Chinese New Year arrives on February 10, 2013, marking the start of the Year of the Snake and Lunar Year 4711.
Last Mother’s Day, Quill gave me several drawings she’d made for me and for my site, Guava Rose. Those handmade gifts mean the world to me—I’ve kept a special box filled with my children’s cards and drawings since they were very small.
I’ll be sharing some of Quill’s artwork in upcoming posts. One drawing felt especially fitting for the Year of the Snake—complete with a cookie that has a bite taken out of it.
Quill’s drawing inspired me to create a cookie that matched the spirit of her art—something sweet with a bit of chew and warming spice.
These cookies combine chocolate, walnuts, dates, oats, and Chinese five-spice powder.
They’re quick and easy to make—about ten minutes to mix and scoop onto the baking sheets.
Chinese 5-Spice Chocolate Chip Walnut Date Cookies made with quick oats
You can make them with quick oats or with oats ground into a finer texture. Using quick oats yields chewier cookies. Grinding rolled oats briefly produces cookies with slightly crunchier edges and a softer center, and lets the five-spice flavor shine more. Both versions taste great and disappear fast.
This year I’m keeping things simple and stacking the cookies in my Chinese candy box.
Chinese 5-Spice Chocolate Chip Walnut Date Cookies made with ground oats
Arrange the cookies on a gold doily for a festive presentation—red and gold are classic colors for good luck.
For a drink, try Tangerine Hibiscus Tea Juice served in small cups for a lucky-looking pairing. It’s bright, refreshing, and complements the spiced cookies well. If you prefer, you can pour a larger glass—it’s that good.
Quill’s drawing shows a snake and a sunning glass wearing sunglasses—fun inspiration. I like to imagine the bitten cookie was nibbled by that curious snake.
Chinese 5-Spice Chocolate Chip Walnut Date Cookies and Tangerine Hibiscus Tea Juice
Gung Hay Fat Choy!
- Wet ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup evaporated cane juice crystals or sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup diced dates
- Dry ingredients
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp whole wheat flour
- 1 cup quick oats or ground oats
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 3-4 tsp Chinese 5-spice powder
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Cream the butter and sugar together. Blend in the egg and vanilla, then mix in the diced dates.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flours, oats, baking soda, salt, and Chinese five-spice. Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in the chopped walnuts and chocolate chips.
- Use a 2-tablespoon scoop to portion dough onto baking sheets. Bake for about 12–14 minutes or until golden and set. Remove the cookies from the sheets and cool on wire racks.