Best Date Squares Ever Recipes

GRAMMA'S DATE SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a large bowl, combine oats, pastry flour, salt, 1 cup brown sugar, and baking soda. Mix in the butter until crumbly. Press half of the mixture into the bottom of a 9 inch square baking pan.
• In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the dates, water, and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Bring to a boil, and cook until thickened. Stir in lemon juice, and remove from heat. Spread the filling over the base, and pat the remaining crumb mixture on top.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in preheated oven, or until top is lightly toasted. Cool before cutting into squares.

BEST DATE SQUARES EVER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 9x11-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper.
• Heat dates, orange juice, and lemon juice in a large saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring often, until dates are soft, about 6 minutes.
• Stir whole wheat flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl; stir in melted butter. Press half of the oat mixture evenly into the prepared pan.
• Spread date mixture evenly over oat mixture; sprinkle remaining oat mixture evenly over date mixture and press down lightly.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate until chilled before cutting into squares, about 1 hour.

THE BEST DATE BARS EVER

Steps:

• Put the dates in a Food Processor, and chop too fine pieces.
• In a medium-sized saucepan add chopped dates, water, and sugar.
• Stir and cook over medium-high heat and then turn down and cook until the mixture is thickened.
• Add the vanilla extract, almond extract and finely ground almonds.
• See it's thickness in the photo below. It is very very moist.
• Spoon into a bowl and let cool down because you will be pressing this out, with your fingers, onto the bottom layer of the crust.
• Lightly grease a 9" x 13" baking pan - set aside.
• Cream the butter and brown sugar with a Hand Mixer, until light and fluffy. About 5 minutes.
• Add the flour, baking soda and salt. Mix.
• Add the oats and mix well.
• It will be a crumbly mixture but it will press together.
• Sprinkle half the dough into the prepared baking pan.
• Press down with your fingers to an even layer all across the pan bottom.
• Now take the date mixture and dab teaspoons full here and there across the bottom layer in the pan. It will be easier to spread this way.
• With your fingers - gently press out the filling for a solid layer across the complete bottom of the crust.
• Sprinkle the rest of the dough over the filling layer.
• Make sure it is even. Then press the top crust with your hand to make a solid layer. I use my fingers and the palm of my hand. It doesn't take much pressure.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.
• Cut into squares while it is still warm.
• Cut to make 4 squares across and 6 squares down and that will be 24 bars.

DATE SQUARES - CANADIAN RECIPE FOR DATE BARS

Steps:

• Chop the dates up a bit and add them to the pot with water or orange juice, butter, sugar, and spices, a pinch of salt, and bring everything to a boil on medium heat. Zest the lemon and juice it. Grate the lemon zest straight into the measured out sugar you are going to use for the crumble crust. Rub it in using your fingers so that the peel lets go of its oil and the sugar gets all aromatic and lemony.
• Add lemon juice to the date filling and continue to boil the date filling until nice and thick. Watch if well so that it doesn't burn or stick to the pan. Transfer to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Let cool.
• Preheat the oven to 356 F (180C). Line a (23 x 33 cm) baking tin with baking paper.
• Add all dry ingredients for the crust to a bowl. Grate the ice-cold butter right into the dry ingredients using a box grater. Rub everything together quickly to form streusel.
• Add half of the streusel dough to the pan and press down and into the edges to form a crust. Spread date filling on top. Sprinkle remaining streusel on top. Gently press down to compact the top crust a bit. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until the streusels are golden brown. Should the topping brown too quickly, cover with some aluminum foil.
• Let cool down completely before cutting into squares.

BEST DATE BARS

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine dates, sugar and water. Cook, stirring frequently, until very thick. Stir in walnuts, if desired; cool. , Sift the flour, salt and baking soda together in a large bowl; add oats and brown sugar. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle water over mixture; stir lightly. Pat half into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Spread with date mixture; cover with remaining oat mixture and pat lightly. , Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.