Prep and Cook Time: about 1 3/4 hours, plus about 1 1/4 hours to chill. Notes: To toast the sesame seeds, shake often in an 8- to 10-inch frying pan over medium heat until golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Promptly remove from pan. You can store these date-filled cookies airtight for up to 3 days.
How to Make It
Step 1
In a 2- to 3-quart pan over medium heat, bring dates, granulated sugar, and 3/4 cup water to a boil. Adjust heat to maintain a simmer and stir often until mixture is as thick as jam, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in sesame seeds. Let cool completely.
Step 2
In a bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and brown sugar until smooth; beat in eggs, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. In another bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir or beat into butter mixture until well blended.
Step 3
Divide dough into four equal portions. Roll one portion at a time between sheets of waxed paper or cooking parchment into a neat 6- by 8-inch rectangle. Pull off top piece of paper and dot dough with a fourth of the date filling, then gently spread to cover dough evenly, leaving a 1/2-inch strip bare along an 8-inch side. From the opposite 8-inch side, roll dough into a cylinder, pulling paper from dough as you roll. Wrap each cylinder airtight in waxed paper. Freeze until firm enough to slice neatly, about 1 1/4 hours.
Step 4
Unwrap dough. Using a thin, sharp knife, cut cylinders crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices (if chilled dough crumbles, let stand a few minutes to soften, then cut). Lay slices 1 inch apart on buttered or cooking parchment-lined 12- by 15-inch baking sheets; if cookies flattened when cut, reshape with your fingers.
Step 5
Bake cookies in a 350° oven until slightly darker brown, 10 to 12 minutes; if baking more than one pan at a time, switch pan positions halfway through baking. With a wide spatula, transfer cookies to racks to cool completely.
Step 6
Note: Nutritional analysis is per cookie.
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