Date Bars
Created by KittenCal on November 1, 2011
- Servings: 24
- Prep Time: 35m
- Cook Time: 22m
- Recipe #1881
Ingredients
- Crumb Crust Topping:
- 1 (18 ounce) box yellow cake mix (such as Duncan Hines cake mix)
- 2-1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
- 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2-1 teaspoon cinnamon, optional
- 1/3 cup melted butter or margarine
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 egg, slightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Date Filling:
- 2 (600 gram) packages pitted dates, chopped (about 2-1/4 pounds)
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed (or use all white)
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
How to Make
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Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, set oven rack to second-lowest position, then grease a 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
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Step 2: For the date filling; in a saucepan combine the chopped dates with both sugars, water, orange juice and 2 tablespoon butter; bring to a boil over medium-low heat, then simmer until the mixture is thickened pushing down with a fork or a potato masher to break up any large date pieces (the mixture should be semi-smooth and cooking time should take about 15-20 minutes) mix in vanilla then set aside.
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Step 3: For the crumb/crust topping; in a large bowl combine the cake mix with oatmeal, cinnamon and brown sugar.
How to Make
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Step 4: In a small bowl whisk egg with melted butter and vanilla; add to the cake mix/oat mixture; using clean hands mix until crumbly and the mixture barely holds together.
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Step 5: Pat two-third of the crumb mixture onto the bottom of the pan pressing down gently to cover evenly.
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Step 6: Carefully spread the cooked date mixture over the crust spreading out evenly to cover.
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Step 7: Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture over the top; using hands gently pat the mixture down (do not pat down firmly).
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Step 8: Bake for 20-22 minutes (the top should be very lightly browned).
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Step 9: For easier slicing cool the bars then refrigerate or semi-freeze.