Date Oat Bars Recipe – The Best Old Fashioned Date Squares

This date oat bars recipe is rich and hearty with a deliciously sweet taste. These date squares are adapted from one of my mother’s recipes, and baking them always makes me feel nostalgic.

The oatmeal bars are sweetened with pure maple sugar and brown sugar. The buttery oat crust is topped with the rich date filling and finished off with a sweet and crisp oatmeal crumble.

If you have never cooked with medjool dates, you are in for a treat. Keep reading to get the old-fashioned date squares recipe. They are sure to become a family favorite at your house, too.

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Ingredients for the date oat bars

To make this old-fashioned date squares recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• 1 ¾ cups of medjool dates, finely chopped and pitted
• ¾ cup of water
• ⅓ cup of pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon of lemon zest
• 1 cup of all-purpose whole wheat flour
• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• ¼ teaspoon of baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon of salt
• ⅔ cup of brown sugar
• ½ cup of salted butter
• Cooking spray

You’ll also need a 9 x 11-inch baking pan and a mixer.

Making the healthy date bars with oatmeal

Start by preheating your oven to 400°F (200°C). Spray a 9 x 11-inch pan with cooking spray.

Place the medjool dates, water, and maple syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat.

Bring the mixture to a boil. Cook, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid is absorbed – about 12 minutes. The date mixture will look like jam at this stage.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lemon zest. Cool completely.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Set the bowl aside.

Place the brown sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer, and beat at medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Add the flour mixture to the brown sugar and butter. It will be thick and will crumble easily.

Press 2 cups of the flour/oatmeal mixture into the bottom of the pan. Spread the date mixture over the base.

Sprinkle the remaining crumble mixture over the date filling.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the crumble is golden brown.

Remove the pan and let the bars cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 1 hour. Cut into 20 bars.

Tasting the oatmeal maple syrup squares

These hearty oatmeal bars feature a nice crunch from the oat mixture and a decadent, rich date filling.

They are my idea of comfort food!

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Admin note: This recipe for old-fashioned date squares first appeared on the blog in March 2013. This post has been updated with new photos, a printable recipe card with nutritional information,  and a slideshow video.

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Yield: 20 healthy date bars with oatmeal

Maple Syrup Oat Bars Recipe

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These oat bars are made with old-fashioned oats, whole wheat flour, and sweetened with medjool dates, maple syrup, and brown sugar.

They are crisp and chewy with a delightfully sweet taste.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 ¾ cups of medjool dates, finely chopped and pitted
• ¾ cup of water
• ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon of lemon zest
• 1 cup of all-purpose whole wheat flour
• 1 cup of old-fashioned rolled oats
• ¼ teaspoon of baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon of salt
• ⅔ cup of brown sugar
• ½ cup of salted butter (1 stick)
• Cooking spray

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Coat a 9 x 11-inch pan with cooking spray.
2. Combine the dates, water, and maple syrup in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat.
3. Bring to a boil, then cook, stirring frequently, until most liquid is absorbed, about 12 minutes. The mixture should look like jam.
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest. Cool completely.
5. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, old-fashioned oats, baking soda, and salt.
6. Place the brown sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat at medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.
7. Stir in the flour mixture and beat until the ingredients are well combined. It will be crumbly.
8. Press 2 cups of the oat/flour mixture into the bottom of the pan. Spread the date filling over the oat base.
9. Sprinkle the rest of the flour mixture on top of the date filling.
10. Bake for 20 minutes, until the crumble is golden brown.
11. Remove the pan and cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
12. Cut into 20 bars.

Notes

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Old Fashion Rolled Oats, 32-ounce
• 
  NUTS U.S. - Natural Medjool Dates | Grown In California Desert |
• 
  Wanish Sugar Bush 100percent Pure Maple Syrup From the Northwoods of Wisconsin

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

20

Serving Size:

1 bar
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 169Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 82mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 2gSugar: 22gProtein: 2g

Nutritional information is approximate due to natural variation in ingredients and the cook-at-home nature of our meals.

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