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Old-Fashioned Date Bar Recipe

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3.8 from 23 reviews

  • Author: Amina
  • Total Time: 37 minutes
  • Yield: 39 bars
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

This Old-Fashioned Date Bar recipe features a tender, lightly sweetened bar packed with chopped dates and walnuts. Baked to a golden brown, these date bars are cut into small sticks and finished with a delicate dusting of powdered sugar, making them a perfect nostalgic treat for any occasion.

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (fine grain, not flaked kosher salt)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • about 1/4 cup powdered sugar (for finishing; about 1 tablespoon used)

Wet Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon butter, softened (but NOT melted)
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix-ins

  • 7 ounces whole, dried dates, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F.
  2. Prepare Baking Pan: Grease a 9 x 13″ baking pan with cooking spray and/or lightly flour the bottom to prevent sticking. Depending on your pan, this step may vary.
  3. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the white whole wheat flour, baking powder, and sea salt until thoroughly combined.
  4. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a separate medium bowl, combine the sugar and softened butter. Use your fingers or an electric mixer to rub the butter into the sugar until crumbly, similar to wet sand. Then add the lightly beaten eggs, water, and vanilla, mixing thoroughly.
  5. Add Dates and Walnuts: Stir in the chopped dates and finely chopped walnuts until evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
  6. Combine Wet and Dry: Sprinkle the dry flour mixture over the wet ingredients and stir gently until just combined. The dough will be thick and sticky.
  7. Spread Dough: Using a rubber scraper, spread and flatten the dough evenly into the prepared baking pan. The dough will form a thin layer covering the pan.
  8. Bake: Place the pan in the oven and bake for 20-22 minutes until the bars turn lightly golden brown.
  9. Cool Completely: Remove from oven and allow the bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before cutting to prevent breaking.
  10. Cut Bars: Cut the cooled date bars into 39 sticks, each measuring approximately 1 inch wide and 3 inches long.
  11. Coat with Powdered Sugar: Pour at least 1/4 cup powdered sugar into a wide bowl. Roll each bar in the powdered sugar to lightly coat, then gently tap off any excess sugar. Although you start with more sugar, you will only use about 1 tablespoon total to coat all bars.

Notes

  • The dough will be thick and sticky; using a rubber scraper helps to spread it evenly in the pan.
  • Ensure the bars are completely cooled before cutting to maintain shape and avoid crumbling.
  • Use finely chopped walnuts for even distribution and better texture.
  • Powdered sugar coating is light; don’t worry if bars don’t look heavily dusted after tapping off excess.
  • You can substitute whole wheat flour instead of white whole wheat for a denser texture, but results may vary.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 22 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Find it online: https://aminabakes.com/old-fashioned-date-bar-recipe/