Dates bring more than sweetness to a cookie
The idea
A date filling has its own texture, fruit character and density. It is different from adding loose sugar to a dough or finishing a pastry with syrup. In a filled cookie, the balance between the outer shell and the center is part of what makes the bite recognizable.
A practical next step
When choosing between filled cookies, compare the filling first. Date, walnut and pistachio versions should not be treated as the same flavor.