Sticky-Fingered Giving

Caramel-Covered Stuffed Date Rolls are the best gift cookie I know. They are easy to make but a little on the messy side. Just bear with the stickiness and you will be very happy with your effort.

Unlike most cookies, these keep their moistness and flavor and they have a special appeal. Be sure you buy moist, not dry dates. This recipe makes about 60 cookies. They freeze well, but I try to give them soon after I make them. Keep some on hand, too, to serve during the holidays.

Cunningham’s newest book is “Learning to Cook With Marion Cunningham (Alfred A. Knopf, 1999).

Caramel-Covered Stuffed Date Rolls

Active Work Time: 35 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 1 hour

COOKIES

60 pitted dates (use only moist dates)

60 walnut halves or about 1 1/4 cups large walnut pieces

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature, plus additional for dipping

3/4 cup light-brown sugar, packed

1 egg

1/2 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

* Cut a slit in top of each date, open sides and remove seed. Stuff each date with a walnut half or 2 or 3 walnut pieces and set aside on piece of wax paper.

* Put butter into large mixing bowl. Add sugar a little at a time and, using a large spoon, beat butter and sugar together until smooth. Add egg and beat until blended. Blend in sour cream.

* In a smaller bowl, stir together flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda using a fork. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture and briskly beat ingredients together until smooth and well mixed.

* Now comes the sticky part, but the results are worth it. Using your fingers, dip each stuffed date into batter and spread batter all over date. Place coated dates on 2 ungreased baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between each. Batter will look patchy, but this is fine.

* Bake at 375 degrees until cookies look lightly golden around edges, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to sheets of wax paper or racks. While first batch is baking (be sure to check on doneness often because oven temperatures vary) make glaze so you can spoon it over cookies while they are still warm.

CARAMEL BUTTER GLAZE

3 tablespoons butter

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

About 2 tablespoons cold water

* Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. As butter melts, tilt pan from side to side so butter moves around and melts completely. Remove from heat and stir in powdered sugar, vanilla and just enough water to make a runny glaze. Stir until smooth.

* Drizzle a little glaze over each cookie with a teaspoon or apply with a brush (I like the teaspoon better). Let the glaze set firmly; this takes about 10 or 15 minutes. Store cookies in airtight containers or resealable plastic bags.

About 60 cookies. Each cookie: 83 calories; 29 mg sodium; 8 mg cholesterol; 3 grams fat; 13 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.31 gram fiber.