Date Turnover Cookies

These filled date cookies are delicious little turnovers with an optional vanilla glaze. The wonderful date filling includes chopped nuts.

Ingredients

• For the Dough:
• 1 cup sugar
• 0.5 cup shortening
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 0.25 teaspoon baking soda
• For the Date Filling:
• 2 cups chopped dates (about 1 pound)
• 0.75 cup sugar
• 0.75 cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 0.5 cup chopped pecans
• For the Topping:
• 0.5 cup milk, or as needed
• 0.5 cup sugar, or as needed
• For the Optional Vanilla Glaze:
• 1.5 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
• Dash salt
• 0.25 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 to 3 tablespoons milk

Steps

1. In a mixing bowl combine 1 cup sugar, the shortening, eggs, and vanilla. Beat until light.
2. Stir in the flour, salt, and baking soda to form a soft dough. Cover and refrigerate the dough mixture for at least 1 hour.
3. In a saucepan, combine the date filling ingredients. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick. Cool completely.
4. Heat oven to 400 F.
5. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or leave them ungreased.
6. Take the dough out of the refrigerator and dump it out onto a floured surface. Roll the dough out to as thin as possible or about 1/16-inch thick.
7. Cut the rolled dough into 3-inch rounds or squares. Spoon about 1 teaspoon date filling onto one side of each circle leaving enough of an edge to seal. Moisten edges with some water.
8. Fold the dough over filling; pinch edges to seal. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
9. Place the cookies about 1 inch apart on the baking sheets.
10. Brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Use regular or a larger grain decorative sugar.
11. Bake the cookies until they are lightly browned, about 8 to 10 minutes.
12. Immediately remove them from the baking sheet. Optional Glaze
13. In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat the confectioners' sugar with 1 tablespoon of soft butter, a dash of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons of milk. Add more milk, as needed, for a drizzling consistency.
14. Put the glaze in a small plastic sandwich bag and cut a very small piece of a corner off.
15. Squeeze the glaze over the cooled turnovers.