These delicious Sultana Cookies are a satisfying sweet treat for any time of day. Why anytime? Because they’re sweetened naturally with dried fruit, and not refined sugars as most cookies are. This means they can be happily given to your little people, but big people are sure to love them too.
These cookies have more of a light cake-like texture, rather than chewy cookie texture. This is because dates are used as sweetener, instead of refined sugars, honey or maple syrup. I personally love the light texture of the cookie. It means I can eat more! 😬
Ingredients for Sultana Cookies
These simple ingredients are needed for these healthy cookies, most of which are pantry staples:
Pitted dates – These are soaked and then processed with water to make a paste.
Sultanas – Sultanas are a popular dried fruit in Australia. In the US, they’re called golden raisins or sultana raisins. Sultanas are typically sweeter and smaller than raisins [1], but you can substitute.
Butter – Unsalted, always. If you’ve read any of my other recipes you’ll see my preference is to avoid giving babies and toddlers extra sodium [2] whenever possible! 😀
Vanilla paste – Vanilla paste has a slightly stronger taste than vanilla extract, but you can substitute it in equal measure.
Wholemeal flour – I use wholemeal flour (white whole wheat flour), because I like to use the least processed ingredient where possible. You can substitute this with plain/all purpose flour.
Baking powder – The raising agent.
Egg – For binding.
Water – For soaking the dates.
How to make Sultana Cookies
Thermomixer? In your machine, make a date paste. Mix in the butter, vanilla paste and egg. Then mix in the flour, sultanas and baking powder. Using a tablespoon, scoop and shape the dough mixture into balls and place on a baking sheet. This is a really easy cookie recipe to make!
Conventional cook? For this recipe, you’ll need a high-powered food processor or blender to make a date paste. I’ve also successfully tested chopping the dates and water in a nutribullet. Once the dates are chopped to a paste, you can continue to use the food processor, blender or a stand mixer, but it’s also just as easy to mix the remaining ingredients together with a spoon in a large bowl. Simply mix the chopped dates together with the wet ingredients (butter, vanilla paste and egg). Then mix in the dry ingredients (flour, sultanas and baking powder). Using a tablespoon, scoop and shape the dough mixture into balls and place on a baking sheet. Still a simple cookie recipe!
Everyone! Once on a baking tray, you’ll need to flatten the dough balls. The cookies won’t spread much at all, because of the lack of white sugar or brown sugar in this recipe. I’ve forgotten to flatten them before, and ended up with delicious sultana balls rather than buttery sultana cookies 🤣. Then, just bake for 10 minutes until golden brown.
See the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and detailed steps for both thermo cooker and conventional methods.
How to serve and store these sultana biscuits
Serve them whenever you like! At morning or afternoon tea time with a hot cup of tea or cup of coffee works for me 😁. These refined sugar-free cookies are great for toddlers too – Baby LJ (although technically not a baby anymore 🥹) loves them. I do tend to break one into smaller chunks for him though, as he enjoys shoving whole food items in his mouth.
These Sultana Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Once cooled, I put them straight into a freezer bag, for my lunchbox stash. This is a great recipe for making ahead! The cookies only take about half an hour to defrost, so whether you pack a lunch in the morning or the night before, they will be ready to eat by morning tea.
If you enjoy these healthy Sultana Cookies, you’ll probably love Chocolate Cacao Nib Cookies too! They’re a similar texture, and are flavoured with cacao powder and nibs which are full of antioxidants, minus the sugar. And for more healthy freezer stash sweets, try my Cacao ‘Choccie’ Bliss Balls or Lemon and Coconut Bliss Balls.
If you try these Sultana Cookies, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝comments below. It’s always great to hear from you! Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest too for more healthier sweets recipes.
Happy baking,
Chloe x
Sultana Cookies (no added sugar)
Category: SweetsTap or hover to scale
Ingredients
- 120 g pitted dates
- 60 g / 1/4 cup boiling water
- 125 g unsalted butter (Thermomixers: softened and cut into 2 cm cubes)
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
- 1 egg
- 175 g wholemeal flour substitute plain/all purpose
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 40 g / 1/4 cup sultanas substitute sweet raisins
Thermo Cooker Instructions
- Put the pitted dates and boiling water into the mixing bowl, and let soak for 15 minutes.
- Pre-heat oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray or cookie sheet with baking/parchment paper or lightly grease.
- Chop dates for 15 seconds, speed 4, MC on. Scrape down the mixing bowl and repeat if necessary until dates are paste-like (Note 1).
- Add the butter, vanilla paste and egg. Chop for 30 seconds, speed 4, MC on. Scrape down the mixing bowl.
- Add the flour, baking powder and sultanas. Chop for 20 seconds, speed 2, MC on.
- Use a heaped tablespoon to measure out mixture and roll into balls. Arrange on a baking tray, approximately 3cm apart, and flatten balls to 1-2cm thickness (Note 2). Bake for 10 minutes until golden brown. Transfer toa wire rack to cool.
Conventional Instructions
- Add the pitted dates and boiling water into a bowl, and let soak for 15 minutes.
- Pre-heat oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray or cookie sheet with baking/parchment paper or lightly grease.
- Using a high-powered food processor or blender, blend the dates and water until paste-like.
- Add the butter, vanilla paste and egg, and blend until light and creamy.
- Add the flour, baking powder and sultanas, and mix until just combined.
- Use a heaped tablespoon to measure out mixture and roll into balls. Arrange on a baking tray, approximately 3cm apart, and flatten balls to 1-2cm thickness (Note 2). Bake for 10 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Information
[1] Raisins vs. Sultanas vs. Currants: What’s the Difference? 2024, Healthline Media LLC.
[2] Infant Feeding Guidelines: Summary, 2013, National Health and Medical Research Council.
