Aunt Theresas Date Bars Recipes

OLD-FASHIONED DATE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Beat in eggs one at a time.
• Stir in vanilla.
• Mix together flour, baking powder, and baking soda; and gradually add to the creamed mixture.
• Fold in the dates and nuts.
• Spread the batter evenly in a greased 13x9 baking pan and bake at 375°F for 25 minutes or until golden.
• Cool in pan.
• Cut into approximately 24 bars.

DECADENT DATE BARS

Steps:

• Date Filling: Mix 3 cups chopped dates (1 lb.) with 1/4 cup sugar and 1 1/2 cups water in saucepan.
• Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, about 10 minutes or until thickened; Cool.
• Grease 13x9 baking pan.
• Crust Mixture: Cream butter, shortening, and brown sugar.
• Mix in remaining ingredients.
• Press half the mixture in bottom of pan.
• Spread with filling.
• Top with remaining crumble mixture, pressing lightly.
• Bake at 400°F 25 to 30 minutes or until light brown.
• While warm, cut into bars about 2 inches X 1 1/2 inches.
• VARIATION: You can omit date filling and substitute 1 cup of your favorite jam.

WHOLE WHEAT DATE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Add dates, nuts, and vanilla.
• Combine flour and baking powder and stir into date mixture until evenly blended.
• Pour into a well oiled 8 or 9 inch square pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until lightly browned on top. Cool in the pan. Cut into squares or bars to serve. Makes 16 (2-inch) squares, or 32 bars, 2 x 1 inches.
• NOTE: To double, use 3 eggs, double remaining ingredients, and bake in a 9 x 13 inch pan.
• To cut sticky dried dates, dip scissors or knife in flour first.
• Nikki & David Goldbeck's American Wholefoods Cuisine.

OATMEAL AND DATE BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl stir together applesauce, sugar, molasses, oil, egg and vanilla until smooth.
• Stir in oats, flour, wheat germ, milk powder, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda; mix thouroughly; stir in dates.
• Spray a 9 by 13" (3 1/2 L) baking dish with non stick spray; press batter into dish.
• Bake at 350F for 20 minutes or until firm to the touch.
• Cut into bars when still warm.
• Makes 16 servings.

CHEWY DATE BARS

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, combine dry cake mix and brown sugar.
• Add butter, and eggs.
• Beat for 2 minutes at medium speed.
• Stir in the dates and nuts.
• Spread into a greased 9 x 13" baking pan.
• Bake at 350° for 35-45 minutes or until edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

GRAN'S DATE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bring dates and water to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat; simmer and stir until thick, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla extract.
• Combine oats, flour, brown sugar, walnuts, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Add melted butter; mix until blended.
• Pour 2/3 of the oat mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish, pressing over the bottom and sides. Spread the date mixture over the oats; crumble remaining oat mixture evenly on top. Press down lightly.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden, about 25 minutes.

MOLASSES DATE BARS

Steps:

• Beat egg, add sugar, molasses, shortening and vanilla. Stir in sifted dry ingredients, nuts and dates. Pour into 9-inch square pan lined with waxed paper, greased and lightly floured. Baked at 350F for 40 minutes. Cut into 32 bars when cool, then roll in confectioners' sugar.

DATE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Butter and line with parchment a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.
• Beat butter in medium bowl.
• Gradually add sugar and beat until combined (mixture will appear grainy).
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Stir in milk and vanilla.
• Combine flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in small bowl.
• Add to butter mixture and stir until just blended.
• Mix dates and walnuts gently into batter.
• Transfer batter to pan; smooth top.
• Bake until top is brown and tester comes out clean (with a few moist crumbs attached), about 35 minutes.
• Cool 10 minutes.
• Run knife around edge of pan to loosen.
• Reverse carefully onto cookie sheet.
• Peel off parchment.
• Invert again.
• Cool. Cut into bars.
• Sift icing sugar over.

DATE BARS

Steps:

• Cook dates, sugar and water in heavy saucepan to the consistency of jam. Let cool.
• Cream shortening with the brown sugar.
• Sift flour, soda, and salt into the creamed mixture.
• Add oats and mix until well blended.
• Put half of oat mixture in a greased 13x9x2 pan.
• Press and flatten to cover the bottom.
• Spread with date filling.
• Cover with remaining oat mixture. Pat smooth.
• Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

BEST DATE BARS

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine dates, sugar and water. Cook, stirring frequently, until very thick. Stir in walnuts, if desired; cool. , Sift the flour, salt and baking soda together in a large bowl; add oats and brown sugar. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle water over mixture; stir lightly. Pat half into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Spread with date mixture; cover with remaining oat mixture and pat lightly. , Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

DATE BARS

Steps:

• Make the crust: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9-by-9-inch baking pan. Line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang. Butter parchment; set aside.
• In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, sugar, salt, and butter. Pulse to combine. Add egg and pulse until evenly moistened. Transfer mixture to prepared pan; press into bottom (use the base of a dry measuring cup or a small offset spatula to help). Freeze for 10 minutes. Bake until lightly golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Make the filling: In a saucepan, combine dates, sugar, and cider. Cook over medium heat until soft and the consistency of jam. Using a hand blender, puree mixture until smooth. Stir in lemon zest. Spread mixture evenly over baked crust.
• Make the topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together oats, flour, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Using your hands, work in butter to form crumbs. Evenly distribute crumbs over filling to cover. Bake until topping is golden brown and filling is set, 20 to 25 minutes. Run a paring knife around edges of pan to loosen; let cool completely in pan on wire rack. Using parchment overhang, remove from pan; cut into squares using a serrated knife.

DATE BARS

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine dates, sugar and water. Cook, stirring frequently, until thick. Stir in nuts if desired. , Meanwhile, in a bowl, sift together flour, salt and baking soda. Add oats and brown sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Add water and mix lightly. Press half into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Spread date mixture on top. Cover with remaining oat mixture; pat lightly. , Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned.