How to Make The Best Date Squares Recipe

Three date squares stacked on top of each other.

4.50 from 38 votes

How to Make The Best Date Squares Recipe

Delicious layers of chewy sweet centers with a cinnamon crumble topping, these date squares are sweet and delicious to enjoy for a tasty treat or a quick snack.

Prep Time25

Cook Time45

Total Time1 10

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: date bars, date squares, healthy date bars

Servings:

Author: Lisa Bass

Equipment

1 8x8 inch square baking pan

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups pitted medjool dates 400 grams
1 cup unsweetened apple cider
Juice from one orange
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Zest from one orange or lemon
Pinch of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Crisp Base and Topping

1 3/4 cups rolled oats or large flake oats or otherwise called old fashioned oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup tightly packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup butter softened

Instructions

With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8 inch square baking dish with parchment paper or grease the baking dish with a bit of butter.
In a medium saucepan, bring the dates, apple cider, lemon juice, orange juice, orange zest or lemon zest, and salt to a boil.
Add the baking soda and simmer for five minutes, stirring constantly until the dates have fallen apart. When adding the baking soda, the mixture will bubble up for a minute. Let the mixture cool.
In a bowl, combine the oats, flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon.
Incorporate the butter into the dry ingredients to make a dough using a pastry cutter or your hands.
Spread half the crisp in the prepared pan and press firmly.
Spread the cooled date mixture evenly.
Crumble the remaining crisp over the top of the date layer and press lightly.
Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the crisp is golden brown.
Allow to cool completely before cutting into them.

Notes

If your dates are dry at all, soak them for a while before proceeding. Pour out any excess water.
It is important to remove the pit from the date before adding it into the recipe. Slice the date lengthwise and pull apart the date to remove the pit.
Be sure to let the date mixture cool thoroughly before adding it to the bottom layer.
If you don’t have apple cider, you can substitute it with orange juice.
You can use spelt flour instead of all purpose if you would like to go with a ancient grain that is easier to digest.
You can substitute coconut sugar for brown sugar if you want to cut out refined sugar completely.

Nutrition