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.

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.

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