Moist Date Bars

My Mom makes the most fabulous date pinwheel cookies every Christmas holiday season for us to snack on.  I asked for her to pick up some dates at the fancy specialty grocery store she frequents so we could make cookies on Christmas eve.  She brought over the best Medjool dates I've ever tasted...seriously, they were like candy.  We spent Christmas eve making frosted sugar cookies for Santa and having so much fun with our girls that we never made the cookies.  I put the dates in the freezer to keep fresh, planning to use them when life slowed down a bit. 

Life finally slowed down and the dates caught my eye every time I opened the freezer door.  I found this recipe for Classic Date Bars at epicurious.com and decided to try it out.  Oh my gosh, they are so moist and delicious!  I can't wait to make them for my Mom.  These bars are quick and easy to make and really showcase the Medjool dates.


Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups fresh Medjool dates, pitted and chopped

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, diced, room temperature
• 
  
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray an 8x8 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.  
  
  
  In a medium saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups water to a simmer. Add the dates and simmer until very soft and thick, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Stir in vanilla.
  
  
  In a large bowl, stir together flour, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.  Add butter and use pastry cutter or hands to work into dry mixture until moist clumps form. 
  
  
  Press half of oat mixture evenly over bottom of prepared pan. Spread date mixture over. Sprinkle with remaining oat mixture and press gently to adhere. Bake until brown at edges and golden brown and set in center, about 40 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack. Cut into bars and serve.  Enjoy!