Decadent Vegan Date Squares Recipes

VEGAN DATE SQUARES (DATE CRUMBLE SLICE)

Steps:

• Option 1: Soak the dates in a large bowl, fully submerged in water, until soft (at least 4 hours, but overnight is best). Once soaked, drain away the soaking liquid and puree your dates in a food processor. I like a mostly smooth texture with a few smaller pieces of date throughout, but puree to your desired consistency.
• Option 2: If you don't have a food processor or time to wait for dry dates to soak, you can cook the dates in a small pot. This waters down the flavor of the dates, but you may enjoy a slightly less sweet filling anyway.For this option, add dates to a pot with water. Cook over low heat until the dates are soft and you can mash with a fork (press dates into the side of the pot to mash). This option also creates a more textured filling because the dates won't be pureed.
• To make the crumble, add rolled oats, lightly packed brown sugar and whole wheat flour. Stir until well combined.
• Add vegan butter or margarine to the dry mixture and use a fork or your hand to mix the butter throughout, creating a crumbly mixture.
• Grease a 9x13" baking dish (with extra vegan butter/ margarine or cooking spray).
• Pour about ⅔ of the crumble mixture into the bottom of your baking dish and press down firmly, creating an evenly packed layer.
• Spread the dates evenly over your pressed crumble. It's best to scoop small amounts of date puree all over the base layer to make it easier to spread.
• Sprinkle the remaining crumble mixture over your layer of dates and lightly press down.
• Bake in an oven preheated to 350 °F for 30-35 minutes, until the top is slightly golden brown and the bottom is fully golden brown (if you have a glass baking dish you can look at the bottom).
• Cool completely before you slice into squares or slices and serve at room temperature.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days on the counter or a week in the fridge. You can also freeze this recipe.

DECADENT (VEGAN!) DATE SQUARES

Steps:

• For the date filling, combine dates, water, and vanilla in a small saucepan and simmer until liquid is absorbed (approx. 15 minutes). Set aside to cool slightly.
• For the crust, in a large bowl, stir together rice flour, tapioca flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
• Add in canola oil and apple sauce and stir until well mixed.
• Pat oat mixture evenly into a lightly oiled 8x8 baking pan.
• Spoon date mixture evenly over the oat mixture.
• For the topping, in a small bowl, combine oats, rice flour, sugar and apple sauce and stir until it is a crumbly consistency.
• Sprinkle topping mixture over the date layer evenly.
• Bake at 350F for 20 - 25 minutes.