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Healthy Date Oat Squares

A delicious treat made using better-for-you ingredients. These healthy date oat squares make the perfect lighter treat when you're craving something sweet, but still want it to nourish your body.
4.90 from 28 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine middle eastern
Servings 10
Calories 217 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

For the date layer

  • 300g Medjool dates see notes
  • 4-6 tbsp water see notes
  • Pinch of salt

For the oat layer

  • 50g butter dairy or dairy-free
  • 2 tbsp cashew butter or almond butter, peanut butter, etc.
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 110g oat flour
  • 60g oats see notes
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp cardamom

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan/350F.
  • Melt the butter and add to a large mixing bowl along with the cashew butter and maple syrup. Mix to combine.
  • Fold in the oat flour, oats, baking powder and a pinch of salt and give it a mix until you have a crumble consistency.
  • Add the pitted dates to a large pan along with 4 tbsp of water. Heat over a medium-low heat and start to mash with the back of a wooden spoon once they start to soften. Add more water as needed 1 tbsp at a time.
  • Once you have a paste, add the spices and a pinch of salt.
  • Press 3/4 of the oat mixture into a lined loaf tin, then spread the date paste on top. (I used a 24cm x 15cm loaf tin).
  • Crumble the remaining 1/4 of the oat mixture to create the oat topping.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes, then allow to cool completely before slicing. You can slice them into bars or squares.

Notes

Medjool dates or other soft varieties work best to create a smooth, spreadable paste. 
The amount of water you need will depend on how soft your dates are. Start off with 4 tbsp and add more as needed. 
Use gluten-free oats for a gluten-free recipe. You can make your own oat flour by blending oats into a fine flour in a high-speed blender. 
Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 217kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 4gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 116mgPotassium: 302mgFiber: 3gSugar: 23gVitamin A: 170IUVitamin C: 0.03mgCalcium: 49mgIron: 1mg
Keyword dairy-free dessert, date recipes, gluten-free dessert, healthy baking, healthy dessert, healthy snack, ramadan dessert, vegan, vegan dessert
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