Oat-Date-Allspice-Tahini Cookies

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon Evermill Organic Allspice

½ cup unsalted butter, tempered

2 tablespoons sesame paste (tahini)

¾ cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1½ cups rolled oats

10 dates, chilled, pitted and cut into long strips

 

 

Line a baking tray.

Preheat an oven to 350˚F.

 In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and ground allspice. Set aside.

In another bowl, combine the butter, sesame paste and sugar. Beat on medium-high speed with a hand mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment until smooth and fluffy, around 7 minutes, stopping midway to scrape down the bowl. 

Add the egg and the vanilla extract.  Incorporate for an additional minute. 

Set the mixer to a lower setting, add the flour mixture. Once almost combined, stir in the oats by hand.  Once combined fold in ½ the dates also by hand.

Form 12 balls from the dough.  Transfer onto the prepared baking sheet(s), leaving enough space for them to spread. Dot each cookie with two or three pieces of the remaining date and press in slightly. Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until light golden, rotating the pans once during baking.

Pull the tray from the oven and immediately slam onto the counter twice to deflate.  This technique makes for exceptionally dense centers and crunchy tops.

Cool cookies completely before removing from the tray.