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    date paste

    Date Rice Krispie Treats

    October 3, 2018

    rice krispies, dates, tahini, lebanese, school, treat
    rice krispies, dates, tahini, lebanese, school, treat

    Wholesome, filling and delicious. These Rice Krispie treats will be a hit with anyone.

    Date Rice Krispie Treats

    I know exactly what you're thinking, why on Earth did you think it was a good idea to change a classic Rice Krispie treat? To be perfectly honest, I love rice krispie treats as much as my kids: sweet, gooey and almost so light and fluffy you forget how bad they are for you. I'm a firm believer of everything in moderation so we will ABSOLUTELY still make traditional rice krispie treats. But, these new treats will have you wishing for more. 

    Why Dates? 

    I'm pretty much obsessed with dates, they are sweet, filling and not to mention, good on the digestive system. They also happen to be a perfect natural sweetener, truly nature's candy. Dates in Arabic is pronounced "Tammr". Tammr is a natural filling for many Lebanese desserts including ma'mmoul or these easy and delicious date cookies. Dates are commonly found in the Middle East including Lebanon. These sweet pieces of nature's candy are perfect alone or to create into a paste for easier use. Date paste is simply dates pitted, softened, blended and packaged. Using date paste in desserts is much easier and less time consuming than pitting and processing dates oneself. 

    Tahini, the perfect match

    It seems only fitting to pair dates and tahini. Tahini, sesame paste is nutty, warm and rich. While tahini is traditionally used in many savory dishes like hummus, baba ganoush or garlicky sauces, it also has it's place in sweets. Think of tahini like any nut butter and can truly replace a nut butter in a recipe for an allergy-free alternative. Not quite as overpowering as many nut butters, it is the perfect accompaniment to the very sweet date. 

    rice krispies, dates, tahini, lebanese, school, treat

    Try and not to eat the whole tray!

    Breakfast or Snack

    What better way to bring these two superfoods together in an easy to grab treat good for breakfast or snack anytime of day, rice krispies! Even though dates are sweet and tahini has characteristics of nut butters, sometimes kids are reluctant to eat either. I wanted to create a healthy, delicious and sweet treat I could give my kiddos and not feel guilty. Something that will satisfy their sweet tooth but also fill their bellies with goodness. These would be a great lunchbox addition or to serve as a school snack.  Not to mention my hubs and I love them! I can easily grab one and go in the morning with my coffee for a healthy and filling breakfast. 

    I hope you enjoy this simple recipe, wholesome and delicious! As always, I love to see your creations be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook if you give this a try. Don't forget to Pin for later, tap the "Pinterest" button on any image. 

    Xoxo
    Cosette

    rice krispies, dates, tahini, lebanese, school, treat

    Pin for later!


    Print Recipe
    Date Rice Krispie Treats
    I cut these into 20 small squares in my 9x7 pyrex glass dish. Smaller sized bites are perfect!
    rice krispies, dates, tahini, lebanese, school, treat
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine Lebanese
    Keyword breakfast, snack
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Cook Time 5 minutes
    Servings
    Ingredients
    • 13 ounces date paste
    • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
    • ¾ cup tahini
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • 4 ½ cups Rice Krispie cereal
    • flake salt for tops
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine Lebanese
    Keyword breakfast, snack
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Cook Time 5 minutes
    Servings
    Ingredients
    • 13 ounces date paste
    • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
    • ¾ cup tahini
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • 4 ½ cups Rice Krispie cereal
    • flake salt for tops
    rice krispies, dates, tahini, lebanese, school, treat
    Instructions
    1. Spray a 9x7 pan with cooking spray and set aside.
    2. In a large pot, add your date paste and coconut oil. Heat on low until the date paste begins to soften and melt.
    3. Add in your tahini and salt and continue melting until the mixture is combined and soft.
    4. Add in your cereal and fold into the date mixture using a spatula until all pieces are coated.
    5. Dump mixture into prepared pan and press down to flatten.
    6. Top with flake sea salt if desired. Cut and enjoy!
    7. Cover or place pieces in sealed container. Good for 3-5 days.
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    Lebanese Date Cookies

    August 2, 2017

    My wonderful, beautiful sister is getting married this month. I'm so elated to be in Pennsylvania for her special day and of course to help in the baking frenzy of 2017! My mom is the baking queen, well, only when it comes to Lebanese desserts! She has pages of recipes written in Arabic that have been tried, tested and changed over the years. There is also this amazing Lebanese cook book that is literally like a bible! Any Lebanese dessert I want to make, I check in with her first then the "bible". Whatever it is, it always comes out amazing. 

    Dates are widely used in Lebanese desserts, especially in mammoul. Mammoul are a flaky cookie filled with either dates, walnuts or pistachio fillings. These cookies are a play on mammoul but a bit simpler and don't require the molds to shape. We make them super bite size because they are totally cute that way and give us an abundance of cookies. You can find baking dates at most Middle Eastern stores or online. 

    The recipe for these cookies is in the above-mentioned "bible", after my mom translated the text for me, we got to work! The dough is so easy to work with and requires just minutes to put together. These 40+ dozen we made today (not lying about that) will make their debut at the wedding along with the other hundreds of desserts there! I hope you enjoy the recipe! I would love to see your creations! Tag me on Instagram @CosettesKitchen or post on my Facebook Page.

    xoxo,
    Cosette


    A shot of the rolled date balls before stuffing them into the dough:

     

    Before the cookies go into the oven, we used whatever tools we had in the kitchen to make the designs: spoon, knife, cake piping tip, dough wheel...whatever will make a good impression. 

     

    Just a few of the many, many dozen that we made today! 

    As featured on KATU Afternoon Live:

    https://katu.com/afternoon-live/cooking-recipes/christmas-cookies-12-13-2018

    Print Recipe
    Lebanese Date Cookies
    This recipe will make A LOT of cookies, especially if you make the very small sized as pictured. You can surely increase the size of the cookies to yield fewer.
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine Lebanese
    Prep Time 1 hr 30
    Cook Time 15 minutes
    Servings
    +people
    Ingredients
    Date Mixture
    • 26 ounces date paste date paste can be found in middle eastern stores, usually in 13 oz packages
    • 4 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
    Cookie Dough
    • 5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
    • 1 cup corn flour **NOT cornmeal
    • 1 cup powdered sugar
    • 2 cups unsalted butter, softened
    • ½ teaspoon rose water **can use vanilla extract instead
    • ½ teaspoon orange blossom water **can use vanilla extract instead
    • ½ cup milk add more as needed
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine Lebanese
    Prep Time 1 hr 30
    Cook Time 15 minutes
    Servings
    +people
    Ingredients
    Date Mixture
    • 26 ounces date paste date paste can be found in middle eastern stores, usually in 13 oz packages
    • 4 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
    Cookie Dough
    • 5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
    • 1 cup corn flour **NOT cornmeal
    • 1 cup powdered sugar
    • 2 cups unsalted butter, softened
    • ½ teaspoon rose water **can use vanilla extract instead
    • ½ teaspoon orange blossom water **can use vanilla extract instead
    • ½ cup milk add more as needed
    Instructions
    Date Mixture
    1. Combine date paste and butter and work until smooth.
    2. Form into small balls, the size depends on how large of a cookie you'd like. Can be anywhere from ½-1 teaspoon in size.
    Cookie Dough
    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line your cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Set aside.
    2. In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine all the ingredients except the milk to form a cohesive dough.
    3. Add the milk slowly once dough forms. Add additional milk if the dough seems dry or crumbly.
    Form Cookies
    1. Take a small scoop of your dough and flatten in your hand, place a date ball inside. Fold dough around the date and form into whatever shape you'd like. Round and long shapes are most common.
    2. Place on prepared cookie sheet and create an impression using a fork, knife, dough wheel, cake tip or anything you find that will work.
    3. Bake for 15-17 minutes on the middle rack. Bottoms should be slightly red and tops just beginning to brown.The cookies should not be too dark in color, they will remain fairly pale.
    4. Remove from tray and let cool on cooling rack. Enjoy!
    Recipe Notes

    These cookies freeze well up to 3 months. Pull out baked cookies as you need them. 

    Baking dates can be found online. 

    Recipe adapted from Anahid's Gourmet Cookbook

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    My name is Cosette Posko and I reside in Portland, Oregon with my family of five. Originally from Pennsylvania, I moved to the great Pacific Northwest about 15 years ago and have been here ever since.

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