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1
Preheat oven to 300u00b0F, place rack in center of oven.
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2
Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
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3
Combine and sift together powdered sugar and flour into a small bowl; set aside.
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4
Add one tablespoon of sugar flour mixture to chopped dates and toss to coat. Use a little more (only if needed) to keep them from being too sticky.
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5
*Note: Do NOT use pre chopped packaged dates unless the pkg states that they are NOT coated with anything.
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6
Add salt to egg whites in a mixing bowl; beat to a stiff foam (almost to the soft peaks stage).
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7
Add the sugar-flour mixture to the egg whites, one tablespoon at a time, beating constantly, until stiff, glossy peaks form.
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8
Gently fold in nuts, dates and vanilla extract.
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9
Drop from tablespoon onto the parchment paper lined cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart.
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10
Shape into fingers, if desired, or leave in mounds.
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11
Bake for about 30 minutes. Cookies should be a very pale beige at most, not brown.
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12
Remove the cookies, ON the parchment paper, to cooling racks and cool completely.
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13
When cool, carefully peel the cookies from the parchment paper (a thin bladed knife or spatula helps)
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14
Store in an airtight container; use waxed paper between layers.
