Cherry Almond Oatmeal Cookies
Chewy oatmeal cookies studded with tart dried cherries and toasted almonds, sweetened with date paste. A grown-up twist on the oatmeal classic.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Not one spoon of refined sugar
- Sweetened with whole dates
- Makes enough for 16
- Easy, with clear steps and nothing fussy
What you'll need
Everything here is a real ingredient you can find in a normal shop. Nothing artificial, no powders pretending to be sugar. Here is the full list, with the quantities I actually use.
- 1 cup (160 g) Medjool dates, blended with 1/4 cup water to a paste
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) melted butter
- 1/2 tsp almond extract, 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup (120 g) whole-wheat pastry flour
- 1 1/2 cups (150 g) rolled oats
- 1/2 tsp baking soda, pinch salt
- 1/2 cup dried tart cherries (no sugar added), 1/3 cup toasted slivered almonds
How to make it
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a tray.
Mix date paste, egg, melted butter, almond extract and vanilla.
Stir in flour, oats, baking soda and salt, then cherries and almonds.
Scoop 16 mounds; flatten slightly.
Bake 12–15 minutes until golden at the edges. Cool on the tray.
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Storage
Keep it covered in the fridge and it will hold for three to four days. If you are making it ahead, hold back any fresh topping until just before you serve so nothing goes soft. Most of these freeze well too, wrapped tight, for up to three months.
Questions about this recipe
Is Cherry Almond Oatmeal Cookies really made without refined sugar?
Yes. All the sweetness comes from whole dates - there is not one spoon of white sugar in it. That is the whole point of how I cook.
How long does Cherry Almond Oatmeal Cookies keep?
Kept covered in the fridge it holds for three to four days. Most of these freeze well too, wrapped tight, for up to three months - hold back any fresh topping until just before serving.
How many does Cherry Almond Oatmeal Cookies make?
This makes enough for 16. It scales cleanly, so use the 1x / 2x / 3x buttons on the recipe card if you need more or less.
Cherry Almond Oatmeal Cookies
Chewy oatmeal cookies studded with tart dried cherries and toasted almonds, sweetened with date paste. A grown-up twist on the oatmeal classic.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (160 g) Medjool dates, blended with 1/4 cup water to a paste
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) melted butter
- 1/2 tsp almond extract, 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup (120 g) whole-wheat pastry flour
- 1 1/2 cups (150 g) rolled oats
- 1/2 tsp baking soda, pinch salt
- 1/2 cup dried tart cherries (no sugar added), 1/3 cup toasted slivered almonds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a tray.
- Mix date paste, egg, melted butter, almond extract and vanilla.
- Stir in flour, oats, baking soda and salt, then cherries and almonds.
- Scoop 16 mounds; flatten slightly.
- Bake 12–15 minutes until golden at the edges. Cool on the tray.
