Date Bars
Servings 24 date bars
date bars
This old fashioned date bars recipe is all about the perfect blend of chewy, sweet, and rich, resulting in a vintage dessert that's so good!
Ingredients
Bottom Crust
- 1/2 Cup butter softened
- ½ Cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 ⅓ Cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ Cup granulated sugar
Date Middle Layer
- ¾ Cup confectioner’s sugar sifted
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 Cup butter softened
- ¾ Cup creamy peanut butter
- ¾ Cups dates finely chopped
- ¾ Cup walnuts finely chopped
- 2 Tablespoons water
Chocolate Crackle Top Layer
- 1 Tablespoon shortening
- 1 Cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Optional Top Layer Garnish
- 1/2 Cup walnuts chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚ F and butter a 9x13 baking pan.
- Melt ½ cup butter with ½ cup of chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir. Microwave for another 30-45 seconds and stir until smooth. Blend in flour and sugar. Press firmly onto the bottom of the 13x9 baking pan that has been greased. Bake at 350˚ F for 10 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes.
- Combine the sifted confectioner's sugar and baking powder. Add the eggs, ¼ Cup butter, peanut butter, dates, walnuts, and water. Blend using a hand mixer on medium speed until well incorporated. Spread over the baked crust and bake for 15-20 minutes in a 350˚ F oven until golden brown. Let cool completely.
- Melt 1 Cup of chocolate chips with shortening in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 45 seconds. Stir. Microwave for 30 seconds. Stir until smooth. Spread over the cooled cookie base. Sprinkle with additional walnuts. (Optional) Let cool and serve.
Notes
Expert Tip: Let the cookie base cool in the refrigerator uncovered for 1 hour to quicken the process so that you can add your chocolate top. This will ensure that the layers of your date bars are set properly and are not too soft when you cut them.
Refrigerate: If you have leftover bars, store them in the refrigerator for up to a week. The cool temperature will help maintain the freshness and flavor of the date bars.
Freeze: To freeze these bars, ensure they are completely cooled. Once cooled, you can cut them into individual bars and store them in an airtightly sealed container. They can be stored in the freezer for up to three months.
Thaw: When you're ready to enjoy your date bars, simply take them out of the freezer and let them thaw at room temperature for about an hour.
Nutrition
Serving: 1bar | Calories: 265kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 97mg | Potassium: 191mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 208IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 2mg