Vegan Almond Date Cookies

These sweet treats call for just a few simple ingredients that combine to make a beautifully soft and comforting cookie with hints of caramel and almond.

They’re rich, buttery, soft, warming and totally satisfying! Enjoy these delicious cookies anytime for a snack or dessert.

Recipe Features

• Vegan (dairy-free, egg-free) and gluten-free.
• Easy to make with just a few simple, wholesome ingredients.
• Soft and chewy with a slightly crisp exterior and delicious caramel flavour.
• No added sugar! These are sweetened naturally with dates.
• No flour needed. These cookies are made with blended raw almonds and oats.

Ingredient Notes

1. Dates. You’ll need soft, fresh dates for this recipe. If you only have dry dates, soak them in hot water for 15 minutes then drain before using.
2. Almonds. Raw almonds are blended into a course meal to act as the “flour” in this recipe. The recipe has not been tested with almond flour. You should be able to use almond flour but may need to adjust the amount of coconut milk.
3. Oats. Some of the rolled oats will be blended up as oat flour and some will remain whole to help add some texture to the cookies. You can use rolled oats, old-fashioned oats, large flake oats or quick oats.
4. Coconut milk. You’ll need full-fat, canned coconut milk for this recipe. Make sure you shake the can well before opening so it’s smooth and fully combined.
5. Coconut oil. Coconut oil adds wonderful, buttery texture to this cookies. I’ve tested them without oil and they’re not the same. You may be able to use butter or vegan butter to replace the oil if you prefer.

Step 1: Add the almonds to a food processor and blend into a grainy, coarse flour/meal. Add the oats and blend again until you have a mixture of almond and oat flour.

It does’t have to be super fine. It’s ok if there are some larger pieces left behind.

Step 2: Add the dates to the food processor and blend into a crumbly but sticky dough.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well to combine and then place the bowl in the fridge for 20 minutes to firm the dough.

Step 3: Shape the dough into 12 cookie shapes and bake for 15 minutes. Let them cool completely on the pan before handling.

Tips for Success

• Dates: It’s important to use soft, moist dates. If your dates are overly dry or you’re not sure, soak the pitted dates in hot water for 15 minutes then drain well before using in the recipe.
• Coconut Milk: Be sure to use full-fat coconut milk. If you’re using a fresh can, shake it really well before opening.
• Coconut Oil: I do not recommend omitting the oil. It’s needed for moisture, binding and texture. I have lots of oil-free cookies if needed, try my 3-ingredient oatmeal cookies, sweet potato cookies, zucchini chocolate chip cookies or breakfast cookies.

Recipe Notes

• Flavour: These cookies work well with flavours like cinnamon, ginger, all-spice or nutmeg.
• I have not tested this recipe with almond flour vs. ground almonds. I suspect it would work but you may need additional coconut milk and/or coconut oil for extra moisture. If you’re looking for almond flour recipes, try my chocolate chip almond flour cookies, sesame tahini cookies or blueberry crumble bars.

Storing

• Let cool completely before storing.
• Room Temperature: Sealed container for up to 3 days.
• Fridge: Sealed container for up to 1 weeks.
• Freezer: Sealed container or freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.