Happy Cookie Friday! I got another batch of cookies made without white sugar or sugar substitutes like Xylitol. These Chocolate Date Sesame Cookies get their sweetness from natural ingredients. Yes, that’s also possible. Even for me – the »King of Sugar« ;P Since there is no dairy product or egg used in the recipe, these cookies are also vegan. Two flies caught with a glass and then released in nature, so they can continue flying and having a happy life ;P
You have seen probably more sugar-heavy recipes here on my blog than sugar-free recipes. When I started with this blog I loved recreating recipes from the US – cakes, and cupcakes that were loaded with sugar and much sweeter than bakes we are used to here in Germany. But for some time now, things have been changing slowly and many recipes here now use less sugar, use sugar substitutes, or, as in this case, are sometimes made without any sugar at all. The natural sweetness from fruits and berries is the magic word here.
I am trying to reduce my sugar consumption for quite a while now. The goal is to skip sugar wherever possible in my diet. For me, this means that I generally don’t eat sweets anymore – no gummy bears, no chocolate or similar sweets – all have completely disappeared from my diet. If you have cravings for something sweet, you can always eat fruits and berries – that will do the trick in most cases. Over time those cravings will get less and you will be able to not touch a chocolate cake when it is standing right in front of you ;P
When you are mostly blogging about sweet stuff it’s sometimes a bit difficult. I am hardly eating bakes with sugar but I don’t want to force anybody to do the same – that’s why you will find plenty of recipes with sugar here. But… I am using much less sugar now and my bakes tend to taste less sweet compared to my »old« recipes. Because I hardly use any sugar myself, all things with sugar are now extremely sweet for me. Sorry ;) If you like it sweeter you can always add more sugar or use some additional sweetener in case you want to reduce your sugar or calorie intake.
These cookies here get their sweetness from a »natural« source – the dates. If you are a big fan of American Cookies – the ones that are big, sweet, and full of chocolate, these cookies here might not be the right ones for you. If you are used to those »sugar bombs« these Chocolate Date Sesame Cookies might be not sweet enough for you. But all others should perhaps try them at least… They taste great to me, even if they are no »classic« cookies ;)
Note: If you prepare the cookies as described in the recipe, they are »sugar-free« – means prepared without the addition of sugar. This does not mean, however, that they are »ideal« for diabetics… Dates have a fairly high fruit sugar content – that’s why they are so sweet. As a diabetic, you have to pay attention to that kind of sugar as well. Due to the fiber they also contain, dates are nevertheless not completely bad for a sugar-reduced diet. Due to the fiber, the fruit sugar in dates is processed somewhat more slowly, which means that the blood sugar level does not rise as quickly. Just saying ;)
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
(about 14 cookies)
10 large dates, pitted
about 1 cup (240ml) water (plus more if needed)
1/4 cup (20g) shredded coconut
1 tbsp. cocoa powder
1 cup (150g) sesame seeds
1.8 oz. (50g) semi-sweet chocolate (sugar-free), melted
(ca. 14 Cookies)
10 große Datteln, entsteint
1 Tasse (240ml) Wasser (ggf. etwas mehr)
20g Kokosraspeln
1 EL Kakao
150g Sesam (ungeschält)
50g Zartbitterschokolade (ggf. zuckerfrei), geschmolzen
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
1. Add the dates and water (just enough to cover the dates) to a small pot and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and let stand for about 15 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and set aside.
3. Add the dates and about 3-4 tablespoons of the warm water to a food processor and mix the dates until you get a nice and smooth puree. Add the shredded coconut, cocoa powder, and about 1/4 cup of the sesame seeds to the food processor and mix until well combined. Add the remaining sesame seeds and mix them shortly to combine. If the dough is not sticking together, add another tablespoon of the dates cooking water and mix in. Use a cookie scoop or tablespoons to get equal-sized dough portions. Shape into balls and flatten to small discs – make sure they are firmly packed – it works best when your hands are slightly wet. Place the cookies on the baking sheet and bake for about 12 minutes. Take out of the oven and let cool down on the baking sheet until firm enough to be moved. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool down completely.
4. Chop the chocolate and melt in the microwave or over a pot with simmering water. Drizzle on top of the cookies and let dry/harden. Store in a metal box at room temperature.
1. Wasser und Datteln (gerade genug um die Datteln damit zu bedecken) in einen kleinen Topf geben und kurz aufkochen, dann sofort Vom Herd ziehen und etwa 15 Minuten ziehen lassen.
2. Den Ofen auf 180°C (350°F) Ober-/Unterhitze vorheizen. Ein Backblech mit Backpapier auslegen und zur Seite stellen.
3. Die Datteln mit etwa 3-4 Esslöffeln des noch warmen Kochwassers in eine Küchenmaschine/Mixer geben und zu einem glatten Mus pürieren. Die Kokosrapeln, Kakao und etwa 1/4 des Sesam mit dazugeben und ebenfalls mixen, bis sich alles gut verbunden hat. Den Rest des Sesams dazugeben und kurz mit unterrühren. Sollte der Teig nicht zusammenhalten, noch einen Esslöffel des Kochwassers dazugeben und unterrühren. Mit einem Cookie Scoop (Eisportionierer) oder Esslöffeln gleich große Teigportionen abstechen und zu Cookies formen – funktioniert am besten mit leicht feuchten Händen. Achtet darauf, dass die Cookies gut zusammengepresst sind. Cookies auf das Blech setzen und für etwa 12 Minuten backen. Aus dem Ofen holen und auf dem Blech abkühlen lassen, bis man sie bewegen kann, dann auf einem Kuchengitter komplett auskühlen lassen.
4. Die Schokolade hacken und in der Mikrowelle oder über einem Topf mit köchelndem Wasser schmelzen. Die Cookies damit dekorieren und dann trocknen lassen. In einer Blechdose bei Zimmertemperatur lagern.
Craving more? Keep in touch on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest for new post updates and more. You can also contact me with any questions or inquiries!
Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
Print
Chocolate Date Sesame Cookies (vegan & free of white sugar)
- Prep Time: 00:20
- Cook Time: 00:12
- Total Time: 01:00
- Yield: 14 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Cuisine: International
Description
Delicious cookies without any added sugar – Chocolate Date Sesame Cookies get their sweetness from the dates… well and the chocolate ;)
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Enjoy baking!
