Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the dates in half (in thirds if they're large). To get the dates soft, place them in a bowl with warm water for about 30 minutes, draining in a colander to remove any excess water.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt.

In a separate bowl, add the butter and beat with an electric mixer until combined. Add white and brown sugars and beat until mixed. Then beat in one egg at a time. Lastly, add in the vanilla extract and beat until combined.

In a small bowl or cup, combine baking soda with warm water and add this into the batter. Add in dates on a low speed until they are just evenly distributed (do not overwork the batter).

Slowly combine dry ingredients into the batter, about one cup at a time. Using a wooden spoon, fold in the walnuts.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silpats. Form the cookies to be slightly larger than a golf ball and gently press them down, making sure the cookies are 2 inches apart.

Bake for about 18-20 minutes. If you are baking more than one tray at once, switch the baking sheets halfway through (top to bottom, bottom to top). After a few minutes out of the oven, transfer to cooling racks to cool completely.