Enjoy these Healthy Date Bars as an easy on-the-go snack or afternoon sweet treat. They are made with only 5 ingredients and are naturally vegan, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free.
These soft and gooey date bars are made with a delicious oat layer, a super sweet caramel-like filling and a crunchy crumble topping. They are perfect for serving at a special event, or enjoying as an afternoon snack or after dinner dessert.
Whether you are looking for treat for a special celebration or just a delicious snack for everyday, these oat bars will satisfy your sweet tooth.
If you love desserts made with dates and are looking for another caramel-like treat, try Vegan and Gluten Free Alfajores!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Travel friendly - Pack these individual bars for on-the-go. Throw them in your backpack to snack on later or bring them to a gathering to share with friends. They keep well at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- Quick and easy prep - You just need a food processor or blender, 8 x 8 baking pan and a few simple ingredients for this recipe. It's no fuss and easy to make!
- Better for you - If you love a traditional date bar, but are looking for a recipe that is better for you, then this recipe is for you.
Ingredients You Need
- Gluten Free Oats: This recipe uses both gluten-free oats and oat flour. You can make the oat flour at home in less than a minute by processing oats into a fine powder. You can also purchase gluten-free oat flour if you want to skip the processing step. Check to make sure both the oats and flour are certified gluten free.
- Almond Flour: This flour provides a smooth texture and a slightly sweet nutty flavor that pairs well with the dates. You can use store-bought or homemade almond flour. To make it at home, add the almonds to a high powered blender or food processor and pulse into a very fine flour. Keep in mind that store-bought almond flour is made with peeled almonds, which is why the color is white or slightly yellow. When you make it at home using whole raw almonds, you will have brown spots in the flour from the almond skin. If you can't eat almonds, you can substitute the almond flour with any other nut like hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, peanuts, etc.
- Cinnamon: Adding ground cinnamon to these date oat bars enhances the natural sweetness of the dates and pairs well with the oats. You can adjust the amount of the cinnamon to fit your personal taste, or omit it completely, if desired.
- Medjool Dates: These are the highlight of this recipe. Dates are naturally sweet and have a soft, sticky texture that makes them ideal to use as a natural sweetener. We use Medjool dates since they are larger and juicer. The fudgy texture makes them a perfect choice for the filling. If you use another type of date, make sure to soak them in hot water for a few minutes to soften them.
How to Make Healthy Date Bars
With just 5 ingredients and 10 minutes of prep, you can make a delicious snack bar or dessert worth sharing. First, you will make the mixture for the crust and topping, then you will make the date paste filling.
You can find full instructions with measurements in the recipe card below.
The Crust and Topping
Prepare the crust and crumble topping by stirring together the almond flour, gluten-free oat flour, oats and cinnamon. Add water and mix with a spoon or your hands to thoroughly combine the ingredients. The dough should feel like wet sand that sticks together when pressed between your fingers.
You will use ⅔ of the mixture for the crust and the remaining amount for the crumble topping.
The Filling
If the dates you're using are not soft and tender, soak them in hot water for about 10 to 15 minutes to soften them. Strain them before using.
To prepare the date filling, add the dates and water to a food processor. Pulse until you obtain a smooth homogenous paste. It will be sticky but easy to spread over the crust.
Assembly & Baking
Press ⅔ of the mixture for the crust into the bottom of an 8 x 8-inch baking pan lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes, until the crust is lightly browned.
Spread the processed dates over the top of the crust in an even layer, then add the remaining oat almond mixture over the date layer by crumbling large pieces of the mixture in your hands to create the crumble effect.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the top is golden brown and firm to the touch. Cool and then cut into 12 squares for serving.
Variations
- Add Nuts: You can add chopped walnuts, almonds or hazelnuts to the crumble for a little bit of extra crunch.
- Chocolate Touch: If you like chocolate, you can add dark chocolate chips to the oat mixture or melt some chocolate and drizzle it on top of the bars after baking.
- Additional Spices: Experiment with other spices like cardamom or ginger for different flavor.
- Add Salt: If you're craving a sweet and salty combination, add a pinch of sea salt or Himalayan salt to the dates.
Storage
Store the date squares in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 4 days. You can also store them in the refrigerator to keep them fresh longer, up to 1 week.
To freeze, store them in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving.
If you tried these gluten free date bars, please leave a recipe rating and comment below!
Healthy Date Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 cup gluten-free oat flour
- 1 cup gluten-free fine oats
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 7 tablespoons water
Date paste
- 6 medjool dates
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line an 8 x 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, stir together the almond flour, oat flour, oats and cinnamon. Add the water and mix together with a spoon, then use your hands to thoroughly combine the dry ingredients. The dough should look like wet sand that sticks together when pressed between your fingers.
- Place ⅔ of the mixture in the bottom of the pan, pressing firmly to compact and form a crust.
- Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned.
- If the dates are not very tender, soak them in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes to soften them and then strain.
- In a heavy duty food processor, pulse the dates and water until you obtain a smooth, homogeneous paste. Spread the date paste on top of the baked crust, using a spatula to spread over the entire surface.
- Increase the oven to 428°F (220°C). Crumble the remaining oat mixture in your hands and sprinkle over the date layer. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the tops are golden and firm to the touch. Cool completely before cutting into squares.
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