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Israeli Date and Walnut Swirl Cookies

Israeli Date and Walnut Swirl Cookies

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 28 minutes
Total Time 58 minutes

Servings

14 Servings

Ingredients

  • 3 cups unbleached all-​purpose flour
  • teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 14 tablespoons 1½ sticks + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 cup full-​fat sour cream
  • 1 cup date paste
  • ¾ cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

  • Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
  • Using a handheld mixer and a separate medium bowl or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar. Add the sour cream and beat until combined.
  • Add the flour mixture to the sour cream mixture and beat until just combined.
  • Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 375°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Unwrap the dough and divide into two equal pieces. (Use a food scale for precision if you have one.)
  • Roll each piece of dough into a rectangle around 8 by 14 inches.
  • Spread the date paste evenly across one dough rectangle and sprinkle with walnuts.
  • Working from the longer end, firmly roll up the dough (not loosely as you might for cinnamon rolls or babka). As you roll up the dough, create more of a square-​shaped log, not perfectly round. Repeat with the other piece of dough.
  • Place each roll on a prepared baking sheet.
  • Using a sharp knife, cut indentations spaced 1 inch apart (not cutting all the way through the cookies, just through the top). This step will make it easier after the rolls are baked to cut them into pieces.
  • Bake for 26 to 28 minutes, until slightly golden. You can rotate the baking sheets halfway through baking.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Sprinkle all over with powdered sugar. Then, slice all the way through each slit to separate into cookies.