Date Nut Drop Cookies

So.... these are a failed attempt at making a Granny recipe.  I meant to make Date Nut Pinwheels, but totally messed up by adding the filling to the batter.  Instead of tossing the whole batch, I thought I'd see if they could be saved.  They could!

You will need:

• 2 1/4 cup pitted dates, chopped up
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup chopped nuts
• 1 cup shortening
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 4 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Combine the dates, white sugar, and water in a pot.  Cook over low heat until it is thickened.  Add the nuts, remove from the heat, and allow to cool.

Using a stand mixer, cream the shortening and brown sugar.

Add the eggs and mix well again.

And here is where I messed up.  The directions say "add remaining ingredients" which meant to add the flour, salt, and baking soda.  And if you want to make pinwheels, that is what you should do.  However, I added EVERYTHING, including the cooled mixture of dates and nuts.

Whoops!  Well, it was late at night, and I didn't read ahead in the directions.  Once I did, I quickly realized I had made a mistake.  So, the plan changed and I was making date nut drop cookies instead!  

Refrigerate the dough overnight or at least a few hours to cool thoroughly.  Then, preheat your oven to 400.  Place tablespoon sized drops of the dough on a pan lightly sprayed with cooking spray.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Allow to cool for a couple minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

They actually turned out pretty well!  Not as pretty, but just as tasty :)

Now, a few tips to help save baking recipes you think you've botched:

1) Ask yourself if you can still go forward with the original plan.  If you can, great!  Give it a try.  For me, my batter was way too sticky to be able to roll out, so I knew it just wouldn't work.

2) If it can't be kept like the original, see if you can come up with a couple of variations.  Maybe it would make a good crumble topping, drop cookie, or pancake?  The internet is always an option for finding ideas!

3) When you move forward with your new idea, bake with the oven light on and stay close by.  This way, you can pull cookies out before they get too crisp.

4)  Experiment with baking times, too.  If your recipe is large enough, you can try two or three sheets at different baking lengths.

5)  Don't beat yourself up!  It's really not the end of the world if it doesn't work out.  Stop by a bakery for replacements and laugh about it :)