If soft-centered cookies are your love language, these date caramel cookies will speak to you fluently. The base is a favorite of mine for soft sugar cookies, which gives just enough richness without feeling heavy.
The caramel though? Now that is the real secret here. Instead of sugar and cream, you blend Medjool dates with warm water, a little salt, and vanilla. It’s creamy, deeply sweet, and sticky in all the right ways. When you bake it inside the cookie dough, it creates a molten pocket that sets as it cools into a soft chew. Honestly sooooo good, you will need to keep an eye on these getting inhaled by your family.
They taste like the in-between of a sugar cookie and a caramel shortbread, only without any refined sugar in the filling (even if it’s in the cookie dough, we celebrate the small wins).
If you have leftovers, which good luck on that happening, its easy to handle. Warm one in the microwave for ten seconds and watch it turn gooey again. That’s how they’re meant to be eaten—just barely warm, soft enough to bend in your hands.
Soft Date Caramel Pecan Cookies
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Hand or stand mixer
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Blender or food processor
Ingredients
Cookie Dough:
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter softened
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 large egg or flax egg for vegan option
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Date Caramel Filling:
- 6 Medjool dates pitted
- 2 tbsp warm water
- Pinch of salt
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- Flaky salt and chopped pecans for topping
Instructions
- Blend pitted dates with warm water, salt, and vanilla until smooth and thick. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter, avocado oil, and both sugars until smooth and slightly fluffy.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cornstarch.
- Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet until a soft dough forms.
- Chill for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop dough into 1½ tablespoon rounds and make a small indentation in the center.
- Spoon ½ teaspoon of date caramel into each indentation.
- Sprinkle with flaky salt or pecans if desired.
- Bake 10–12 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the centers look puffed.
- Cool 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.