Best Date Bars Ever are two layers of a delectable oatmeal crust that are filled with a sweet date mixture then baked to a vanilla/almond scented treat.
Best Date Bars Ever came to me while I was wanting to create a type of Fig Newton cookie.
Since Ed and I are date crazy I decided to go with dates instead of figs and also because they have so much natural sweetness.
I knew they would be easy to work with - so the process began.
I keep tackling recipes that I would have thought impossible for me to make - just a few years ago.
Jump to:
🥘 Ingredients
- Dates - are a major part of these delicious layered bars.
- Coconut sugar - is the perfect foil for dates.
- Water - helps make the date layer spreadable.
- Almonds - adds a foil to the sweetness in the date layer.
- Vanilla extract and almond extract add flavor.
- Dairy-free butter - is the creamy buttery taste in the crust.
- Brown sugar - makes the top and bottom crust taste so good.
- Whole wheat flour - blends with crust ingredients for sturdiness.
- Quick-cooking oats - also adds sturdiness.
- Baking soda - helps the baking process.
- Salt - is a seasoning
🔪 Instructions
- 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.
Let me show you a before and after of the date filling mixture. The first is uncooked and the second is cooked.
I just want you to see how thick the spread is. Spreadable but it holds its shape too.
🔪 For the crust
- 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.
It is so exciting when I get all done and the recipe works. I want to tell everybody about it. Especially a pastry type baked recipe like oatmeal date bars.
They are also very pretty and inviting.
Anyway, I have to calm down and tell you all about the bars.
There are 2 layers of a delectable oatmeal crust that are filled with a sweet date mixture and baked to a vanilla/almond scented treat.
When you let them cool they will hold their shape perfectly.
💭 Pin for later
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💭 Can you freeze date bars
- A resounding, Yes!
- TO FREEZE:
- A freezer bag or rigid sided container would both work well.
- They defrost quickly so it really doesn't take any planning so just put them on a plate for an hour or two and enjoy.
They really are simple and you will feel accomplished when you are done because they are so pretty and taste so darn good.
Please make them. You will love them. I guarantee.
📖 Easy fruit desserts
- Pina Colada Bars are equally as popular as this date bar recipe but the flavors are completely unique to the famous pina coladas.
- The crock pot comes is very handy for this super simple and delicious Slow Cooker Strawberry Crisp.
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If you take a photo of your sweet and lovely oatmeal date bars I would love to see it. Follow me over on Instagram and tag me on your photo @vegan_in_the_freezer.
Your opinion means a lot to me and if you'd like to leave a comment and possibly a star rating I'd love to hear your thoughts.
📋 Recipe
The Best Date Bars Ever
Ingredients
- Make the date filling first because it needs to cool.
Date Filling
- 2 cups dates pitted and chopped
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- 1 ¼ cups water
- ½ cup almonds , finely ground - not to a meal but finely ground
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Oat Crust
- ¾ cup dairy-free butter , softened
- 1 cup brown sugar , packed
- 1 ½ cup whole wheat flour
- 1 ½ cup quick cooking oats
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Date Filling
- 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.
Oat Crust
- 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.
Video
Nutrition
Ginny McMeans
It would be adding a liquid instead of granules so it wouldn't work well Lisa. I would switch to organic granulated sugar if you need to switch out. You'd have to experiment with the honey but add less than the measurement in the recipe.
Dani S
I'm excited to try this recipe. Haven't had a date bar in years, but I remember loving them! Question - I don't have quick-cooking oatmeal, just old-fashioned oatmeal. Is it okay to use this? Will it change anything? I have the rest of the ingredients. Thank you!
Ginny McMeans
Thank you too Dani! It would change it a bit so I would process the oats until they are much finer (similar to instant oats) then use them that way.
Michael
I assume this'd work with real butter? It looks a great recipe but I'm not into that vegan stuff
Ginny McMeans
Yes, you can substitute dairy.
Melissa
Hello! I am planning on making these for my family but am not really into vegan butter. Would coconut oil work? And what would the conversion be?
Ginny McMeans
Hi Melissa, I don't think coconut oil would work but you can use any margarine or butter that you use. If you use margarine you may accidentally be using vegan butter.
Melissa
This recipe is amazing!! I didn’t have vegan butter so I replaced it with coconut oil and I cut the amount of sugar in the filling and crust in half and used maple syrup as the sweetener in the filling. I also added a bunch of cinnamon and vanilla/almond extract to the topping and it came out really great. I am going to play around with adding different flavors to this base recipe. Thanks!
Crissy
This was sooooo good!!
Olivia
Hi, i dont use vegan butter/spread, can i substitute vegetable oil instead? (If so, how much?) Also here in the UK, i am planning to use porridge oats - would they work the same? Many thanks
Ginny McMeans
Hi Olivia, it can't be an oil because it needs to harden up a bit as it cools in the bars. Oil won't do that. Just use the spread that you use at home. Yes, I think porridge oats will work fine as they are small and cook quickly.
LouAnn
I can’t have any oil or vegan butter.
Would almond butter work for the crust?
Ginny McMeans
If your almond butter gets a bit hard when cooled then it would work LouAnn.
Deb
Love these bars!!! My family went through the first batch and asked for more. This recipe is quick, easy and delicious. Highly recommend it. 5 stars from all of us!!!
Amanda
These sound delicious, but I’m allergic to almonds. Can you recommend a nut free substitute?
Ginny McMeans
I think hemp hearts would work great Amanda!
Camille
Very tasty date and nut bars. Love the hint of vanilla and almond in the filling. I used Earth Balance vegan butter. I'm vegan and these are wonderful!
Ginny McMeans
That's great Camille! Thank you for trying them 🙂
Saman Rahimullah
How can we make it gluten free? Can i use a gluten free flour the same measurement as the regular flour
Ginny McMeans
Only if it's one of those 1:1 gluten free mixes Saman. Bob's Red Mill has one and Arrowhead Mills to name a couple.