Day 4 of Cookies - and what a cookie I have for you, dahling! Date Filled Cookies

Today in NOTL:  Cold!  Temps at noon are right around 32F/0C, with winds of 17mph/28kph making it feel a lot colder.  Sun and cloud mix, but thoroughly gorgeous outside!  In the forecast:  Snow!  They're calling for 25cm of snow tonight...which would be 9 inches, I suspect, doing a linear conversion.  That's a lotta snow!

Well, today is slated as a newsletter day, so I'll be busy writing.  If you haven't subscribed to the newsletter, I urge you to do so, as we're expanding it starting with the next issue.  You'll still get the angel messages which are exclusive to newsletter subscribers ONLY and not uploaded to the website, but you'll also have access to more articles, more information, and more helpful news you can use.  Subscribing is as easy as a click right here!  We never share emails with others and you can unsubscribe at any time, naturally.

Today's cookie is a filled date cookie.  Filled cookies can be time consuming - rolling the dough, dropping the filling, then pinching the cookie shut.  These are quickies, though.  Instead of all that rolling, these are drop cookies.  You simply put a dab of cookie dough onto the sheet, put the filling in the center, then add a bit more dough on top of the filling.  As the cookie bakes, the dough spreads and covers the filling.  And where the filling peeps out, it gets all nice and crispy!  What a yum!

This recipe calls for a cooked date filling, but don't let that scare you off.  Save time by using a quality fruit preserve you buy from your local grocer or gourmet shop!  Or, if you prefer, pick up some pie filling instead;  pop it into the blender or use a hand chopper to break up too-large pieces of fruit.  Mini-pies without the fuss!

This cookie has tons of possibilities.  Vary the filling, of course (chocolate bits and nuts!  mmm!), but consider topping the cookies with nuts, cocoa, icing/confectioner's sugar, drizzled choclate or streusel-like crumb coatings.  This one recipe can yield platters of different cookies, and it's so much easier than those super-mix recipes that start from a common base.  Enjoy!

Filled Cookies

FILLING:
2 cups dates, finely cut or ground
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup chopped nuts

COOKIE DOUGH:
1 cup shortening
2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Oven at 400.  Ungreased cookie sheets.

FILLING:
Cook ingredients for filling slowly, stirring constantly until thickened. Set aside.

DOUGH:
1.  Mix shortening, brown sugar and eggs well. Add buttermilk and vanilla, stirring to combine.
2.  Sift flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, and add to shortening mixture in portions.
3.  Drop dough onto sheet, about 2 inches apart, and drop 1/2 tsp filling on each, covering the filling ith 1/2 teaspoon dough.
4.  Bake 400 degrees 10-12 minutes or till lightly browned.
Yield:  4-5 dozen cookies, depending on size.

Today's art is a card I did last year for a swap.  I'm thinking this might be what we awaken to see tomorrow morning, if the weathercasters are right!