Sugar Free Date Cookies
This Sugar-Free Date Cookies recipe is a simple, diabetic-friendly snack that is also gluten-free and vegan! The dough is easy to come together with just three healthy, dairy free ingredients of oatmeal, dates and peanut butter. These sugar-free cookies are the BEST if you want a guilt-free treat.
SUGAR FREE DATE COOKIES
After a LOT of baking going around here lately I’ve decided to start making some recipes using dates instead of sugar. Maple syrup, honey and coconut sugar are decent natural sweeteners but I want to try to cut back on those to try to drop that dreaded “quarantine 15” I’ve put on.
I LOVE peanut butter so why not peanut butter date cookies? How about vegan peanut butter cookies with no sugar? These healthy date filled oatmeal cookies are a nice snack to quell those cravings.
They have the soft, chewy texture of regular oatmeal cookies.
This is also an option for a diabetic cookies recipe.
Just remember that dates have a very high sugar content relative to the rest of their nutritional value. People who are trying to manage their blood sugar, such as those with diabetes, should be mindful of their total sugar intake when consuming dates.
Thankfully eating dates in moderation is unlikely to raise a person’s blood sugar excessively, even if they have diabetes. So enjoy a cookie or two, just no the whole batch. 😉
BENEFITS OF DATES:
Besides simply tasting great, dates contain protein, vitamins, and minerals. They are also:
- High in polyphenols. Polyphenols are antioxidant compounds that can protect the body from inflammation. Dates contain more polyphenols than most other fruits and vegetables.
- Alternative to empty-calorie sweets. Dates can satisfy a person’s sweet tooth while also providing essential nutrients, such as vitamin B-6 and iron.
- High in fiber. Fiber helps a person feel fuller for longer.
- High in potassium. Dates are high in potassium, which is an electrolyte the body needs for good heart health. Potassium also helps to build muscle and proteins in the body.
- Great for substitutions. Replace the sugar in baking recipes with dates to ensure they are eating natural sugars instead of refined sugars.
If you are curious about cookies sweetened with fruit, give these a whirl!
MORE SUGAR FREE SNACK RECIPES:
Vegan Banana Soft Serve Ice Cream
Sugar Free + Grain Free Granola
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Sugar Free Date Cookies
Equipment
- cookie sheet
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups quick oats
- ½ cup natural peanut butter *use a fresh jar
- 1 ½ cups pitted dates *soak them in hot water for 10 minutes
Instructions
- Set the oven to 350 and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the oats to the food processor and process it into a flour.
- Add the peanut butter and soaked dates and process until the dough sticks together when you pinch it in your fingers.
- Roll the dough into tablespoon sized balls and line them up on the parchment lined cookie sheet. Form the balls into a cookie shape – they won't spread out when they bake.
- Bake for 10 – 12 minutes, rotating the cookie sheet half way through. Check the bottoms at 10 minutes – they should be brown. The tops don't really change colour.
- Let cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes then transfer to a rack. Store covered at room temperature for 7-10 days.
Recipe was fairly easy as long as you have a processor. It came together well and my hubby even ate 2!!
Bonus points for the hubby! Thanks Tamara 🙂
Today I made the cookies. It’s a very easy recipe. I tweaked it a little bit by adding about 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla and about a 1/2 teaspoon of brown sugar. The cookies were delicious!
Awesome Vickie! Love the additions.
This time I soaked the dates in chicory root tea…last time I did coffee! I did a double batch…almost too much for my food processor! 😬 I also added in a banana, chopped pecans, coconut flakes, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger & a little salt. Oh my! They smelled amazing as I was rolling them out…and while they are baking! So yummy! This recipe is awesome! I don’t care for the energy balls that you don’t bake…these fulfill the same need and I like the texture of something baked better! Thanks for a great base recipe to build upon!
I love this Betty 🙂 Your additions all sound so delicious – especially soaking the dates in coffee! Yum!
Hey! Is each serving 1 cookie? I fo carb counting for insulin dosing. They look delicious!!
Yes, one cookie is considered a serving. Enjoy!
Do you think I could use almond flour in place of the oat flour?
I have only tested this recipe using the oats.
I made a batch, it was good but second time I added a banana. So yummy.. I cooked a minute longer and I also flipped the cookies
Yum! Banana sounds delish!
I think I will replace peanut butter with banana due to allergies. Thanks for the tip
Hi
I would like to make this recipe for my family. I just want to know how much water to soak the dates in. When i add soaked dates to the oat, shall i drain it before?
Hi there! Place the dates in a bowl add enought water to cover them. Drain the water before making the recipe. 🙂
Hi…. Can we add butter instead of peanut butter… Also pls tell the consistency of butter n it’s quantity.
I have not tested this recipe using butter. The taste and texture of the cookies would be quite different as peanut butter has a distinct flavor and is also thicker and stickier than regular butter.
Very yummy…we love them, but this time I soaked the dates in hot coffee, then drained, and I added cinnamon. So yummy
Omgssh! Coffee!! What an awesome idea. Thanks for sharing Terry. I will definitely try that.
This is a very easy and delicious recipe. Thank you.
I don’t have a food processor, so I simply mixed the ingredients together by hand. I use soaked dates a lot in my baking instead of sugar and find them brilliant. I will definitely be making these cookies again.
Thanks Brenda! I am so glad you enjoyed the reicpe. Good to know you an make these without a food processor too! Great tip. Thanks again!
These cookies exceeded my expectation! They were so tasty and satisfying. I added a couple tablespoons of shredded unsweetened coconut.
Yum! I love the idea of a bit of coconut in these! Great idea 🙂
While these do not have any added or processed sugar, they are not sugar free. It would be more clear if you changed the recipe name.
Lots of things have natural sugar. There is no added sugars so this recipes name is just fine. I’m certain everyone else understands it!
Sharon. Thank you for this recipe. I added a little more peanut butter and some Splenda. This is hands down the best cookie I have ever made, crispy and yummy in the middle with the dates. My husband is watching his sugar so thank you so much!
Awesome Maria! I am so glad you enjoyed it 🙂 It is my go-to when I wan to cut down on the sweets.
I am always looking for cookies recipes for my son who is diabetic these are going to be his new favorite!
My brother-in-law is also diabetic and loves these! I hope he enjoys them too, Claudia!
I am all for a delicious cookie that is sugar free. Can’t wait to try these date cookies.
YES! You will love them. Thanks, Kathleen.
So simple! I love that these cookies are sugar free, dairy free, gluten free and vegan!
Right? Super easy and healthy. Can’t go wrong here 🙂
I love how dates can basically just replace sugar, and it REALLY shows in this recipe. These cookies are fantastic!
Nature’s candy!! Thanks Dana.
I made these the other night, and I really like them. They have an interesting texture, and the flavor is amazing.
Awesome Beth! So happy you liked them. 🙂
This looks amazing and such a treat! Thank you!
These certainly don’t look like they are sugar-free. Yet they are! What a great recipe to keep handy.
These are perfect family friendly cookies. Great flavor and healthier for you.
Right? Totally family friendly 🙂
I’m trying to cut down our family’s refined sugar intake and these cookies are delicious and sweet enough to be a treat. Thanks for the recipe!
Guilt-free!! Thanks, Colleen. 🙂
Love these for lunchboxes lately, super easy to make with just a few ingredients (bonus!).
Yes! What a great idea for lunchboxes! Thanks, Irena. 🙂
These sound amazing! Can’t wait to try them. I wonder if regular oats would be ok to use.
Excellent and easy! Had to add a bit more peanut butter for dough to hold together when squeezed 🙂
So happy you enjoyed them! And, yes isn’t it funny how not all peanut butter is created equal! I find a fresh drippy jar of the natural stuff works best. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday TD 🙂
Love how simple these are! They just came out pretty dry and crumbly. Next time I would add an egg to help bind and maybe a splash of milk and vanilla.
Dates are my go-to sweetener. Costco tubs don’t last long in my house. It is true that dates are a healthy way to sweeten foods, but it is technically not true that they are sugar free. Since there is no fat in dates and barely any protein, most of the calories in dates are from (natural) sugar, about 90%. Still, dates are a whole food and are a healthy way of adding sweetness.
These cookies were very dry but tasted great! I don’t think I will make again.
A crumbly mess that went straight into the bin.
I stumbled across this website when trying to find a good and tasty desert that 1) would utilized what I already had in the pantry and 2) satisfy my vegan and gluten free friends. These are super yummy and the batch went fast. To help with the dryness, I added a little olive oil and that helped quite a bit. Also, for the second batch I made, after processing the oats, and hand-cutting the dates, I dumped everything into one bowl and hand-mixed. extra steps, but in the end – worth it to skip the blender frsutrationr. : )
My vitamix a hard time blending all the ingredients together because it was too dry and sticky. Any advice ?
Hey Kristina! Hmmmm … I use a food processor and don’t have any issues. Were the oats processed into flour first? Did you soak the dates? Also, using a fresh jar of natural peanut butter is also preferred as the oils are fresh and the peanut butter is super soft. Let me know if this is helpful! I hope so because these cookies are SO good. 🙂
I had the same problem with dryness. Was I supposed to add the water the dates were soaked in too?
I don’t add the water, just use it to soften the dates. Were you using a fresh jar of natural peanut butter? I find that really makes a difference as the oils in the natural peanut butter help big time. 🙂
Hi I made these cookies have amazing taste…but what to do or add to make it more crispy.
Hey Neetika! I’m happy you enjoyed the taste of the cookies. 🙂 Unfortunately crispy cookies have butter, sugar, and/or flour, and this recipe is really geared for a treat when you are trying to cut those things out. Try these coconut chocolate chip cookies for a little more crispiness –> Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies – Gluten Free, Grain Free
What’s a substitute for peanut butter?
You could use almond butter, cashew butter, tahini, sunbutter – all should work!!
What’s a substitute for peanut butter?
Any nut or seed butter would work! Almond, cashew, sunflower, tahini, etc are all awesome. It’s ideal to use a fresh jar so the natural oils are all fresh and the butter is runny.
I found these to be quite dry. I added extra peanut butter plus some milk after the first tray came out of the oven.
So glad I gave these a try, these were really good.
They are my go-to when I am avoiding added sugar. I’m glad you enjoyed them!!
I’m excited to try these with my toddler since we limit added sugar, but as a RD it concerns me that your post refers to these as “sugar free”. 3 Medjool dates have 26 grams of naturally occurring sugar and 29 grams of carbs. That’s 2 servings of carbohydrates for for anyone that carb counts.
Yes, thank you. Son is type 1 diabetic so we look at carbs and sugars to see if it’s complex or simple. 29 carbs with 26of those being sugars is simple. Considering his snacks are 15g carbs he could have only one half a cookie. Two cookies would definitely equal a large meal in terms of carbs and simple carbs at that. These are health friendly but not diabetic friendly. If they had less than 50% of their carbs from sugars, I’d say this was a good treat.
Sorry, meant one hlf of the dates at 29carbs..so 1 1/2 dates. So the 3 dates would be a meal in terms of carbs and insulin ratio. Anyways, it looks like each cookie is 15g carbs with 9g sugars if I read that right. So, one cookie would be a snack which may or may not be satisfying depending on person. Anyhow, good recipe. Just chiming in for the diabetics. Thank you for bringing up this point as I am new to dates and their culinary uses.
These are awesome! So easy to make and my four year old loves them. Thanks for a great recipe!
I will definitely be making these on repeat, they are so quick and simple, plus they are delicious, healthy and Luna LOVES them!
Thanks Kristen! So happy to hear they are Luna approved. 🙂
I love how easy this recipe is! I will have to make it with Wow Butter for a nut free version for the kids to bring to preschool when they reopen this fall.
Yes to Wow Butter! Sunbutter would be lovely too. Or tahini! Anything goes. 🙂
What a delicious treat! Healthy and nutritious, and they look great!
Thanks guys! They are all of those things. 🙂
How can we make them without oven.
I can’t have oats. Is there anything else I can use?
I can’t have have dates could u please suggest something else?
I always have a Costco size tub of medjool dates around. Thanks for a great healthy treat idea to use them in!
Right? Me too. Costco is great for those staples.
Dates are totally a life staple in this house haha these look yummy!
I’ve been buying the costco sized tub! I’m avoiding sweeteners like maple syrup and coconut sugar right now and dates are life. Thanks Shelby!
It says these are 101 calories per serving. How many cookies would be one serving?
Each cookie is a serving.
Can you use any other nut or seed butter? I don’t eat peanut butter
For sure! You can use almond, cashew, tahini, sunbutter – they all work great!