Instructions: Mix the flour and the sugar. Cut the butter into the butter/sugar mixture.

I use my fingers because you want it to be pretty fine. It should be like meal. Add the milk a little at a time, until you get a nice dough.

Meanwhile, put the dates, milk & butter into a pan over medium heat until the dates are nice and gooshy. If they get dry, add a bit more milk and a bit more butter and keep on cooking. They shouldnt take more than 15 or so minutes to be properly done.

When the dates are cool. Take some dough, roll it into a ball and then roll it into a snake. Flatten out the snake with the palm of your hand so that you have a ribbon about 2-1/2" wide. Squish a trail of dates down the middle of the dough ribbon. Tuck in the ends & fold up the sides, pinching the seam together gently. Cut the snake into 1 to 1-1/2" pieces and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Put the seam side down. Bake at 300 for 30 to 40 minutes. They should be just barely golden when done.

P.S.: This is the way to fix the cookies on non-holidays. If you want to fix the Easter cookies, purchase a mold at your local Middle Eastern grocer. Press the dough in the mold, fill with dates, tack on a bottom and hit the mold
*thwack* on the counter to knock out the cookie. Bake as above. You can also prepare a filling of ground pistachios, sugar & rosewater and these are very tasty, too.

/COOKIES

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