Date Bar Recipes

OLD-FASHIONED DATE BARS

Steps:

• Grease 8-inch square baking pan; set aside.
• Combine water, 1/4 cup brown sugar and dates in 1-quart saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, 4-5 minutes or until mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Cool at least 30 minutes.
• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Combine all crust ingredients in bowl. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1 cup.
• Press remaining crumbs into prepared pan. Spoon filling over crust; sprinkle with reserved crumbs. Bake 30-35 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely. Cut into bars.

DATE BARS

Steps:

• Combine the flour, soda, salt, oats, oleo, and sugar into a crumb-like mixture; spread 1/2 of mixture in a greased 13x9 pan.
• Combine the filling ingredients together, except the vanilla.
• Cook this mixture until thick.
• Cool. Now add the vanilla.
• Spread on crumb crust, put the other 1/2 of the oat mixture on top of the date mixture.
• Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes.

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.

DATE BAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a nonreactive medium saucepan over low heat, combine dates, granulated sugar, and water. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 15 minutes. Cool completely. In a large bowl or bowl of an electric mixer, place brown sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, and oats. Mix on low speed until combined. While mixer is running, add butter, 1 piece or 2 at a time. Mix until crumb like, with some lumps of butter no larger than pea size.
• Using your hands, press and flatten half of crumb mixture into a greased 9 by 13-inch pan. Spread cooled filling over crust. Cover with remaining crumb mixture, patting lightly. Bake until lightly browned, 25 to 35 minutes. Cool slightly and cut into bars while still in the pan. Gently remove cut bars from pan. Serve warm or at room temperature. Date bars, stored in an airtight container, refrigerate and freeze well.

DATE BARS

Steps:

• Make the crust: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9-by-9-inch baking pan. Line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang. Butter parchment; set aside.
• In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, sugar, salt, and butter. Pulse to combine. Add egg and pulse until evenly moistened. Transfer mixture to prepared pan; press into bottom (use the base of a dry measuring cup or a small offset spatula to help). Freeze for 10 minutes. Bake until lightly golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Make the filling: In a saucepan, combine dates, sugar, and cider. Cook over medium heat until soft and the consistency of jam. Using a hand blender, puree mixture until smooth. Stir in lemon zest. Spread mixture evenly over baked crust.
• Make the topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together oats, flour, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Using your hands, work in butter to form crumbs. Evenly distribute crumbs over filling to cover. Bake until topping is golden brown and filling is set, 20 to 25 minutes. Run a paring knife around edges of pan to loosen; let cool completely in pan on wire rack. Using parchment overhang, remove from pan; cut into squares using a serrated knife.

DATE NUT BARS

Steps:

• To Make the Filling
• Boil dates, sugar, and water until thick, about 5-10 minutes. Add the butter, vanilla, walnuts and coconut and mix thoroughly.
• Set aside to cool a bit.
• Prepare the crust
• Combine the dry ingredients and mix well. Add the melted butter and mix until thoroughly combined.
• Firmly press half of the mixture into a lightly greased 13 x 9 pan.
• Cover with filling mixture.
• Top with remaining half of crust mixture. Press lightly.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes; watch carefully and do not overbake.
• Cut into squares when cool and store in an airtight container.

CLASSIC DATE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 8x8-inch metal baking pan. Bring 1 1/2 cups water to simmer in medium saucepan. Add dates; simmer until very soft and thick, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Stir in vanilla.
• Combine flour, sugar, oats, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in large bowl; stir to blend. Add butter. Using fingertips, rub in until moist clumps form. Press half of oat mixture evenly over bottom of prepared pan. Spread date mixture over. Sprinkle with remaining oat mixture; press gently to adhere. Bake until brown at edges and golden brown and set in center, about 40 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack. Cut into bars and serve.

EASY DATE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a 9-inch square baking pan with baking spray and set aside.
• In a sauce pan, add dates, water and sugar. Bring to a boil and cook until mixture thickens (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, brown sugar, and baking soda. Add melted butter, and stir until combined. (Note: The mixture will be dry).
• Press half of the flour mixture into the prepared baking pan. Pour filling over the top. Then press the remaining flour mixture over the top of the filling
• Bake for 20 minutes, or bars start to turn golden. Let cool completely.

HEALTHY NO BAKE SNACK BARS

Steps:

• Toss everything into a food processor and process until the mixture starts to go smooth and clump into a ball. The dates will be all chopped up but you'll still have bits of nut.
• Turn the mixture out into an 8 or 9 inch square dish lined with parchment paper. Use your hands to firmly press the mixture into the bottom of the dish. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Remove the bars from the pan and cut into pieces using a sharp knife. Enjoy these bars cold or frozen. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge or freezer.

DATE OATMEAL BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Place dates, water and sugar in a small saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until thickened, about 5 minutes, stirring constantly., In a large bowl, mix oats, flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt; stir in melted butter and egg white. Press half of the mixture into an 8-in. square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Spread carefully with date mixture; top with remaining oat mixture. , Bake until lightly browned, 20-25 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

DATE BAR RECIPE

Steps:

• Place the dates and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Once the water starts to boil, reduce the heat and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally until the water has thickened and the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with parchment paper and lightly grease. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and baking soda until combined. Add the butter and continue to process until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Add in the oats and water and pulse until combined.
• Press half of the oat mixture onto the bottom of the prepared baking dish with a spatula or your hands. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Spread the date mixture over the partially baked crust and then sprinkle the remainder oat mixture over the dates. Lightly press down. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the tops of the crust is a light golden brown. Let cool completely and then slice into bars or squares. Enjoy!

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.

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 ENERGY BALLS

Steps:

• Process: Add dates, nuts and salt in a food processor fitted with the S-shaped blade. Process until mixture is well combined and sticking together.
• Form balls: Scoop dough from food processor with your hands (or a cookie scoop) and form into small balls using your hands. Enjoy right away or store for later.
• To store: Place balls into a sealed storage container and store in the fridge for 1-2 weeks or the freezer for up to 3 months.

DATE BARS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine the chopped dates and water. Over medium low heat, bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add the sugar and lemon juice and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Bring back up to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Thoroughly butter a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with 2 inch sides and line the base of it with parchment paper.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Mix together well with a wooden spoon, then drizzle in the melted butter and stir to moisten evenly. Spread 1/2 of this crumb mixture in the base of the pan, then cover with an even layer of the cooled date mixture. Top the date layer with another layer of the crumb mixture and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbly, and the edges have begun to caramelize. Cool on a rack, to room temperature. Run a knife around the inside edge of the pan to release, and cut into 12 squares.

DATE BARS

Steps:

• In 2-quart saucepan, cook filling ingredients over low heat about 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened. Cool 5 minutes.
• Heat oven to 400°F. Grease bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with shortening.
• In large bowl, stir brown sugar and butter until well mixed. Stir in flour, oats, baking soda and salt until crumbly. Press half of the crumb mixture evenly in bottom of pan. Spread with filling. Top with remaining crumb mixture; press lightly.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until light brown. Cool 5 minutes in pan on cooling rack. Cut into 6 rows by 6 rows while warm.