Date Pecan Brown Butter Cookies

Pecan Sandies used to be our favorite pecan cookie, but move over sandies there is a new pecan cookie recipe in town! Meet Date Pecan Brown Butter Cookies! These cake-like cookies have a pecan stuffed date hidden in the middle, and they are covered in the most delicious browned butter frosting.  

For the Cookies

1 pound (16 ounces) whole pitted dates, see notes below

3/4 to 1 cup pecan halves, about 45

2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, spoon and leveled or sifted

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 stick real butter, unsalted

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream

For the Icing

1/3 cup real butter, unsalted

3 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Enough milk for spreading consistency

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

For the Cookies

Stuff the dates with the pecan halves and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or use a hand mixer, beat the butter on high speed until very light and creamy, about 1 minute.  Add the brown sugar and mix on medium speed until the sugar is incorporated and the mixer is smooth and creamy with no lumps of sugar remaining.  Add the eggs and vanilla and mix on medium speed until ingredients are well combined.  Add one half of the sour cream, followed by 1/2 of the dry ingredients and repeat with the second half of each.  On the final addition of the dry ingredients, mix only long enough to incorporate.  Do not over mix.

Drop about 4 to 5 dates into the cookie dough.  Slightly press each date into the dough, just enough to make sure there is dough on the bottom of each date.  Using a tablespoon, scoop up a date and some dough and transfer to an ungreased cookie sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.  Make sure each date is totally covered with the cookie dough.  (I tried using a cookie scoop for this, but it didn’t work too well).

Bake for about 14 to 15 minutes until cookies are a golden brown on top.  They should look light and spongy on top, just like a cake would look when baking.

Immediately transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.  Do not allow these cookies to remain on the cookie sheets for long or they will begin to stick.  However, there is no need to grease the cookie sheets when baking them.

For the Icing

Add the butter to a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat until lightly browned, swirling the butter around in the pan every few seconds.  Remove immediately from heat once the butter becomes lightly browned.  Add the vanilla and add the sugar one cup at a time, whisking well after each addition.  Add just enough milk for a nice thin spreading consistency.

Spread the icing on cooled cookies.  Once the icing has set up, place cookies in an airtight container with waxed paper between layers.