packed) brown sugar
• 6 ½ ounces (2 ¼ cups) old-fashioned oats
• 6 ⅜ ounces (1 ½ cups, spoon and level) whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) coconut oil, melted
• 3 ounces cream cheese
• 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk, room temperature*
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 6 ounces (1 ½ cups) pecans, toasted and chopped

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Combine 2 ¾ ounces (½ cup) pitted and halved dates with brown sugar in a food processor. Process until dates are finely chopped and mixture is coarse.
3. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a bowl and handheld electric mixer), beat the coconut oil with the sugar mixture and cream cheese until all are well-combined and the cream cheese is mostly smooth; the mixture may not emulsify well at this point.
5. Wiping down the bowl and beater as needed, beat in the egg and yolk one at a time until incorporated. Continue to beat until the batter is smooth, thickened, and slightly paler in color. Beat in the vanilla extract.
6. Add the dry mixture to the wet and mix in on lowest speed just until mostly incorporated. Chop the remaining 6 ⅞ ounces (1 ¼ cups) pitted and halved dates and add to the batter along with the pecans. Fold in until all ingredients are evenly combined.
7. Scoop dough by 2 ¼ ounce (about ¼ cup) portions and place on prepared baking sheets, spaced out. You can leave the dough in tall mounds for a more rustic-looking cookie or flatten slightly into discs for a neater cookie. Bake in the preheated oven for 14-16 minutes, until the tops of the cookies look dry and are golden. Allow to cool and store in an airtight container, preferably at room temperature.

Notes

*To quickly bring eggs to room temperature, place in a bowl and cover with warm (not hot!) water. Let sit for 5-10 minutes before using.

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