Date Bars
These Date Bars are a classic recipe made with a sweet Medjool date filling between two layers of oat crumble crust. Their texture is perfectly thick, chewy, and tender.
Servings: 16 (or 9 larger bars)
Ingredients
FOR THE FILLING
- 2 & 1/2 cups Medjool dates , pitted and finely diced
- 1 cup water (or brewed coffee)
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla (or rum)
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
FOR THE CRUMBLE
- 1 & 3/4 cups quick-cooking oats
- 1 cup all-purpose flour , spooned and leveled
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons butter , softened to room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F with the rack in the center. Line an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper, with a slight overhang on 2 sides.
- In a medium sized pot, add the dates, water, orange juice, butter, vanilla, and salt. Bring to a boil, then add in the baking soda. Reduce heat to a gentle bubble and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the dates have broken down, stirring constantly. Let cool.
- Make the crumble. In a bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon. Cut in the butter with a fork or pastry blender (or your hands) until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Press half the crumb mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Spread the date mixture on top in an even layer. Sprinkle with the remaining crumble and press lightly (allowing some of the date mixture to still show.)
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the crumble is golden brown. Let cool completely before slicing into bars.
Notes
Replace the water. Replace the water with coffee for a more complex layer of flavor.
Add in nuts. Pulse 1/3 cup toasted pecans in a food processor, then divide the crumble mixture in half and add the pecans to the top half.
Add spices to the crumble. In addition to the cinnamon, you can add in a pinch of nutmeg, cardamom, or ground ginger for added spicy warmth.
Include more orange flavor. A teaspoon or so of orange zest mixed into the crumble adds even more citrus flavor.
Nutrition
Calories: 240kcal · Carbohydrates: 37g · Protein: 2g · Fat: 11g · Saturated Fat: 6g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g · Monounsaturated Fat: 3g · Trans Fat: 0.4g · Cholesterol: 27mg · Sodium: 131mg · Potassium: 212mg · Fiber: 2g · Sugar: 26g · Vitamin A: 459IU · Vitamin C: 1mg · Calcium: 52mg · Iron: 2mg