Date Half Moons

Date Half Moons

1/2 cup butter, softened

3 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 cup flour

1 cup chopped dates

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 teaspoon grated orange rind

Powdered sugar for dusting

Beat butter and cream cheese until smooth and well combined. Add flour, beat until a nice dough forms.  Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap.  Chill for at least one hour.

In a medium sauce pan, over medium heat, cook dates, sugar and water.

Cook until dates are thickened and it all looks like mush. If you use whole dates you chop up yourself you need to add more water and give it more time.

It does taste good, despite the look!

Remove the dates from heat, add walnuts and orange rind. Let cool to room temperature.

Take the dough out of the refrigerator. Divide the dough in half, place one portion on a lightly floured surface, roll out very thin, about 1/8 of an inch. Cut dough with a 2 1/2 inch circle cutter.

Spoon about 1/2 a teaspoon of the date mixture into the center of each dough round.

Fold over the dough and press edges together with a fork. To ensure a tighter seal, you can take a bit of water on your finger and moisten half the edge of the dough before folding over and pressing with a fork.

Place half moons on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Bake cookies at 375 for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. When they are still warm from the oven dust with powdered sugar.

Makes 3 dozen, just.