Ingredients (~36 cookies)

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 large egg, well beaten

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup chopped walnuts

3/4 cup chopped dates

2 cups raisins

Making Cookie Dough

Before you begin preparing the cookie dough, your oven will need to be heated to 375F and your cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Using the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the brown sugar, shortening, and butter together until the mixture is light.

When the sugar is fully incorporated, pour the whisked egg and vanilla into the bowl and mix thoroughly. Once mixed, use the mixer on low speed to add buttermilk to the mixture. The mixture may look curdled at this stage; that’s normal.

In a separate, much larger bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and optional ground ginger).

Using a low-speed setting on your mixer, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients incrementally in four or five parts, mixing until they are barely incorporated after each addition before adding more.

Be careful not to mix the dough too much.

With a spatula, fold in the chopped walnuts, dates, and raisins until well-distributed throughout the batter.

Baking the Cookies

Use a tablespoon or small cookie scoop to scoop cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet.

Bake your cookies for about 10-13 minutes or until the centres are firm and slightly spring back when touched.

Once baked, let cool on wire racks before enjoying!