Best 7 Date Cookies Menena Recipes

DATE COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and cloves; gradually stir into the creamed mixture. Combine the water and dates; stir into the dough along with the chopped pecans. Cover and chill for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

DATE COOKIES (MENENA)

Steps:

• Soak dates in cold water for 2 hours. Drain, pat dry on paper towels, then chop fine in food processor.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with foil.
• Cream butter or margarine in food processor or electric mixer or by hand until fluffly. Add sugar and mix until incorporated. Add flour gradually, then water and orange flower water. Mixture should be very soft but not sticky.
• Roll lumps of dough into little balls, hollowing out as you go to make room for the filling. Stuff each with a little of date mixture, less than teaspoon. Seal opening gently with fingers and shape into round, flattened dumpling 2 inches in diameter. Gently indent tops of each with tines of fork and arrange cookies on prepared baking sheet.
• Bake 30 to 40 minutes, until lightly browned. Allow to cool, then dust with confectioners' sugar and serve.

CHEWY DATE COOKIES

Steps:

• In a bowl, cream butter and brown sugar. Add egg; mix well. Combine the flours, lemon zest, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Stir in dates., Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 325° for 13-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool. Store in an airtight container.

DATE BAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a nonreactive medium saucepan over low heat, combine dates, granulated sugar, and water. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 15 minutes. Cool completely. In a large bowl or bowl of an electric mixer, place brown sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, and oats. Mix on low speed until combined. While mixer is running, add butter, 1 piece or 2 at a time. Mix until crumb like, with some lumps of butter no larger than pea size.
• Using your hands, press and flatten half of crumb mixture into a greased 9 by 13-inch pan. Spread cooled filling over crust. Cover with remaining crumb mixture, patting lightly. Bake until lightly browned, 25 to 35 minutes. Cool slightly and cut into bars while still in the pan. Gently remove cut bars from pan. Serve warm or at room temperature. Date bars, stored in an airtight container, refrigerate and freeze well.

DATE COOKIES

Steps:

• Mix the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Turn the mixer to low, add the egg and mix well to combine. Add the oats, flour and cinnamon and mix on low until combined. Fold in the dates and walnuts with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
• When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F; line a baking sheet with parchment.
• Scoop mounds of dough with a cookie scoop (about 1 1/2 tablespoons per cookie) and place on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between cookies.
• Bake on the middle rack until golden around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Repeat with the remaining dough.

EGYPTIAN EL MENENAS (ALMOND PASTE COOKIES)

Steps:

• Add sugar to the almond paste; mix well. Add 1 teaspoons orange flower water and cinnamon to taste (at least 1/2 tsp). Blend well into a smooth paste.
• In a bowl, combine melted butter with flour. Add the other teaspoons of orange flower water. Knead into a dough that holds together. Do not add any water unless absolutely necessary.
• Form balls about 1.5 - 2 inches round. Make a depression in the center of each ball with your thumb. Fill hole with almond paste.
• Place on a greased baking sheet and bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until nicely browned. Sprinkle with grandulated sugar.
• VARIATION: A date filling can be substituted for the almond one. Chop 1/2 lb. pitted dates and combine into a paste with 4 T. soft butter.

ANISE-SCENTED FIG AND DATE SWIRLS

Steps:

• Purée figs and dates with water and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar in a blender or food processor until almost smooth.
• Whisk together flour, anise, baking powder and soda, and salt in a bowl. Beat together butter, cream cheese, and remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at moderate speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla and yolk until combined well. Add flour mixture and mix at low speed until just combined.
• Halve dough and form each half into a rectangle. Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, about 1 hour.
• Roll out 1 piece of dough between 2 sheets of wax paper into a 9- by 7-inch rectangle, about 1/3 inch thick. Remove top sheet of wax paper and drop half of fig mixture by spoonfuls onto dough, then gently spread in an even layer, leaving a 1/4-inch border around edges. Starting with a long side and using wax paper as an aid, roll up dough jelly-roll style into a log. Roll log in raw sugar to coat completely. Make another log in same manner. Chill logs, wrapped in wax paper, until firm, at least 4 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Cut logs crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices and arrange slices about 2 inches apart on lightly buttered baking sheets. Bake in batches in middle of oven until pale golden, 15 to 17 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool.