Coffee, Date & Walnut Cookies

This recipe makes classic cookies - they're flat, chewy in the middle and crispy at the edges. Try to eat at least one while they're still a bit warm.

There's no need to chill this dough, but you can prepare it a couple of days ahead and keep it in the fridge until you're ready to bake. It freezes well too, so you can form it into flattened balls and bake straight from the freezer.

Coffee, Date & Walnut Cookies

Makes 10 if weighed out at 100g each - that's a large size.

If you prefer smaller cookies, you'll get 20 if you weight the dough at 50g each, or 15 if you weigh at 75g. Adjust the baking time by a few minutes for smaller cookies.

Prep 20 mins, bake time 20 mins - but you may need to bake in 2 batches depending on your oven size.

Ingredients:

• 125g butter. Real butter gives the best flavour, but baking block works as well. Anything from a tub will result in thinner, crispier cookies.

• 220g caster sugar

• 1 large egg

• 1 tsp coffee extract or a shot of espresso

• 300g self raising flour

• 150g dates, chopped however you prefer

• 150g walnut, chopped however you prefer

• A few coffee beans (optional)

Method:

1. Line 3 or 4 baking sheets with parchment. Old fashioned greaseproof tends to stick to these cookies, so use a parchment style paper, or silicon baking liners if you have them.

2. Preheat oven to 180C/350F if you have a fan oven - otherwise it's 200C/390F or gas mark 6.

3. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.

4. Add the egg and coffee extract/espresso, and mix until well combined.

5. Sift in your flour and add the dates & walnuts, reserving a few for the top. Get your hands in there and mix until it's a nice dough that lightly sticks together. If it seems a little dry, this is probably just the brand of flour. You can add a tiny splash of milk if needed to bring the dough together.

6. Weigh out in 50g or 100g balls. Don't squash the dough together firmly, or the cookies won't be melt-in-the-mouth. Gently, slightly flatten onto the baking sheets, leaving plenty of space in between to spread as they bake. Top with the reserved dates & walnuts.

7. Bake in batches if needed, for approx 12 mins for small cookies or 20 mins for bigger ones. Halfway through cooking time, take them out of the oven and bang the tray on the worktop - this will knock out the air and give a lovely crinkled effect on top. They're done when they are turning golden brown around the edges.

8. Cool completely on the baking sheet - they'll break up if you try to move them sooner.

These cookies keep airtight in a cool, dry place for up to a week. They're still edible after this, but they get hard. If this happens just throw them in the freezer and use in future cheesecake bases.mmenting in the Editor so people can reply without signing in to your site.