Labbits Run on Cookie Fuel: Soft Ginger Date Cookies

Labbit labbit! It's February 1st, the heart of winter. Did you think Doddy Blue and Masher McBuns were slacking off in the off-season? Heck, no! They've both been in the pool, but Doddy Blue's been focussed on running and Masher McBuns has been mashing his buns on the bike - alas indoors - on his trusty bike trainer.

They have been watching their labbity race physiques post-holiday, and you may have noticed their absence from the kitchen after their little baking accident...but they're back to share a new recipe with you!

Doddy Blue, winter labbit that he is, has a plush exterior that's impervious to the cold and this weekend he's running a Mid-Winter Classic 10 miler. The fuel of choice for labbits is cookies, but who wants all the fat and guilt? If what you want is flavor and fuel, try out these moist, chewy, spicy ginger cookies, courtesy of pastry chef and Green Mountain runner, Gesine Bullock-Prado. The dates give these cookies flavor and moisture without having to use butter or oil, and the coffee...well, the labbits did promise fuel, right? Each cookie weighs in at around 66 calories, so you can snack happy. Enjoy the cookies, and wish Doddy Blue luck on his 10 miler this Sunday!

Print out the recipe by clicking here.

Soft Ginger Date Cookies
Ingredients:
3/4 cup hot coffee
1 cup chopped, pitted dates
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup molasses
1 1/2 cups organic spelt flour or whole-wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger
1/4 cup turbinado sugar

Preparation:
Combine coffee and dates and stir in baking soda. Let it sit for 10 minutes.

Put mixture in a food processor; process until nearly smooth.

In a bowl, whisk eggs and molasses. Continue whisking and add date puree. (Hey - is Blue getting into the ginger?)

In another bowl, whisk flour, salt and spices. Stir into date mixture.

Stir in ginger pieces until just combined. Freeze till very firm but scoopable (30 minutes). Preheat oven to 350 °F.

Using a tablespoon, drop dough into little mounds, a few inches apart, on a parchment-lined tray. Sprinkle sugar over cookies. Bake 10 minutes or until they feel spongy yet firm and spring back when gently poked.

Yield: Makes about 30 cookies.

Labbits Like: Date Squares

Mmmmm, date squares! Vanilla-y creamy dates sandwiched in an oatmeal multi grain crust. Yum. This makes about two dozen date square, perfect for bringing to a party or sell at a bake sale. Print and share the recipe here.

Date Square with 5 Grain Crust

Ingredients:
3 cups dried, pitted dates
1 cup water
1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup Bob's Red Mill 5 Grain cereal
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Preparation:

Place the dates and water in a medium saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the dates are soft and have absorbed most of the water (about 5 - 10 minutes). 


Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Let cool to room temperature and then puree in your food processor until smooth. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Butter (or use a non stick cooking spray) an 8 x 11 inch (20 x 28 cm) or a 9 x 9 inch (23 x 23 cm) pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

In the bowl of your food processor, place the oats, flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and ground cinnamon. Pulse to combine. Then add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Press 2/3 of the mixture into the base of the prepared pan. 

Spread the dates evenly over the oatmeal crust. Sprinkle the remaining dough evenly over the top of the dates. Bake for about 30 - 40 minutes or until golden brown. Place on a wire rack to cool. Once the squares have cooled, cover the pan with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator at least one hour or until firm enough to cut easily into squares.

These will keep, covered, in the refrigerator up to a week.

Yields: 20 - 24 squares

Recipe: Adapted from Rose Carrarini, "Breakfast Lunch Tea"