Date & Raisin Cookie Recipes
Three vintage favorites: thin rolled filled cookies with a sweet date-or-raisin filling, easy date-walnut cookie squares, and old-fashioned spiced raisin bars. All are simple, chewy, and perfect for cookie tins, holidays, or afternoon treats.
Recipes on this page
Date or Raisin Filled Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup sweet milk
- 3 cups flour + 2 tablespoons
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Filling:
- 1 cup chopped raisins or dates
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Make the filling first so it can cool.
- Filling: Combine chopped raisins or dates, sugar, water, and flour. Cook, stirring, until thickened; cool.
- Dough: Cream sugar and shortening until fluffy. Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla.
- Sift flour, cream of tartar, and baking soda; mix into wet ingredients and beat until smooth.
- Roll dough very thin. Cut into rounds. Place on greased cookie sheet, add a small spoonful of filling, top with another round, and seal edges with a fork.
- Bake 10–12 minutes.
Date Walnut Cookie Squares
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs, unbeaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup melted shortening
- 1 cup chopped dates
- 1 cup walnuts, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 10×15-inch pan.
- Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Stir in chopped dates and walnuts to coat them.
- Add eggs, vanilla, and melted shortening; mix until combined.
- Spread into pan and bake about 25 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.
Old Fashioned Raisin Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup salad oil or shortening
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg, slightly beaten
- 1 1/2 cups nuts (optional)
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 13×9×2-inch pan.
- Bring raisins and water to a boil; remove from heat. Stir in oil/shortening and cool until lukewarm.
- Beat sugar and egg. Sift flour with salt and spices; add to egg mixture (using raisin liquid as needed) and beat well.
- Stir in raisins and nuts (if using). Spread in pan.
- Bake about 20 minutes. Cool, cut into bars, and dust with confectioners’ sugar after fully cooled.
Date & Raisin Cookies FAQ
What’s the difference between the filled cookies and the raisin bars?
Filled cookies are rolled thin and sealed around a cooked date-or-raisin filling. Raisin bars use a boiled raisin mixture stirred into a spiced batter and baked in a pan.
Can I use dates instead of raisins (or vice versa)?
Yes. The filling works with either chopped dates or chopped raisins — use whichever you prefer.
How should I store these cookies and bars?
Store airtight at room temperature for 2–3 days, refrigerate for longer freshness, or freeze the bar cookies.
Why does the confectioners’ sugar melt on the raisin bars?
If the bars are still warm or covered too soon, moisture dissolves the sugar. Dust only after the bars are completely cooled.