These date and walnut bars have an old-fashioned oatmeal crust, a citrus-scented date nut filling and a tart lemon glaze that offsets the sweet, mellow filling nicely.
8 ozdark brown sugar227 grams or 1 cup, tightly packed
¾teaspoonground cinnamon
½teaspoonkosher salt3 grams, I use Morton's
1ozwater28 grams or 2 Tablespoons
8ozall-purpose flour227 grams or about 1 3/4 cups
6ozrolled oats170 grams or 1 3/4 cups, old-fashioned or quick-cooking, not instant
¾teaspoonsbaking soda
For the Glaze
6ozpowdered sugar170 grams or about 1 1/2 cups
pinchsalt
2-3Tablespoonslemon juice28-43 grams, as needed
Instructions
For the Date Nut Filling
If using whole dates, pit them by smooshing them with your finger and pulling out the pit and the dried blossom end and discarding.
Place dates, apple juice, dark brown sugar, orange zest, and salt in a medium saucepan. Slowly bring to a boil over medium heat, chopping and smooshing the dates with a wooden spoon or spatula. When the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring and "smooshing" frequently, until thick and jammy, about 5 minutes.
Off the heat, stir in the vanilla and toasted and chopped pecans. Allow filling to cool, either on the counter or in the fridge while you make the crust. Spread the filling out in a thin-ish layer so it cools more quickly.
For the Crust
In a medium-sized bowl, thoroughly whisk together the flour, rolled oats, and baking soda. Set aside.
In a bowl with a hand mixer, in the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a bowl using a spoon or spatula, cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon until smooth and creamy.
Add the water and mix in until completely combined.
Dump in the dry ingredients and mix until all the flour is absorbed and the mixture holds together in little clumps.
To Assemble and Bake
Place a rack in the center of your oven and heat it to 350F/180C.
If you do not have a non-stick 9x13" pan, line the pan, long-wise, with a piece of parchment paper folded to fit snugly without wrinkling and extending up the two short sides of the pan. Spray the uncovered sides of the pan with pan spray.
Press a bit more than half of the crust mixture into the pan in a well-packed and even layer of about 1/4"/6 mm.
Scrape the cooled filling onto the crust and spread it evenly with an offset spatula.
Crumble on the remainder of the crust mixture evenly over the filling and press it down slightly to compact it just a bit.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking, until the top is firm and golden brown.
Remove from oven and let cool completely before applying the optional glaze.
For the Glaze
Whisk the powdered sugar and salt together very well.
Whisk in the lemon juice, a bit at a time, until you have a nice, drizzly consistency.
Use a fork or the end of your whisk to drizzle the glaze on, aiming for a "lacy" design by drizzling it in circles. The glaze should not cover the crumbly oatmeal topping completely.
Let the glaze set up for a couple of hours before slicing the bars. If you used parchment, you can lift the bars out to slice them with a knife or pizza cutter. Otherwise, just slice them in the pan with a kitchen knife.
Store in the pan, covered with foil or in an airtight container, at room temperature for up to a week. Freeze for longer storage. Serve at room temperature or warm them a bit in the microwave if you prefer.
Notes
Small-Batch Recipe (8x8 pan)
For the date filling
6 oz Medjool dates
4 oz apple juice
2 oz dark brown sugar
zest from half a medium orange
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
3 oz walnuts, toasted and chopped
For the crust
2.5 oz butter
4 oz dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1-1 1/2 Tablespoons water
4 oz all-purpose flour
3 oz rolled oats
3/8 teaspoon baking soda
FAQ
How long will these keep? Made with Medjool dates, the filling will stay soft and moist for a good week. Expect 3-4 days of moist goodness if you use a different kind of date.Can you freeze them? Absolutely. Freeze before or after baking, double-wrapped in plastic wrap and foil. Bake from frozen, allowing another few minutes to bake. If freezing them after baking, allow them to sit out in their wrapping at room temperature until completely thawed. Then unwrap and enjoy.