Name: Fudgy Date Chocolate Sandwich Cookies with Peanut Butter Icing
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 cup raw pecan halves; 1 cup rolled oats; 1 cup shredded coconut; 1 cup pitted Medjool dates (about 15 dates); 1/3 cup cocoa; 2 tablespoons maple syrup; 1 large egg; 1/4 teaspoon baking soda; 1/4 teaspoon sea salt; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 tablespoons nut or seed butter; 2 tablespoons water; 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter; 2 tablespoons salted butter; 1 1/2 tablespoons raw honey; 100 grams dark chocolate, chopped

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Your week just got 100 times better thanks to these date chocolate sandwich cookies with peanut butter icing! They are pretty much any peanut butter and chocolate lover’s dream come true. Fudgy date chocolate oat pecan cookies sandwiched with a layer of simple peanut butter icing equals dessert heaven!

I have a confession to make. This might surprise you… although if you know me, it probably won’t. Come December, I like to indulge. I call it living a little. Give me all the classic desserts, comfort foods, wine, beer, and cocktails, please and thank you!

But, given the whole foods bent of this food blog, most of the recipes I am currently enjoying would not exactly align with its theme. Just know that despite the healthy and wholesome recipes I am sharing here, I am actually indulging a lot this month, and feeling not one ounce of guilt about it.

overhead shot of all the cookies before being iced

However, some folks have sensitivities to wheat, dairy, and refines sugar, or simply aren’t the real life version of Buddy The Elf. For those of you who fit into that category, you are probably always looking for treats to make at this time of the year that you can actually enjoy.

That’s where these fudgy date chocolate cookies with peanut butter icing come in! I developed and shot this recipe well over a month ago, but held off until now to share them because they just so happen to be a great healthy-ish holiday treat!

process shot showing the peanut butter icing spread over the bottom of a cookie

date chocolate sandwich cookies: the details

These cookies are whipped up in a food processor. A food processor is essential; that’s what blends the dates into a paste, which is key in binding these gluten-free cookies.

The ingredients you’ll need for these cookies are dates, pecans, oats, coconut, cocoa, maple syrup, egg, baking soda, sea salt, vanilla extract, nut or seed butter, and water.

You’ll also need 100 grams of dark chocolate, for dipping.

The ingredients you’ll need for the peanut butter icing are peanut butter, salted butter, and raw honey. Simple!

straight on shot of a cookie on a wooden board

how to make these cookies: a brief overview

First, preheat the oven to 350 F and line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a food processor fitted with the ‘S’ blade, process the pecans, oats, and coconut into a meal. Add the dates, cocoa, maple syrup, egg, baking soda, salt, vanilla, nut butter, and water and process until the dough comes together. It will be sticky.

Transfer the dough into a bowl for easier scooping. Wet your hands and roll the dough into 18 balls. Place on the prepared baking sheets and flatten by hand or with a fork. (I made a cross hatch pattern with a fork.)

Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool on the pans for several minutes, then transfer onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

Make the icing: Whisk together the peanut butter, softened butter, and honey in a bowl. Once the cookies have cooled completely, Spread desired amount of icing on the bottom of nine of the cookies and top with the remaining cookies to make sandwiches.

Finally, melt the chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat. Dip the cookie sandwiches into it and place back on the wire rack until the chocolate hardens.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days.

overhead shot of someone picking up one of the cookies

more healthy holiday baking recipes

a stack of cookies with a bite taken out of the top one

I hope that you love these fudgy date chocolate sandwich cookies! If you make them, let me know how you enjoyed them by leaving a comment and rating below the post. And if you share a photo to Instagram, tag it @upbeet.kitchen and #upbeetkitchen. I love seeing what you’ve made. For more healthy recipes, follow me on Facebook and Pinterest, and subscribe to my newsletter to get my free “Power Bowls” e-cookbook.

Enjoy!