When my mother used to bring up this date bar recipe, my friends would all be confused until they tried them and fell in love with them. Now, my kid is the biggest fan of these classic date bars, and so are my friends and family.
The date filling of this recipe is sweet and chewy, while the oatmeal crust is buttery and crispy, which is what makes these date bars so unique.
As dates are very sweet, you don’t have to fill up the recipe with sugar. The sweetness of the dates is comforting and natural.
Even if someone hadn’t tried many dates before, they always end up falling in love with these baked dessert bars. So, let me tell you exactly how you can get the same effect from your friends and family!
Why You’ll Love This Date Bar Recipe
- The filling of these bars is made out of sweet Medjool dates, and it’s very soft and chewy.
- This naturally sweet dessert is filled with dates, which create a rich flavor.
- The ingredients for this recipe are very simple, as you can easily find them all in your pantry.
- These snack bars are great for simple snacks, as desserts, or even for unchboxes.
What Are Date Bars?
Old-fashioned date bars are known as a matrimonial cake. They are snack bars that are filled with Middle Eastern dates and have a two-layer buttery crust on both sides. These are naturally flavorful and sweet.
Traditionally, the oat crusts used to be rich in butter. But now, people tend to go for a healthier version because dates are already so beneficial to health.
But honestly, dates work great as a filling because of how naturally sweet they are and their unique flavor. You can add any type of toppings over the crumb topping, like cream, ice cream, butter, etc.
Ingredients for Date Bar Recipe
- Dates: Medjool dates are the best kind of dates to use for this date bar recipe. Make sure you take the pits out.
- Oats: If you use oats to make the crust of these homemade date bars, these protein-packed ingredients will make for a crispy and crunchy crumb. It’s also great for the structure.
- Butter: This is the one ingredient that will give your coffee break dessert the rich buttery flavor it’s known for. It will also help the crumb taste better and have a better texture.
- Brown Sugar: You won’t need much sugar because the dates are naturally sweet.
- Vanilla Extract: This will enhance the richness of the date flavor.
- Salt: To balance the sweetness.
- Lemon Juice: This will give the dates an extra kick.
- Cinnamon Powder: Adding cinnamon powder to the crust will give it an extra spicy flavor.
- Baking Soda: This will help the crust with its texture.
- All-Purpose Flour: You need to measure the right amount of flour to hold the shape of your crust.
How To Make Old-fashioned Date Bars
- Take a saucepan, add the pitted and chopped dates, water, and lemon juice. You can also add sugar, if you like, then bring it to a boil.
- Then, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens to a jam-like consistency.
- Add vanilla essence, stir, and remove the pot from the heat. Let the dates cool down to room temperature.
- In a large mixing bowl, add rolled oats or quick-cooking oats, all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, brown sugar, and softened unsalted butter.
- Then use a fork or rub the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it is crumbly.
- Take an 8×8-inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper.
- Press half of the crumb mixture into the bottom of the baking pan, spread evenly, and press lightly to create a base. Then, add the date filling.
- Sprinkle the other half of the oatmeal mixture over the filling, then lightly spread it with a spatula or your hand.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, until the bar turns golden brown.
- Let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate it for at least an hour. Cut them into small pieces and serve.
Tips for Perfect Date Bars
- To soften the dates properly, make sure you use the right amount of water and keep stirring until they thicken to a jam-like consistency.
- If you want to make sure the crust doesn’t come out dry, make sure you use enough butter and don’t add too much flour. Use a scale to measure the ingredients.
- To get clean slices, refrigerate the date bar, then cut it with a sharp knife. Start slowly and cut all the way through.
- There is no best pan size here. You can use any size pan you prefer, depending on how thick or thin you want it.
- Keep a close eye. Don’t overbake the bars if you don’t want them to turn dry. And underbaking it will make it too gooey, so bake it until golden brown.
How To Serve
- Depending on what you like, you can either let the bar cool down at room temperature and refrigerate it or serve it warm.
- These chewy date bars pair perfectly well with tea, coffee, and even milk.
- You should cut the bars into small pieces so that you, your friends, and family can enjoy them for a while.
Storage, Reheating & Make-Ahead Tips
- You can put the date bars in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature.
- These snack bars can stay good at room temperature up to 2-3 days.
- If you want to freeze this snack, you can put it in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 3 months.
- You can thaw these snacks in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature.
Variations to Try
- Nutty Date Bars: You can make a nutty version of these date bars by adding nuts like roasted walnuts or pecans in the filling or even on the crust.
- Lemon Date Bar: Another great alternative is making a lemon date bar by adding lemon juice or lemon zest into the filling or the crust.
- Coconut Date Bars: You can add coconut shavings or slices into the filling for a new alternative.
- Whole-Wheat or Gluten-Free Version: Exchange the all-purpose flour with a vegan alternative and the butter with olive oil or vegetable oil.
- Extra-Thick Date Filling Version: You can make the date filling extra thick for that extra flavor impact.
Old-fashioned Date Bar Recipe
This date bar recipe is a unique way to incorporate dates in your diet, and they are an old-fashioned favorite for a very good reason.
Servings16 Bars
Ingredients
Date Filling
- 2 & ½ cup / 400 g Medjool dates (pitted and finely diced)
- 1 cup / 237 ml Water
- 1 tbsp / 15 ml Lemon Juice
- 1 tsp / 5 ml Vanilla Essence
Base
- 1 & ½ cup / 125 g Quick-cooking Oats
- 1 & ½ cup / 190 g All Purpose Flour
- ¾ cup / 165 g Brown Sugar
- ½ tsp / 2 g Baking Soda
- ¼ tsp / 0.5 g Cinnamon
- ¾ cup / 170 g butter (softened)
Instructions
Prepare the Date Filling
- Add pitted Medjool dates, a cup of water, and lemon juice to a pot on top of the stovetop and bring it to a boil.
- Then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens to a jam-like consistency.
- Add vanilla essence, stir, and remove the pot from the heat.
- Let the dates cool down to room temperature.
Make the Crust and Topping
- Take oats, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon powder into a bowl and mix well.
- Add softened butter that has been cut into cubes.
- Mix the mixture by using a fork or your hand until it turns crumbly.
Assemble the Layers
- Take an 8×8-inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper.
- Press half of the crumb mixture into the bottom of the baking pan, spread evenly, and press lightly to create a base.
- Now, spread the date filling over the base.
- Sprinkle the other half of the oatmeal mixture over the filling, then lightly spread it with a spatula or your hand.
Bake, Cool, and Serve!
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 175 degrees Celsius.
- Put the pan in the oven and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes until the bar turns golden brown.
- Take it out of the pan and let it cool down to room temperature.
- Refrigerate for at least an hour.
- Cut them into small pieces and serve.
Tried this recipe?Click Here to leave a comment
Recipe FAQs
What type of dates are best for date bars?
You should use the Medjool dates, as they are the best for making date bars.
Can I make date bars without oats?
Yes, you can make date bars without oats. Just use crushed-up seeds or nuts instead.
Are date bars healthy?
Yes, date bars are incredibly healthy snacks because of the dates and oats used to bake them.
Leave a Reply