Date Sweetened Oatmeal Scotchies
The first time I had an oatmeal scotchie was in middle school (ahh, the early 2000s). I was in a “Family and Consumer Science” class (AKA home-economics) and it was one of the recipes we learned as part of the baking unit. They became an instant favorite of mine and every time I bake them now they’re so nostalgic to me!
This particular version still has that amazing butterscotch-y flavor but it’s free from gluten, dairy, and refined sugar (depending on the brand you use, your butterscotch chips may contain dairy/sugar). They’re plenty sweet thanks to the natural sweetness of the dates and they have the most incredible texture! Perhaps best of all though…you toss everything together in a food processor and voila! Despite the changes to the original recipe, I think 12 year old Rachel would definitely approve.
These oatmeal scotchies are an adaptation of one of my most well-loved chocolate chip cookie recipes from my recipe box. The recipe was originally shared with me by my sister-in-law, but I found a similar version of that same recipe from F52. The chocolate chip and oatmeal scotchie versions are now tied in my book!
Date Sweetened Oatmeal Scotchies
Ingredients:
1/2 cup pitted dates
1 cup walnuts or pecans
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats (gluten-free if you need)
1/3 cup butterscotch chips
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a food processor, blend the dates and walnuts together until they’re coarsely ground (about 30 seconds).
Add in the egg, vanilla, baking soda, and salt and blend until it resembles a paste, scraping down the sides of the food processor as needed. The mixture won’t be entirely smooth when finished, and that’s okay!
Stir in the oats and butterscotch chips with a spoon.
Using a spoon or your hands, scoop out the dough and roll it into small balls (about the size of a ping pong ball) and place them on the parchment. Using a small square of parchment, gently press each ball to flatten it slightly.
Bake for 11-13 minutes until slightly golden on the outside. Enjoy!
Notes:
This recipe yields about 9 average sized cookies. You can easily double it…it’s probably a good idea.
In my opinion, these cookies are best just after baking. Next day, they’re still delicious but they lose their crispiness due to the moisture from the dates.
Store any leftovers in a tightly sealed container for up to 4 days.
