Chinese Chews
Dating from 1917, Chinese Chews, with their crispy tops and chewy centers, are a very old traditional bar cookie featuring nuts and dates. Bake a batch and enjoy the same treat your grandmothers probably had for the holidays.
We’re having a vintage-y kind of Christmas around here! First, I made some Graham Cookie Bars, then Haystacks, and now this very old recipe for Chinese Chews.
I remember my mother and grandmother making Chinese Chews every Christmas when I was a girl. They were and still are a tradition. They bake up with a beautifully crispy top and a chewy center. Perfect with your afternoon tea or coffee.
Knowing that this is a very old southern recipe, I did some internet research on its origin and read in several sources that it first appeared in the June 1917 issue of Good Housekeeping magazine. And that was all I could find.
The historian in me just couldn’t let that go without looking further. So I kept searching until I found a digitized copy of that issue. And guess what! The recipe is right there on page 78 of Good Housekeeping. Published in June 1917. Submitted by Mrs. L. G. Platt of North Bend, Oregon. (And I’m getting right on those Lemon Dumplings on the same page, too!)
Still, no one really knows why they’re called Chinese Chews. There’s nothing particularly Chinese about them. My guess is that in those times, the dates seemed exotic, and anything exotic was perhaps associated with the Far East? I can’t say for sure.
What I do know is that these little bar cookies are very delicious. And they’re another recipe that has firmly withstood the test of time.
Some recipes for Chinese Chews call for vanilla, some use brown sugar, and some even add coconut. As far as I can determine, those are later additions. The version passed down from my grandmother is the same as Mrs. Platt’s and uses only dates and nuts. And the only fat comes from the eggs!
Recipe Snapshot
Cuisine: Vintage Southern
Cooking Method: Oven
Total Time: 35 Minutes
Servings: about 20 pieces
Primary Ingredient(s): Flour, sugar, dates, pecans or walnuts, eggs
Skill Level: Easy
What You’ll Like About This Recipe
- It’s truly a heritage recipe.
- Very easy to make – one bowl, one spoon, one pan, that’s it!
- Uses common ingredients.
- Perfect for holiday gifting.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING …
“Just like I remember at my Grandma’s when I was a kid. I even used pecans from her yard that she shelled and froze herself 24 years ago. They keep for ages. I miss her.”
— Sarah Swain
You’ll also find this recipe in my cookbook!
You can see this recipe on page 286 of my cookbook, My Southern Table! Get your signed copy today.
Ingredient Notes
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- Chopped Dates — If you can’t locate chopped dates, buy whole dates and chop them into small pieces.
- All-Purpose Flour — To use self-rising flour, simply measure the same amount of flour and omit the baking powder and salt.
The complete ingredient list with detailed measurements is included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Chinese Chews
- Start by preheating the oven to 325 degrees. Generously butter an 8×8 pan and set it aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, granulated white sugar, baking powder, dates, salt, and nuts.
👉 PRO TIP: In this batch, I used walnuts, but I do prefer pecans. They just have a richer taste, in my opinion.
- Add the eggs and, using a sturdy wooden spoon, stir until the eggs are incorporated.
👉 PRO TIP: This step requires a bit of effort :-) Since there’s no other liquid or fat in the recipe, the dough is fairly stiff. You can mix this in a stand mixer or a food processor if you like. I do it by hand because I’m lazy and don’t want to clean up those appliances.
- Spread the mixture into the pan you prepared at the beginning. Again, it’s a stiff dough, so you’ll need to gently persuade it to go into the corners.
- Bake for about 30 minutes and check for doneness. A knife inserted in the middle should come out clean.
- Let the pan cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Then turn the whole thing out and cut it into small pieces about 1 to 1 1/2 inches square.
- Dust the tops of the bars with powdered sugar.
Storage
- Store: Store in an airtight container (a plastic container with a tight fitting lid works best) at room temperature for about a week.
- Freeze: Chinese Chews may be frozen in a freezer-safe plastic container for up to two months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before adding confectioner’s sugar and serving.
Have a question or thought to share?
If you have a question about the recipe or if you’ve made it and want to share how it turned out, I would truly enjoy hearing from you. Just scroll down to leave a comment or add your star rating.
Thank you for stopping by. It means a lot to have you here.
Recipe
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Chinese Chews
Ingredients
- ¾ cup flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup chopped dates
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- 2 eggs
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8×8 pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking, powder, dates, salt, and nuts.
- Add eggs. Stir until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Spread into prepared pan.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan, cut into small squares.
- Dust with powdered sugar.
Notes
- Mixing the batter does require a bit of effort. Because there’s very little liquid or fat in the recipe, the dough is fairly stiff. You can mix this in a stand mixer or a food processor if you like.
- Store in an airtight container (a plastic container with a tight fitting lid works best) at room temperature for about a week.
- May be frozen in a freezer-safe plastic container for up to two months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before adding confectioner’s sugar and serving.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
— This post was originally published on December 14, 2012. It has been revised with additional information and new photos.
I’m Lana Stuart, an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, and lifelong cook raised deep in Southwest Georgia. I started Lana’s Cooking in 2009 to share the tried-and-true recipes I grew up with. Around here, the food is full of flavor, the traditions run deep, and there’s always room at the table.
Delicious and easy.
This is the same recipe my mother always used for Chinese Chews at Christmas in the 60’s. The only difference is that she made it with cake flour. I’m making a batch right now. I still have her recipe in her handwriting…so precious. She also made another Christmas cookie called Cherry Winks. It was a winner in one of the Pillsbury Cook-off cookbooks. It wasn’t her recipe; she saw it in the cookbook. I found your site by looking up Chinese Chews to see if it was the same as the one I have, and I was so delighted to find it! Thank you for sharing with so many prople!
Hi Pam. I’m so glad you found the recipe and hope yours turn out great!
Has anyone made these using gluten free flour(s)?
I have not tested these with gluten free flour.
I have loved these chews since I was a kid. Great memories at the holidays and now I dont have too wait for my sister to make them!! Only on holidays!! lol Funny thing all these years my family has been calling them Irish Chews?? Not sure why.Anyway thanks for reciepe going to get on it
I’ve never heard them called Irish Chews, very interesting! I hope you enjoy the recipe.
This is the same recipe I have from a bakery long closed down. I grew up in a very small town in Florida and the entire population loved Chinese chews. The only difference is to bake at 350° for 15 minutes. then roll into balls and coat with powdered sugar. I love to make these every Christmas. Thanks for sharing!
I’ve heard from a few other people over the years that roll them into balls coated with sugar as well. They’re great either way.
My Mom used to make these but after she cut them into squares, she rolled them into balls and rolled them in sugar.
I’m sure you mom’s chews were delicious!
These are the best cookies ever. Not too sweet and nice and soft
My family loves these. I freeze them and then when ready to serve dip them in icing sugar.
They really are so good, aren’t they?! Just perfect and old-fashioned.
Lana as you researched the history of Your recipe did you ever see instructions to roll the bars into a log shape and toss in a small bowl of granulated sugar? These remain uniformly moist and are favourites of our family and friends.
Hi Darla – No, I haven’t seen instructions for Chinese Chews made in that way. Lots of other candies and cookies are rolled and coated with powdered sugar, though.
My grandmother made them every Christmas. I still make them every year. However I make one traditional and one with dried cranberries. Marvelous. Have also made them gluten free for my sister and she loved them.
I realized after the reason mine took longer to cook was because I used a smaller pan.
Was interested in making such an old fashioned recipe so made tonight. They came out really good. I did have to cook longer but maybe because I used glass pan. I love them ❤️ Thank you Lana
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
loved them 5 stars.
I had forgotten all about these! Mom used to make them every Christmas and the name was the coolest thing to us as children.
What could you suggest in place of the nuts that would be appropriate? I am not allergic, but cannot have nuts or seeds, etc. as part of my diet.
Thanks, Anne
Hi Anne. I have never tested this recipe with a substitute for the nuts, so I’m sorry that I can’t help with that.
I am so glad you have posted this recipe. We made them with gluten free flour and they are perfect. Thank you.
I’m glad you enjoyed them!
Just like I remember at my Grandma’s when I was a kid. I even used pecans from her yard that she shelled and froze herself 24 years ago. They keep for ages. I miss her.
I’m glad you enjoyed them, Sarah. 24 year old pecans?! Wow.
I have been making these since my grandmother passed and I finally got the recipe. And love it.
Butter?
I can only assume that you are questioning whether there should be butter in the recipe. There is no butter in this recipe. As I said in the post, the only fat comes from the eggs.
My mom made these growing up (we are from New Jersey living in the South). No one here in Mississippi knew what they were but liked them. She added green and red candied cherries cut in halves and also coconut. I may try to make these this year since it has been so long since I’ve had one!
Hi Lisa – I hope the Chinese Chews turn out great for you. They’ve been around for a very long time and we always make them at Christmas.
So easy. So tasty. A quick, delicious dessert! Thx.
Happy to know you enjoyed it!
I’ve made these twice, they’re great! Quick and easy!
Hi Lana – I made these yesterday and had to hide them from hubby today so there will be some left for C’mas.
We only had whole dates so I cut them in half and chopped them in the food processor. Since hand mixing has gotten hard for me I went ahead and put the remaining ingredients in there too and it mixed up fine. Made an easy recipe even easier.
Thanks,
Sheila
I have a special hiding place for Christmas treats :-)
Easy to make and tastes great, not overly sweet.
Interestingly Lana, your recipe is identical to the one I’ve been following for over 50 years. It’s from the historic Culinary Institute of America. I inherited my mother’s cookbook, and when it began to fall apart, I bought my own. Imagine my surprise to see Chinese Chews on the Internet! (Actually, I was looking for nutritional info.)
Thanks for sharing!
Yes, this is a very old recipe, Gwenn. I remember my grandmother making it every Christmas.
I have an old family recipe for Chinese Chews and make these bar cookies every year. But the recipe I have is much richer so I will try your lighter version the next time. My recipe: 1c butter, 1 egg, 1c flour, 1c sugar, 1c chopped dates, 1 c chopped nuts( I use walnuts) 1T vanilla, 1tsp salt. Spread in greased 9×9 pan, bake 325 oven , top rack, for 45-50 minutes, cut while hot, when cool roll in powdered sugar. I bet some people had this recipe from family as its been in our family since early 1900’s.
The recipe looks delicious and would like to try it. I didn’t see any mention of butter.
That’s correct. Just a little butter for prepping the pan.
I’ve never heard of Chinese Chews before, but they both look and sound delicious!!
They really are great, Sues. It’s an old, old recipe – one that my grandmother always made and she just passed away in September at 101 years old.
I have been trying to get this recipe from grandmother for along time ago and she would not give in on it but now I got it
We have an old family recipe for Chinese Chews. It probably originated in England about the time of yours. BUT- this one has chopped ginger, which is fairly noticeable in the eating, and I have always assumed that is why they are “Chinese”. I am guessing that at some point an American thought the ginger was too spicy and modified the recipe away from the original English one (English had lots of spices from the Empire!) and maybe it has stuck in its modified form.
I’ll bet you’re right, Steve. Very interesting!
Hello Lana,
This recipe looks wonderful but I do no care for dates. Do you think dried apricots or dried cranberries might work?
When sending you an original recipe, how should I get it to you? I really like your web site. The red and white background just makes me grin in its familiarity. Becky
I haven’t had these for forty years. I was so happy to see your recipe. Excellent results, exactly the same cookie thank you so much.
my grandmother used to make these. i had a craving and decided to look at her recipe, and because her hand written recipes were, let’s say, sketchy, i decided to look it up online, and this is exactly it! Yum. Do you remember congo bars and blondies? :)
I do remember congo bars now that you mention them! I’m going to have to look up a recipe and make some soon. Also, there’s a blondie recipe here on the blog. Just do a search and you’ll find it :-)
Wow, I haven’t thought of these (or had them for that matter) in ages!! So glad you posted these – with all the new cookie creations on the web, its refreshing to see the old tried and true recipes !!!
Thanks, Nancy. I truly enjoy keeping the old recipes alive.
These look really yummy, Lana! Love the addition of chopped dates… great holiday sweet!
My mother used to make this recipe all the time!!!! She passed away in 1997, and being the dolt that I can be at time, I never asked Mum for the recipe!!! Thank you so much for taking a culinary trip down memory lane!!!!
Make some for Polly. She loves them.
Miss P
I know! I thought about that the whole time I was making them.
Pardon the typo . . . dimension!!! lol
Thanks soo much, Lana! Have searched my beloved Mother’s recipe box repeatedly for this very recipe. Reminds me so very much of Christmas and her! You have definitely brought another demension to my world.
I hope you’ll make them and enjoy them, Rosie!
One of my very favorite bars, Lana! Love these!!!
Thanks, Robyn. I really enjoy keeping these old, traditional recipes alive. I saw your post for Chinese Chews so I know you must feel the same :-)
I don’t think I’ve ever tried Chinese chews, but I must say they look really, really good. And I love the simplicity of the recipe!
I think you’d enjoy these, Dara. It’s one of those really quick and easy recipes which is so great for this busy time of year.
Might just find the courage to make them with J-man. You know how I am about baking :)
They look great! And I don’t even like sweet stuff.
Thanks, Kay! They’re a really old-fashioned bar cookie that I remember having every Christmas when growing up. I hadn’t thought about them in a long time but I’m glad I did!