Ingredients
24 fresh dates
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 egg, slightly beaten
2-1/2 cups puffed rice

Directions
Cut each date in half. Cream shortening and sugar together. Add and mix in vanilla. Sift flour, salt and baking powder together, then mix into the creamed mixture. Chill dough. When chilled, take a piece of dough the size of a whole walnut and shape around a date half. Roll in egg, then in puffed rice.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.