Old Fashioned Date Bars

Close up of a date bar with brown sugar oat crust and thick date filling.

This old fashioned date bars recipe features a buttery oat crust and deliciously sweet date filling. They are a nostalgic and delicious treat that you are sure to love.

Prep Time15

Cook Time35

Total Time50

Servings: servings

Author: Carlee

Ingredients

Crust

1½ cups old fashioned rolled oats
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup light brown sugar packed
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoons salt
¾ cup butter softened

Filling

10 ounces pitted dates diced
⅓ cup light brown sugar packed
1 cup water
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease an 8-inch square pan or line it with parchment paper.
In a medium saucepan, combine the 10 ounces pitted dates, 1 cup water and ⅓ cup light brown sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is thickened to a jam consistency.
Remove from the heat and stir in the 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Set aside to cool while you make the crust.
In a medium bowl, mix together the 1½ cups old fashioned rolled oats, 1½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup light brown sugar, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, and ¼ teaspoons salt.
Add the ¾ cup butter and mix until crumbly, feel free to use your hands for this process.
Press between ½-⅔ of the dough into the bottom of the pan.
Spread the date filling over the bottom crust.
Drop little pieces of the remaining dough over the top of the date filling to cover.
Bake 20-25 minutes or until the top is lightly toasted and golden.
Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Notes

You can use quick cooking oats if that is what you have. You can also use figs or prunes for the filling in place of the dates.

Nutrition

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