Authentic Date Cookies (Lebanese Cookies)

Date Cookies are delicious cookies that have the perfect texture and a flavor that you just can’t beat.

The homemade date filling in these cookies has the perfect blend of light aromatic spices that take its flavor to the next level. With a delicious ghee-based dough, they’ll melt in your mouth as soon as you put them in!

They’re, by far, one of the most delicious Date Cookies out there and are known as Kleicha in Arabic. Once you try them once, I’m sure they’ll become your absolute favorite!

What are Date Cookies?

Date cookies are any kind of cookie that is filled with a delicious date paste. They’re incredibly popular across the Mediterranean and the Middle East, with several different types including Ma’amoul, and this Kleicha date cookie that I’ll be sharing with you today.

Apart from this, every Middle Eastern country has its own version of date cookies all the way from Palestine to Lebanon to Egypt.

Due to their popularity, they have become known and loved across the world and this has brought in a lot of contemporary variations as well.

You’ll now see date cookies that are now made with different types of nut butter such as almond butter and peanut butter. Different nut toppings such as chopped pecans can also be seen on some contemporary versions.

Some even mix dates with raisins, and for kids, chocolate chip options have started becoming popular.  There are many gluten-free versions around as well such as ones made with almond flour or oatmeal cookies with date fillings.

But the recipe I’ll be sharing with you today is a classic one from Lebanon which has the most delicious date filling, with a melt-in-the-mouth cookie surrounding it and coated with sesame seeds.

What are Lebanese Date Cookies (Kleicha)?

These special Lebanese Date Cookies are known as Kleicha (or كليجة in Arabic) and have a smooth date filling that’s wrapped in a buttery cookie and topped with toasted sesame seeds.

Although these cookies are also Lebanese, they’re also popular in other parts of the Middle East especially Iraq and Saudi Arabia. In fact, they’re now officially the national cookies of Iraq.

Since Kleicha is derived from an Arabic word, it is spelled and pronounced differently when it is romanized with a wide range of spellings. Some other spellings and pronunciations include Klega in Saudi Arabia, Killecha in Syria, and Kiliçe in Turkey.

While you might think that’s unusual, it’s actually not odd for an Arabic word to have so many spelling variations since there are dialect differences across the Arab world and no standardized way of writing these words in English.

It’s the same situation for other popular Middle Eastern desserts such as Kunafa which is also called Knafeh, or Qatayef which can also be written as Atayef.

Regardless of which way you’ve heard it being pronounced, these are incredibly delicious date cookies that will leave you wanting to have more and more! They melt in your mouth as soon as they enter it and have the absolute perfect balance of flavor.

They’re, by far, one of my favorite cookies, and trust me, there’s a reason why they’re so incredibly popular!

What Makes This Date Cookie Recipe Special?

This date cookie recipe is the easiest one you’ll find for the most authentic flavor! It’s so easy to make that you don’t even need a stand mixer or an electric mixer for it! You can mix the ingredients and make the dough by hand!

You will get delicious date cookies every single time without using any artificial flavors! In fact, this cookie recipe doesn’t even require any vanilla essence for flavoring! It’s absolutely perfect and well-balanced on its own.

It also happens to be a dairy and egg free recipe, so you can enjoy it even if you have any dietary restrictions and can have any dairy or eggs.

Trust me, this recipe is so simple and easy to follow that you’ll have to stop yourself from making it every single day!

When are Date Cookies (Kleicha) Normally Eaten?

These Date Cookies are the quintessential holiday cookies for people across the Middle East. They’re incredibly popular for Muslims to make and have during Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.

Christians in the Middle East, on the other hand, enjoy these cookies in particular during Easter and Christmas, truly making these holiday cookies that everyone loves.

You’ll also find these cookies at weddings, birthdays, or any other special occasion. They go well in during all kinds of events and taste incredible every single time.

As you can see, across the Middle East special occasions are always about serving coffee and tea, sweets, and plenty of food and Kleicha is an undeniable part of that spread.

Where Did These Date Cookies Originate From?

Kleicha are considered to be ancient Mesopotamian cookies that date back thousands of years.

The earliest versions of this recipe can be traced back to ancient tablets that have been excavated containing recipes that were cooked during religious festivals in the temples of that time.

It has slightly changed and adapted over the years to what it is today, but the basis of this recipe is still from that recipe thousands of years ago.

The recipe I’ll be sharing with you today is an easy and delicious one that will give you authentic flavors you won’t be able to forget! 

Different Types of Date Cookies

There are many different types and variations of these delicious Lebanese Date Cookies. Here are the most popular and well-known versions:

Date filled: This is the version I’ll be sharing with you today and also happens to be the most common and loved one. The date paste that is used is also known as Kleichat Tamur.

Half-moon or crescent shape: Another popular version is a half-moon or crescent shape that usually contains a walnut filling.

Coconut versions: Kleicha can be made by filling it with nuts, sugar, and desiccated coconut which is also known as Kleichat Joz.

Other fillings: There are a bunch of other fillings that Kleicha comes with including pistachios, dried figs, Turkish delight, coconut, etc.

Other shapes: Just like Kleicha differs in terms of fillings, it also comes in a variety of different shapes. Some people prefer making them rounder, others make them in a spiral shape.

What You Need to Make Lebanese Date Cookies at Home

Making these delicious Date Cookies at home is incredibly simple and you need readily available ingredients for it. Here’s everything you’ll need to make these cookies:

For the Dough:

All-purpose flour: All you need is some plain all-purpose flour to make these delicious cookies.

Ghee: Ghee will give your cookies the perfect flavor and texture, and it’s a really important ingredient for this recipe. I don’t recommend substituting it with butter as it has a lot of moisture and won’t work well in this recipe. Use refrigerated ghee or room temperature if your kitchen is cold.

Cardamom powder: This will add a delicate earthy and delicious taste to your cookies that is subtle and goes perfectly with the date filling.

Honey: We’ll lightly sweeten the cookies with some honey and then add a water-honey mixture to it water to get it to the perfect level of sweetness that perfectly complements the filling.

For the Water-Honey Mixture:

Water: You’ll need some chilled water to make the water-honey mixture that will go into your dough for the final mixture.

Honey: We’ll add some more honey to get the sweetness to the perfect level.

Sugar: Sugar will help enhance the sweetness as well as the texture of the cookies when they bake.

For the Filling:

Dates: You’ll need some pitted dates for this recipe. You can go with whichever date is your favorite including Medjool dates. In case you can’t find pitted ones, you can pit them yourself. Just slice into a date and remove its seeds one by one.

Ghee: To smoothen the date filling and give it a jam-like consistency, we’ll be using some ghee to soften it.

Cardamom powder: We’ll be adding some cardamom powder to enhance the flavor of the date since it goes perfectly with it.

Cinnamon powder: This will add a slightly warm and sweet taste to your date filling.

For the Sesame Coating:

Sesame seeds: Sesame seeds go perfectly with these Kleicha Date Cookies! Make sure to get toasted sesame seeds or you can also toast them in a pan at home.

Sugar: We’ll use sugar to slightly sweeten the coating and make it taste even better.

Honey: Honey will add a subtle sweetness that perfectly complements the dates and will also make it sticky to allow it to adhere to the outside of the cookies before they bake.

Water: To give the sesame coating the perfect consistency, we’ll be adding a teaspoon of water to it.

How to Make Date Cookies Step by Step

Making these delicious date cookies is easier than what you might think! Here’s how to make them step by step at home:

How to Make Date Cookie Dough

Let’s start by making the date cookie dough. In a large mixing bowl, add the flour and the ghee. Mix the two ingredients for 6 to 7 minutes with your hand.

Cover the dough and refrigerate for 30 to 40 minutes. We’ll come back to this later.

How to Make Date Filling

Now let’s make the date filling! In a medium bowl, add the ghee, cinnamon powder, and cardamom powder.

Next, add the pitted dates and mix well until the mixture turns smooth and no longer sticky. Cover and set it aside.

How to Make Water-Honey Mixture

We’ll now make the water-honey mixture that we’ll incorporate into our cookie dough.

To do this, take a small bowl, and add the sugar and water to it. Stir them well and add honey to them.

Continue stirring until the sugar is almost dissolved. Cover and keep aside.

How to Make and Fill Date Cookies

Time to make and fill the date cookies! Remove the dough from the fridge and knead it for a minute. Now pour the water honey mixture on it.

Do not knead the dough, just work on gathering the dough from side to side. Kneading the dough will result in tough cookies.

At this point don’t worry too much, the dough will look super sticky and you might think that it failed, it is supposed to look like that at this stage.

To make sure that your dough didn’t fail, take about two tablespoons from it and lightly roll it between your palms to form a ball, you will see that the ball is formed, and it is not as sticky as it looks. (Magic)!

Cover the dough and let it chill in the refrigerator for 50 minutes to an hour.

After that, take half of the dough and roll it into a 12- to 13-inch-long log. Press it down horizontally and then vertically to help in spreading it evenly.

Take half of the date filling and roll it into a 12- to 13-inch-long log. Place the date filling at the edge of the dough (the side closest to you).

Roll the dough up just like when rolling up cinnamon rolls. Cut the log in half and roll it up and down gently just to smooth the surface.

How to Make Sesame Coating

Now let’s make the sesame mixture we’ll be coating the cookies with!

In a plate, add the sesame seeds, then to it add the sugar and honey. Mix for a minute, you will feel that the mixture is sticky and heavy.

Now add the water and mix for a few seconds, the mixture will now feel much lighter in weight.

Spread it on a large cookie sheet.

How to Coat and Bake Cookies

Time to coat and bake your date cookies! Gently roll the logs on the sesame coating. Careful not to make a thick coating, but if you did, you can remove the access with a pastry or silicone brush.

Don’t forget to repeat the previous steps with the remaining half of the dough and filling.

Now cut the log into 2-inch cookies. You can cut it at an angle as shown in the video. To make the cutting easier place the logs in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes and then cut the cookies.

Place the cookies on a lined cookie sheet and bake in a preheated oven of 200C/392F for 12 minutes.

To cool, place the cookies on a cooling rack and then serve with coffee or tea.

Your delicious Date Cookies (Kleicha) are ready to be served!

Tips for Making the Best Date Cookies (Kleicha) Ever

Here are some tips and tricks to give you incredible date cookies every single time to make them:

• Always use Ghee in this recipe, the butter will not work as well since it has a good amount of moisture.
• Refrigerate the filled and rolled cookie dough for 20 minutes, it will make the cutting easy.
• Instead of cardamom and cinnamon, you can use Kahk spices which is sold online or in the Middle Eastern stores.
• Preheating the oven for at least 30 minutes is crucial.
• You can use any type of date you wish, or even mix two types to make this recipe.

Other Recipes You’ll Love

Ma’amoul: If you’re looking for another delicious Middle Eastern cookie, then you have got to try making some Maamoul! Think of them as Arabian shortbread cookies that have a delicious filling made of dates and pistachios. Trust me, you’re going to fall in love with them!

Kahk Cookies: Another delicious cookie I highly recommend you try out is Kahk Eid Cookies! The delicious fine and light texture of these cookies is incredible and will have you wanting more! What’s best is that these delicious Kahk cookies are usually stuffed with some of the tastiest fillings ever and my recipe teaches you how to make the stuffed with homemade Turkish delight (malban). You have got to try this one!

Barezek: If you want some other cookies with a delicious sesame kick to them, try out these Syrian Barazek cookies. They have a buttery crunchy texture and are coated with sesame seeds on one side and chopped pistachios on the other. They’re light and delicious, and you won’t even realize how many you’ve had!

Knafeh: Crunchy, buttery dessert made from shredded phyllo pastry with a layer of delicious homemade pastry cream and drizzled with simple syrup

Baklava: Crispy layers of phyllo dough filled with crushed and chopped pistachios, topped with simple syrup. 

Aish al Saraya: Toast bread combined with rich caramel syrup and creamy custard, all topped with chopped pistachios.

How to Store Date Cookies

You can store these delicious Date Cookies in an airtight container on the kitchen counter for up 3 days. You can also store them for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.

If you want to freeze them, first flash freeze them on a cookie sheet. You can then wrap them in plastic wrap or pop them into a Ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 2 months.

When you’re ready to have date cookies, allow them to thaw on the kitchen counter or lightly warm them in an oven for a fresh flavor and texture.