Holiday Date Filled Madeleine Cookies
Submitted by Gloria P.
- 3 tbsp Sweetened hazelnut cocoa spread, chilled
- 20 (1-1/2 inch long) Pitted California Dates
- 1 cup Granulated sugar
- 1 tsp Grated orange peel
- 1 tsp Pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 cup Unsalted butter
- 2 Eggs
- 2 tsp Vanilla
- 2 cups and 5 tbsp All-purpose flour, divided
- 2 tsp Baking powder
- 2 tsp Fine salt
- 1-2 tbsp All-purpose flour as needed
- Topping: non-melting confectioners’ sugar as desired
Filling: Place about 3 Tablespoons hazelnut cocoa spread evenly into a plastic container; place in the freezer for about 15 to 20 minutes or until chilled and able to scoop it up easily.
Dates: Each date has a lengthways cut where the pit was removed; place about ¼ to ½ teaspoon chilled filling inside each date; fold up date edges to keep filling in place. Place seamside down on small plate; place filled dates in the refrigerator while making dough.
Cookie Dough: In mixing bowl, cream sugar, orange peel, pumpkin pie spice, and butter until fluffy; add eggs and vanilla, mix well.
In medium sized bowl, stir together 2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients into egg mixture only until soft dough forms. Mix in the additional flour as needed in order to form soft balls of dough.
Remove filled dates from refrigerator.
Dust working surface with flour. With a 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop, separate dough into 20 balls. With lightly floured hands, flatten 1 piece of dough into circle; place date, filling side down, in center of dough; wrap dough around date, forming an egg shape and enclosing the date inside cookie dough. Repeat with remaining dates.
Place cookies on two nonstick lightly greased 9x15-1/2-inch Madeleine cookie pans; bake in preheated 375ºF oven for 8 minutes; remove from oven; cool 4 minutes; using your fingers, flip each cookie over. Return pan to oven, continue cooking about 8 minutes. Let cool 4 minutes; remove to cooling rack.
When cool, sprinkle lightly with confectioners’ sugar. Yield: 20 cookies