Chocolate Chip Date Cookies

I'd never actually eaten a date straight until I opened the can for this recipe. I'd had some kind of totally unfounded bias against dates, much as with prunes, as something I didn't want to eat. But when I went to England last year, and tasted the heaven that is Sticky Toffee Pudding, I decided if dates are good enough for that, they're good enough for me. (I have a couple of Sticky Toffee Pudding recipes on file and will eventually make one.)
So I bought them and opened the can and started to chop for these cookies. I picked up a piece and popped it in my mouth. Chewy, yes, sweet, yes, just as one would expect of dried fruit. Waiting for the flavor, waiting. And then it came. Very, very mild. Almost like a raisin but much less raisin flavor. In fact, I realized dates are PERFECT for baking because they are soft, sweet, and chewy and have very little flavor of their own. Especially when surrounded by chocolate, as they are in these cookies. Yay for dates! Let me just see what else I can make with them...

Chocolate Chip Date Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1/2 cup milk

2 tsp baking soda

1 egg

1 1/2 cup flour

2/3 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 cup dates, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar. Mix milk with baking soda; add to butter mixture. Add egg and beat to blend thoroughly. Mix in flour and cocoa; blend thoroughly.

2. Stir in dates, nuts and chocolate chips. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart, on parchment-lined cookie sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until springy to the touch. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Makes about 3 dozen.

Recipe from Fairfax County Chocolate Lover's Festival Cookbook