How to make tasty cookies without using refined sugar? Nothing simpler, we can use extraordinary fruits, dates!

We offer you a delicious recipe of wholemeal biscuits, with no eggs and no refined sugar. The completion of this riot of goodness is the sugar-free nut cream: added at the end is the key element to getting the unmistakable final flavour!

The dates are the fruits of the date plant (Phoenix dactylifera), native to North Africa, today cultivated in different tropical regions of the world. They are often sold dried but not dehydrated, which makes them soft and sticky. Their sugars become more concentrated as they dry out, this further increases their sweetness.

It is thanks to their natural sweetness that we will use them in this recipe. First, however, we see the benefits that dates have compared to normal table sugar.

Benefits of the dates

First of all, dates are rich in vitamins and minerals that refined sugar does not contain.

The main minerals and vitamins, with the relative percentages of recommended daily values (RDI), are:

• Potassium: 20% of RDI;
• Magnesium: 14% of RDI;
• Copper: 18% of RDI;
• Manganese: 15% of RDI;
• Iron: 5% of RDI;
• Vitamin B6: 12% of RDI.

Another great benefit of proper date consumption is that they have a high fibre content. Taking good doses of fibre supports the control of the glycemic impact of the meal (in this case the biscuits, with the use of whole wheat flour, will have a very low glycemic index) and helps us to maintain a good insulin sensitivity over time.

Also, dates are rich in antioxidants, the main ones are:

• Flavonoids: flavonoids are powerful antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation and have been studied for their potential in reducing the risk of diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and certain types of cancer.
• Carotenoids: Carotenoids have been shown to promote heart health and can also reduce the risk of eye disorders, such as macular degeneration.
• Phenolic acid: Known for its anti-inflammatory properties, phenolic acid can help reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease.

For all these reasons the use of dates instead of sugar can be a winning weapon to have a healthy, nutritious and super tasty recipe!

That said let’s see how to prepare them!

Ingredients

• 100 gr. pitted dates
• 40 gr. walnuts
• 20 gr. walnut cream
• 30 gr. coconut oil, seeds or ghee butter
• 125 gr. whole-grain flour
• 30 gr. coconut sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla baking powder
• 2-3 tablespoons water
• 1 pinch of salt

Cooking

Static oven at 160 degrees for 20 minutes.

Proceeding

1. In a bowl pour all the dry ingredients: flour, salt, yeast, sugar and mix.
2. Add the previously chopped walnuts and the pitted and chopped dates with a knife.
   At this point pour the walnut cream and oil.
3. Mix first with a spoon and then with your hands. To work well the dough will need to add two or three tablespoons of cold water.
4. Knead the dough until you get a stick.
5. Stentedere the dough until a height of 0.5 cm.
6. Form the biscuits and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
7. Bake in the central part of the oven pre-heated to 160 degrees, and leave the cookies in cooking until they are golden but still soft (about 18-20 minutes)

Conclusions

It is possible to make tasty biscuits without the use of eggs and sugar. These delicious biscuits can be used for breakfast or as an afternoon snack. Personally, occasionally, I like to eat one or two of these cookies even the night before I go to bed with a cup of warm milk. 

A sweet cuddle for the palate!