2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. sugar
2 1/2 tbsp. crystallized ginger, finely minced
1 tsp. baking soda, sifted
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. dates, pitted and chopped
3 oz. white chocolate, finely chopped
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 egg white
vegetable cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine first 7 ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Whisk together the vanilla, eggs and egg white. Add to the dry ingredients, cutting the ingredients in with a fork or pastry blender, as you would a pastry dough. Mixture will be crumbly. Turn mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently to blend the ingredients so that they hold together. Divide dough into 2 equal portions and roll into two 15-inch long cylinders. Place each cylinder several inches apart on a cookie sheet lightly coated with vegetable cooking spray. Gently flatten dough to a thickness of 1-inch and bake for 25 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove dough from the oven and allow to cool (on the cookie sheet) on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Slide each roll of dough off the cookie sheet onto a cutting board and cut each one into 12 diagonal slices. Return the slices to the cookie sheet about 1/2-inch apart (so that their cut sides can crisp up). Return to the oven to bake an additional 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the baking sheet and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Makes 2 dozen cookies.

Notes:

*If the egg whites are small, the mixture may be too crumbly to hold together. If this is the case, gradually add enough of an additional egg white to achieve a mixture that will hold together. The mixture should be somewhat dry, so do not add too much. *Will store several weeks in an airtight container at room temperature.