• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly oil with cooking oil spray. Set aside.
• Place the pitted dates in a glass bowl, cover with boiled water. Set aside for 10 minutes to soften.
• Drain the dates. They will be super soft and easy to squeeze into a paste.

Food processor method

• Add all the ingredients to a food processor, process by 30-second bursts, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula if needed, and repeat until a sticky dough forms. If too dry or crumbly, blend in a teaspoon of warm water.

Fork method

• Place the drained dates in a bowl, and use a fork or potato masher to mash them into a paste. If too dry, and the paste doesn't form, add 1-2 teaspoons of warm water to help. It should be soft and smooth, with no big lumps of dates should be seen.
• Add cocoa powder and peanut butter and stir until it forms a sticky dough that comes together into a ball. If too dry, add a little lukewarm water 1 teaspoon at a time until it comes together. If too wet, add a little more cocoa powder. Oil your hands to squeeze the dough if you find it difficult to work with a fork.
• Form a dough ball, divide it into 6 balls of the same size, and place them 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.
• Press the top of each ball a little, and press a few chocolate chips on top.
• Bake the cookies for 12 minutes at 350°F (180°C).
• Let the cookies cool down at room temperature for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack.