This weekend we were packing to go away to our friend’s place and I almost forgot that I promised I’d bring something sweet for our potluck breakfast.
What’s a girl to do when she only has minutes to spare?
And what the heck do I bring for a potluck breakfast that would last for a 3 hour car trip and overnight?
And also please the non-vegan crowd?
Clearly, vegan overnight oats would have worked (for me!) but I’m not so sure everyone else would be down with my craziness. I wanted to avoid that awkward moment of silence as I try to explain to them why I packed a Tupperware full of mushy oats. No one wants an awkward potluck breakfast. Certainly not me.
So I stuck to my plan and I made something sweet that would be the perfect fit for a breakfast…
5 Ingredient No Bake Vegan Dates Squares!
In a moment of total clarity, I remembered these Raw Vegan Date Squares that I spotted from Karen. They seemed like the perfect treat that I could whip up in minutes, no oven required. I was a bit worried that they wouldn’t turn out, but I was soooooo happy with the outcome!
I’m not sure if I will ever go back to ‘normal’ date squares after trying this simple version. I loved them, my friends loved them, and there wasn’t a crumb to be found after breakfast. I’d say they went off pretty well!
[print_this]
5 Ingredient No Bake Vegan Date Squares
Adapted from KB Blissologist.
Crust:
- 1.5 cups whole raw almonds
- 1.5 cups regular oats (for Gluten-free, use GF oats)
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 10 Medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
Date filling:
- 25 Medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped (~2.5 cups)
- 1/2 cup water
Directions:
1. Line a square pan (I used 8in x 8 in) with two pieces of parchment paper going opposite ways. In a food processor, process the almond, salt, and oats until a fine crumble forms. Now add in the dates and process until crumbly again. Melt the coconut oil and add to the mixture and process until sticky. You can add a tiny bit more oil if the dough is too dry. I didn’t need to though! Remove from processor, set aside 3/4 cup of the mixture for later, and press the rest of the mixture very firmly and evenly into the pan.
2. Grab your pitted and roughly chopped dates and water and process in the food processor until a paste forms. You will have to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl often. You can add a tiny bit more water if needed, but you want the paste quite thick. Scoop out the date mixture onto the crust and gently spread with the back of a wet spatula until even.
3. Sprinkle on the 3/4 cup of mixture you set aside and gently press down with fingers. Refrigerate in the fridge until firm for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight. Cut into squares and serve. Store in the fridge or freezer.
I am happy to report that these were enjoyed by all and there were no awkward moments during the potluck. Love that.
Have a great Monday!
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{ 252 comments… read them below or add one }
These look beautiful Ange! I bet they disappeared pretty quickly. I’d be happy to have you at any potluck because I’m sure whatever comes out of your kitchen is always delicious! I hope you have a great Monday too. :)
I know what I’ll be making after work, yum!! Those look delicious.
Date squares! The world’s best food!
There was this one time that I ordered a date square in a cafe with some friends, and found out that apparently my love of date squares puts my tastes in line with an 80 year old. Even the barista decided to weigh in. These people, i’lltellyouwhat.
This is my go-to “baked good” and I’m so happy to have this recipe on hand :)
Thanks Angela!
Well you are in good company because I’ve loved them since I was a child! :)
AHHH I absolutely LOVE these!!! saving it NOW!!!!!
Wow – these look fantastic! I love when you do no-bake recipes :) Makes everything seem so much easier.
I don’t even love dates and these look delicious!
Thank you for this recipe. I’ve been looking to find a great date square recipe, because who doesn’t love date squares?
Do you use flake oats, or oat groats soaked?
Can’t wait to try.
I use the regular flakes :)
Super fun breakfast!! I don’t know who wouldn’t like these. :)
These look excellent, and super easy! I’m definitely going to bookmark this recipe for a pot-luck-they would work even if it wasn’t breakfast!
I laughed at the ‘tupperware of mushy oats’ bit. I know the feeling! I still don’t dare make a green monster when there’s anyone else in the house :P. I might be evicted for extreme weirdness. But these date squares look gorgeous!
haha ‘evicted for extreme weirdness’ ;)
These look amazing! I love date squares and will definitely have to give these a try. Your pictures are beautiful as always!
Those not only sound SO good, they look absolutely beautiful!!! :)
Im SOOO making these :) I have a hugh-jass tub of dates that need to be used up…perfectoo!
I love quick, no-bake recipes. Especially as we head into warmer weather! These look fantastic!
haha I love that you said there were no awkward moments :) Trust me, I would gobble those up for you in a second!!
These look delicious — I love date bars and these are so simple!
Yeah I don’t know how VOO would have been received — although if you made everyone a parfait I’m sure they’d be a big hit!
hehe yea VOO on its own doesn’t look so hot!
Those look beautiful, I can’t believe how relatively simple they were! :)
glad you got away for the weekend, ang! i’m laughing picturing expectant breakfast eaters…greeted by a bowl of oats!!
i LOVE date squares…and these are so easy, with 5 ingredients! thanks for the recipe!
enjoy this sunny monday!
im not a big date fan, so what other fruits do u think i could use? dried cranberies or apricots?
hmmm I’m not sure…I don’t know if other dried fruits would process like dates do in the food processor! Anyone know?
Apricot? Prunes? ;)
These look amazing – I’m so excited – Date Squares were my favorite when I was growing up. Of course, my mom made them with loads of butter :)
I just made an apricot paste made out of dried apricots (soaked in water first) for a recipe. They seemed to process somewhat similar to dates in the food processor. I’m not sure how they would set up though.
Dates are my favorite though. Thanks for the great recipe Angela!!
good to know, thanks!
I know raisins do, so I would think dried cranberries would. I’m not sure about other fruit.
Figs!
These look FANTASTIC!!!!!!!! I have tons of dates and almonds on hand! I just need some oats! =)
Wow – I am craving these already!
Looks delicious, as per usual! Any suggestions for an oil to swap for coconut?
I would guess that most oils would work, although the coconut oil does help the base firm up when it chills. :)
These look delish! I wonder if you could use other fruits like dried apricots or cherries?
Saving this recipe now!
I LOVE date bars but sometimes they can be a little dry and crumbly, yours look amazing I cannot wait to try them out :)
Ahh these look so yummy! I have a mini food processor that I must use this summer to make these! Dates are so yummy–For convenience, I bought a container of oat flour covered date pieces from Whole Foods. They are very good!
Wow those sounds awesome! Great for pre-workout fuel too I imagine
I LOVE dates and am never quite sure how to use them except snacking on stuffed with almond butter. ;) Fabulous recipe and I’m sure they will be a hit!
Haha, well you’d definitely be the one who’d be able to convert the whole crowd to overnight oats as long as they were willing to give it a try! :)
Those look awesome, and with just a few ingredients … love it!
If I didn’t just polish off our bag of dates this morning I would have made these this afternoon. I have a feeling that when I do make them, I’ll polish these off too. I’m obsessed with dates lately.
Looks absolutely delicious. Adding this to my “Must make” list.
These look amazing. Your bars look like something I’d get at a nice bakery.
aww thanks!
These look delic! I’ve recently discovered coconut oil and it’s actually changed my life! haha Makes everything taste better! (Just made vegan coconut lemon pistachio cupcakes last night, definitely an ohsheglows-friendly recipe you’d love!) But seriously, love your site, your attitude towards life and your recipes (keeping me well-fed here in Paris :) Merci beaucoup!!
Thanks Rebecca, I’ll have to check those out!
Thanks for this! I have a GIANT tub of dates from Costco that are just begging to be used! :)
These look lovely!
These are so pretty! I love how dense they look!
You had me at “5 ingredient” and “no bake!” And after seeing the photos – I must make these, they look so delicious!! :)
Why are your recipes/photographs always so gorgeous?! I love the sound of anything “no bake”, especially as a student!:)
Do you have nutritional information on these? All those dates… hello sugar!
I don’t, but I imagine they are VERY high in sugar from the dates. To be enjoyed in moderation of course :)
That’s why I don’t make dessert/sweet snack recipes often. I’m not good at the moderation thing. ;)
These look delicious! I LOVE mejool dates. Sadly, last time I had them in the house I was also training for a marathon and lets just say dates and running don’t really mix. 6 bathroom stops later I vowed not to keep them in the house anymore. It was a very sad day :(.
Wow, the presentation is wonderful. I need to pick up some almonds for this…
those lookd elicious and easy, and your photographs came out awesome as usual!
Easiest.
Dessert.
Ever.
Yum!
Angela,
These look so delicious. I love anything with dates! Do you have any recommendations for a replacement for the coconut oil? My partner is allergic to it.
I was thinking maybe palm oil (unrefined and sustainable kind of course)?
I haven’t used palm oil before, but I would guess that most oils would work, although the coconut oil does help the base firm up when it chills! Hopefully it wouldnt be too crumbly. Make sure to store in the fridge.
Lovely! I’m hosting a brunch in a few weeks and I bet these make it on the table!
I made your lentil loaf this weekend…might make me a vegan…it was amazing.
Love the simple yet delicious-looking recipe! Forget waiting for a potluck, I’m making these for my afternoon snack! :D
Do you think the flavor from the coconut oil very strong? While I’m not a fan of coconut, I’ve heard mixed reviews on how much the oil adds flavor.
I’ve been meaning to make date squares for months now, but it always slips my mind. Partially because I’ve never been able to make them gluten free and juuuuust right. I’ll have to give these a try, they look so fantastic!
Love this recipe! I love dates but I find I mostly just pop them in my mouth :) Nice alternative! LOL
Oh yum! Those look delightfully easy! AND GOOD :) <3
Ahh yum! I love date nut squares! :)
A successful vegan treat! Looks yummy.. I’ll have to try it next time, as my family didn’t appreciate my detox brownie nor the raw truffles I made this weekend. Balls! Haha.. you can’t please ’em all. (Especially when your family is full of carnivorous rednecks like mine, definitely the black sheep over here!)
Aren’t mejdool dates the best? I love how you made these bars with so few ingredients. I stuck to five of my own ingredients this weekend and made Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough “raw” ice cream. Gluten-free, dairy-free…but so creamy and satisfying…go ahead and indulge!
http://bread-n-chocolate.blogspot.com/2011/03/sunday-sundae.html
These are gorgeous! You’re so artistic in your presentations!
Looks like they are delicious too. :)
Those look so simple and delicious!!!
I’m making these asap! Karen’s recipe definitely stood out to me. Now I have 2 versions to make. :)
Angela,
First off these look DELISH! Must try!
Second, I saw this shirt online today and thought of you…you should totally get this for your hubby!!! hehehe
http://www.cafepress.com/+real_men_eat_real_food_kids_light_tshirt,235448862
i just love your blog.
I stumbled upon your blog via my friend’s (http://www.recipesviabeth.blogspot.com/) and have become addicted! My boyfriend and I have already tried your holiday soup and pancakes for one and love both. Thank you for sharing your recipes… you’ve inspired us to purchase a food processor now. Do you have any suggestions on a good food processor? Thanks.
I have a 12-cup Kitchen Aid, so far I am fairly happy for it, although I think it should process better (faster, etc) for the price it was!
Thanks for your kind words!
Angela,
what do your portion sizes usually look like? And how much do you usually eat in restaurants? My new job requires me to eat out a lot, and I am afraid that I will get used to larger portions over time without even realizing it.
Thanks
Portion sizes are really hard for me to estimate because I typically don’t measure my portions unless when using a recipe. I let my hunger guide me, and try to focus on eating natural foods 90% of the time, with room for other stuff as I crave it too. Restaurants can be tricky, we don’t eat out much, but when I do I typically try to bring a doggie bag home if possible.
I’m not a vegan, but I can definitely appreciate good food! :)
This looks delish! I don’t typically keep coconut oil at home–do you know if canola oil would also work as well? Thanks!
Jen
I would guess that any oil would do, although they might not firm up as much as with coconut oil (as it hardens). The flavour would also differ. These had a light coconut flavour that went really well with the square. Enjoy!
Wow, these look awesome. I will try to make them at the weekend for sure. Thanks for sharing :)
Angela, these look awesome! I love making things with almonds + dates b/c they are so easy, versatile and really just as good as their nonvegan counterparts in so many dessert recipes and applications.
I make a raw/no-bake vegan apple crumble that uses dates, oats, almonds in much of the way you did for both the crust and the filling, but I also add apples, brown sugar, cinnamon and agave to it all. It’s better than baked apple crumbles, and it’s vegan, gf, no bake…and every time I make it, ppl say they wouldnt go back to regular crumbles.
I love that your date squares are the same! I will look for the pics on FG & TS :) Beautiful!
Those look great! I love dates. I’m glad everyone liked them. I think dates are delicious but sometimes people don’t want to try them just because how they look.
ahhh I’ve been craving some kind of almond meal type cookie or bar!! this looks great~and I love how pretty and magazine worthy they look :D have a wonderful day!
Wow, that is impressive to come up with at the last minute! I probably would’ve brought…fruit salad or something. :) They look delicious!
Oohhh, looks relatively easy and oh- so yummy! Well done :)
I adore dates in all forms. As a twist, I recommend putting some lemon, or even better lime juice (just a bit) into the date mixture. The sharpness works really well with the dates’ sweetness. I also do this when making apple sauce.
Oh I’m a date fanatic! I guess I need to start buying them in bulk, huh? I would adore a peanut version of this.. Mmm-mmm-mmmm!
Thank you for this recipe. Your friends are VERY lucky!!!
LOLing at the “awkward potluck” these look fantastic! they remind me of a vegan apple square I had the other day! it was delicious, as I’m sure this one is :)
Your no bake recipes always amaze me, Angela. I really need to make one, like tomorrow!
Those look yummy! Too bad I can’t take them to most family functions – must watch for the Coconut Allergy!
Guess I’ll need to make them for at home!
Fantastic recipe! Your healthy desserts always inspire me in the kitchen….I need to start making more sweets!
i have never made raw or vegan desserts before, what do you think would be an easy starting point? every time i come to your blog i remember that i have to make those donuts!
visit my blog
chanelandolivia.wordpress.com
wow -w hat a great idea!
I made these as soon as I saw this post. My husband and I loved them! I will definitely make these again! Thanks Angela.
Wow these look yummy! And I just happen to have all those ingredients on hand…perfect!
This is the perfect recipe – I love that there is no added sugar! They sound like dessert to me, and I can’t wait to make them (and not for anyone else, just for me!).
Mmmmm…I LOVE date squares….YUM! And much less awkward than VOO…haha.
These look awesome! I love that there are no extra sugars except from the dates. By any chance would this recipe work with figs?
Made these for the granddaughters and they loved them. Delicious, healthy and there were not any left at the end of the visit.
————-
Thanks and Regards
Mike
blenders and food processors
Mmmm, I have been thinking about date squares lately, which is odd because I’ve only ever tried them once but I’ve developed a love for dates. These look great! I can’t wait to try them out.
I’m sure these were a big hit! They look fantastic.
Thank you, Angela — I made these today for my date-loving hubby and they are lovely. One caveat is that my dates were quite soft, so the date paste was a bit too liquid — even though I used less than the full 1/2 c water. Therefore I would advise adjusting the amount of water based on how soft your dates are (we’re talking FOODSTUFFS, people, not romance!): if you have nice plump Medjools, try 1/3 c water first; if you’re using the oat-flour-coated date pieces (which tend to be quite hard, in my experience), you may try soaking them first and then cautiously adding water for the paste. Also, instead of the coconut oil I used melted butter (yes, un-veganizing) and it worked really nicely; melted Earth Balance would probably work well also. Thanks again — your blog is the sunniest, most useful and inspiring blog I’ve ever encountered. Reading your posts is like opening the shutters to a blue sky!
I added chia seeds to the date mixture and it helped firm it up as the chia seeds absorbed all the extra moisture. I also used half butter half coconut oil because I believe in the power of both :)
WOOT! I got a jar of virgin coconut oil for Christmas and have barely touched it, I adore oats and nuts and dates, so WOOOOOOT!
my style of baking girlfriend!
I just made these and they are delicious! Thank you!! Can’t wait for breakfast :)
I made these as soon as I saw em… been looking for a vegan date square recipe, and these were sooo good. Also made those blueberry muffins from the other day, delish. :)
As a date junkie I am helpless to resist this recipe! Thank you for sharing, I will make and blog about them!
These date squares look great! Perfect sweet recipe for me because I have eliminated all added sugars from my diet for Lent :) I only have Deglet Noor dates, hopefully those will work??
These look so yummy and easy!! I wonder what other fruit I could use in them…
These looks so good!
looks like a super pick for a pot luck. I NEVER know what to bring. I always feel like it is an audition of vegan food! And now I eat so “weird” its worse!!!
Love the addition of coconut oil.
Hello,
I noticed you mentioned these will last on a 3 hour roadtrip. Do you have any other no bakes recipes that may last throughout a work day? I have a fridge but no freezer
I would check out my recipes page for ideas! :)
Awwwwhhhhh!
Date squares are my faaavorite thing my mom makes and by far my favorite dessert. I think she calls it matrimonial cake though?? Whateves, still delicious!! How love how you healthify all my favorite recipes :)
Made them today. Attempting not to eat the entire pan. WOW!!!
Hi Angela,
These look awesome & i cant wait to make them this wknd in my new food processor! In preparation, can you please explain what you mean by “melt the coconut oil” oil in the recipe? Does that just mean heat it up on the stove? I’ve never bought or used coconut oil before so apologies if this is a dumb question! Thanks!
yup! I just melt it in the microwave for about 10-20 secs. :)
Saved!
Hi Angela!!
These are great! Check out my blog, as I posted this to share as well ;)
Thank-you!!
Those look sooooo yummy can’t wait to try them out!
Yum! I bet these would taste great with pecans instead of almonds too!
Any recommendation on where/a brand of dates that are affordable? The medjool at my local store is about $8 for a pretty small container. Likely not enough for one recipe. Not conducive to sharing :)
I would try buying them from a bulk food store :) I know Bulk barn has them
Hi Angela! How about this April Ontario weather?.. not impressed! These squares look fantastic! I have one question though.. I find whenever I try to process raw almonds in my food proccessor (baby Cuisinart) it takes soo long and I almost catch the thing on fire! Is there anyway to make the almonds more “processable” without taking away from the recipe?
Happy April 1st :)
hmm im not really sure…maybe try chopping them before processing?
Thanks for sharing the recipe, Angela! This is one of my favorite recipes, too. Hey, did you know that I was born and raised in Milton???? xoxoxo kb.
small world :)
WOW! I had a bunch of Deglet Noor dates to use up, and no idea what to do with them. This recipe is a keeper! My husband and hard to please 2-year-old enjoyed these yummy little squares! I used cashews for the crust, because I didn’t have almonds, but it worked just fine. I’m looking forward to trying it with almonds next time. Thanks!
That’s great Mari!
It’s great to find a recipe, and discover that I actually have all the ingredients. I’m making these tonight! Can you tell me what size pan you made these in?
Thanks!
8 inch square pan…enjoy!
Angela – I made these today. I didn’t have enough almonds, so I used cashews as well. They are delicious and my 17 month old son LOVES them. Thank you!
I just made these with figs instead of dates for the filling… they were SO GOOD! thanks for the recipe, I was able to quelch the sweet craving and the Fig Newton craving in one swoop without messing with my Gluten free, Sugar free life!
figs are such a great idea!!!!
These are fantastic, Angela! Thanks for sharing such a simple, delicious recipe. I just bought my FIRST 2 lbs of Medjool dates this weekend, and was longing for an easy yummy way to use them; made these squares last night! Done in 10 minutes- YUM!
I have been making a lot of your wonderful recipes, and have added several of them to SparkRecipes for nutrition info, if you’re interested in knowing or sharing. I track a lot of my food on Spark, so I like to have my favorite snack recipes (a lot of yours!) entered into the database to track. Here’s the link to this recipe with nutrition info:
http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=1577574&ff=1
Angela:
I made these amazing squares yesterday and can’t even express how amazing they are. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I love your blog and love all the recipes you come up. Thank you.
Abby
Im glad you like them Abby!
Dear Angela,
This is the first time I am posting something on your blog, but I have been an avid follower ever since one of my friends gave me your website.
I made the date squares (among many many other things–all more than successful), and I just want to say THANK YOU for an amazing recipe. Dates are one of my favorite things in desserts (next to chocolate and peanut butter), and I’m so grateful to have a simple, whole-foods dessert or breakfast option that includes them!
I look forward to your blog posts every morning–it’s a great way to start my day on the right mindset, keeping food and exercise as a healthy and positive aspect of my life :) so, thanks, ultimately, for that as well!
-Kaylee
Hey Kaylee! Im so glad you enjoyed them! I think they are one of my favourite treats :) Thanks for your kind words!
We are a nut free home due to allergies, so I whipped these up using raw pumpkin seeds with sweet success! Thanks for the recipe– my kids also have allergies to eggs and dairy so your vegan recipes have been very helpful to me!
I made these last night and they are AMAZING!! They were perfect because I had a friend over who is allergic to dairy, gluten and soy. (I used GF Oats). Anyways, thank you for all of the wonderful healthy recipes!!
These sound fab! I’m definitely going to make them when I next need to take a treat to a party. I usually opt for brownies but I think it’s time for a change – plus my brownies seem to be failing lately, and I can’t work out why :(
These are amazing, and so easy to make. :)
They almost reminded my of a pie. I had to put them back in the refrigerator before I ate the whole pan.
Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Hi Ang,
I have been reading your blog for a few months and I LOVE IT! I have made at least a couple dozen of your recipes and have fallen in love with each and every one of them! I made these today (put them in muffin tins, which worked perfectly) and they are delish! I am enjoying one as we speak :) Date squares have always been one of my fav. desserts and this recipe is one for the books!! Thanks so much for sharing!
Hi Angela! These look amazing and I’m going to make them for a potluck this weekend. I just have one question. It looks like there is 3/4 of the almond/date mixture on the bottom and 1/4 sprinkled on top. Although the recipe says to do the opposite. Which is correct? Thanks so much!
Hey! The directions say to reserve 3/4 cup of the mixture to sprinkle on top. The rest is used for the bottom crust. Hope that helps!
I made these last night and YUM!!!! I couldn’t keep my hands off of them so I ended up bringing them to work to share so I wouldn’t eat the whole pan. Thanks for sharing this super tasty recipe! :)
Glad to hear that Jennifer!
Thanks for this wonderful recipe! I can’t have coconut oil so I subbed it with 1/4 cup pls one tablespoon of unsweetened organic apple sauce. Worked out beautifully and gave just a hint of apple. Certainly making again.
I just made a variation on these bars, based on your original. I used half dates and half shredded carrot in the filling, and 3/4 cup each hemp hearts and almonds with the oats for the crust. Delish!
Ii need to try these bars. They look delicious.
They Look wonderful.
Added lemon juice orange zest to the date purée, and made almond milk first out of the almonds, using the pulp for this recipe. Love using by-products right away! No guilty freezer bag.
Thank you for the recipe!
These are to die for. Try them with cinnamon, lemon, coconut, brazil nuts, sesame seed… the list goes on. Thanks for this great recipe!
HI Angela !
A huge craving for date squares ignited after seeing some in a nearby café, but I remember seeing this recipe on your blog & decided to be patient and make them myself ! They were great and definitely worth the wait. Thank you so much for sharing & keep up the great work :)
So glad to hear that!
Hello Angela,
What a wonderful inspiration you are to so many people. My daughter, Katie and I host a vegan cooking show on one of our local rogers t.v. stations. The show is called, Katie’s Fresh Food Adventures. We would like to ask your permission to use your 5 ingredient date square recipe on our show.
We look forward to hearing back from you!
Sure, that’s no problem. I just ask that you credit my name and website for the recipe. I will have to look your show up!!
Oh, thank you so much! Yes, of course we will make sure to credit your name and website for the recipe! I know the viewers are going to love these date squares!
omg these have so many calories its insane. they look delicious though.. if only
I am lactose intolerant and was looking for a receipe without butter or margarine. Thank you. I have made it a few times and friends have asked for the receipe. I am now going to try put a little ginger in the date filling and see how that works out.
Oh my goodness! These look gorgeous!
How do you make something as simple as a date square look so good?!
I might have to make these right now, as I actually have all the ingredients, which is a rarity when I’m salivating over food blogs! Yum yum…
Loved them!
These look scrumptious
If I make them, I’m going to have trouble not finishing the entire pan hah
I really want to make these for my date-loving boyfriend. I only have a handful of Medjool dates left; do you think that regular packed dates would work?
These look yummy and so easy! I do have one question, for the oats, do you use them raw in the recipe? Would they be ok toasted for the bars?
I haven’t tried it wth toasted oats, but I cant see why it wouldnt work! Let me know if you try it out.
I just made these date squares and how is it even possible they taste soooo delicious? They honestly taste better then the traditional date squares( that have tons of butter and brown sugar) I’m loving these much healthier version! I’m also simmering your roasted tomato, onion and garlic soup right now… And it smells amazing! You truly have a gift and I can’t wait until your cook book comes out!!!!
Holy moly! I just made these with cooked pumpkin + raw avocado as a substitute for the date filling. THEY ARE MAGNIFICENT! I did about a cup or maybe a little more of pumpkin, and one whole ripe avocado. Blend with sweetener (I used a couple Tbsp of date paste, which is what you get when you simmer dates in water for 15min or so) and your favourite spices. The avocado made it light and creamy. Delicious. Thinking of it as an energy bar – now am going for a swim.
I made these today, and they were soo good! I didn’t have a food processor so i just used a blender. I didn’t know if they were going to turn out good because of this but they were wonderful!
I’ve just taken them out of the fridge…and I have to say that these are simply amazing!!! I don’t have more to say! :-)
made these for home and for work and they were gone in a flash! thank you again for yet another delicious whole food tasty good for you sweet treat :)
These seem super delicious but a total of 35 dates? It’s simply too much, isn’t it? I mean, I buy all of my food organic and it would be financial suicide if I made these :D
Hello Angela! Thanks to this post I found one of my favorite desserts of all time. I love your recipe and everyone I feed it to demands the recipe for themselves! It’s a true gem. I am wondering if you know of a way I could make it oil-free? I’m trying to think of other subs, but I’m not sure what would help it to stay together. Maybe omitting some of the dates in the crust and using brown rice syrup for sweetness? Thanks! I would totally appreciate it. I LOVE this recipe and want to make it forever but need to cut back on oil.
I used applesauce & less of the oil & it worked very well.
These are absolutely amazing!
I have never had better date squares in my life.
The ingredients are so pure that I don’t even think twice
when I am eating them.
I’ll never try another recipe. Thank you so much.
I’m so happy to hear that Branka! Enjoy
I made these last night with a few changes. Walnuts instead of almonds (it’s all I had), dried figs for 1/2 of the dates and I used a muffin tin for single portions freezing them for a while to remove. These were the BEST I’ve ever had and date squares are my all time favourite dessert. I’m so excited about these…Thank you!!
Hi everyone! I made these tonight & I had to make slight modifications due to what was available in my kitchen. I used a raw mixed nuts (cashews, almonds, pistachio, hazelnuts & walnuts) mix, regular california dates, and then instead of all coconut oil I used half c.o and half applesauce. And for the final topping I did sprinkle a little brown sugar…it’s chilling now, I’ll update on how they taste…Hope my modifications are ok!
I just made these this morning and they are sinfully good! Yum!
I have made these quite a few times and they are a regular go-to for dessert for my family. For the crust and topping we have found that we like the taste of raw cashews instead of almonds or a combo of half of each. Also, we really like adding raisins into the crust instead of dates and it gives it an added depth of flavor. Thank you so much for such a fantastic recipe and wonderful site to get ideas from!
I made these yesterday and they are THROUGH THE ROOF! So damn good and indulging, I have to pace myself. Thanks for sharing this amazing yesterday. I can’t wait to make them again.
Question: how would you go about replacing the dates for, say, blueberries: would you just process the blueberries on their own, with a mix of some other dry fruit (e.g., cranberries) and not add water?! I’d like to try that… or even apples :) Ohh! I’m too excited I guess
I haven’t tried it myself, but let me know how it turns out if you do!
I would google for blueberry crumb bars…. then just use the ‘blueberry filling’ part of the recipe ;)
Just so you guys know these are amazing with other nuts substituted instead! The first time I made these, I actually only had pecans on hand. I ate them up SO fast, you wouldn’t believe. I just made them again now with sunflower seeds and they are super rich and delicious. I also think they’d be good with different “jams” in the middle – apricot sounds delightful to me :)
These are the bomb! I could live on these, however after I looked up a few facts on the dates I decided against it (kind of high in calories). They are the perfect treat. Thanks for sharing :)
Definitely making these this weekend :)
Since the almonds are going in a food processor…. can I just use almond meal/flour? We like to snack our whole almonds and I have almond meal/flour on hand :)
if so, how much would measurement convert to?
I can’t see why not! Its usually a 1:1 sub but im not positive in this recipe. As long as the dough sticks together nicely it should be fine
So, 1.5cups whole almonds = 1.5cups almond meal/flour? I thought it might process down to 1cup? Thank-you for the quick reply :) I’m really looking forward to making these!
Well, I made these the other day using mostly dried apricots for the filling (I didn’t feel like taking the pits out of so many dates…..lol) with a few dates added, and they were *incredibly* delicious! What a great go-to recipe!
Thanks for this recipe! A friend brought them to my house a couple weeks ago, and there were fights over the crumbs :) I made them today, but ran out of dates (that’s what I get for snacking on the recipe ingredients this week) so used half dried apricots and half dates for the paste. It’s a little less sweet, but I like the combination. Thanks again for sharing.
Your Vegan Date Bars are so yummy! The flavor, texture, are all wonderful! Thank you for all your Vegan recipes…you make me want to cook more and more. I truly enjoy your blog.
these are DELICIOUS and very, very easy to make … I shared them with a few people before disclosing the ingredients (if I told them they would not have tried them!) and each of them guessed sugar was in them – that’s how naturally sweet they are! … thanks for sharing a healthy snack I can make and keep in the freezer for the whole family to enjoy!
Let me tell you how good these are: I made them, ate *just one*, put them in the freezer, and when I got home later there were none left and the hubby is standing there with a guilty expression and crumbs all over his face ;)
They’re *that* good.
I had to check whether or not I had commented on these yet, because I’ve made them a few times. Just made them again today for a girls weekend that I am going to this weekend and was reminded how darn delicious (and easy!) these are. I’ve never actually tried a regular date square, but I can’t possibly imagine why you would need anything other than dates to sweeten them – they are pretty sweet already. I’m looking forward to giving them to my son as a snack…he is going to love them and it’s a snack I feel totally good about. Thanks for an awesome recipe!
I made the mistake of making the oats/almonds part in my VitaMix, not recommended, as I quickly realized I might have a butter (even on lower speed) so I transferred to my food processor as the recipe says! They came out good but next time planning to do processor from beginning! Thanks again Angela!! … Last but not least, I just wanted to give you a heads up that this recipe isn’t formatting to print for me, I normally print your recipes just fine. I just printed Vegan Enchiladas with Cilantro Avocado Cream Sauce as a test and that one worked fine. :)
I just made these tonight and I have to say that they are the BEST date squares I have ever had!!! The whole family LOVED them, including the non-vegans. I will definitely be making these again. Seriously, this is a fantastic recipe. Thank you so much Angela!
My family loves these! I had major requests today to “bake” them again! My husband gives them to the kids, and hides the rest! It’s a good thing we know where his hiding spots are!
OMG I just made these and they are SOO delicious! Thank you for this!!
What can I sub for almonds not suppose to eat them or peanuts any other but suggestion ?
What about coconut ?
Think I can use almond flour I bought from store in place grinding my own ?
Hi,
I was wondering if using refined coconut oil mattered or does it need to be liquid coconut oil? This is my first time buying and using coconut oil for a recipe so I’m not sure if I bought the right kind..Thanks :)
I cannot believe how good are all your recipes! I made those bars today and I made the pumpkin tart that is in your book last week for a birthday lunch and they all came out amazing. I know that every time I try one of your recipes, it’s going to be a success! Thanks for everything you’re doing! :)
any known replacement for oats?
I’ve made these twice already! Super delicious and easy :)
Thanks for the great recipe :)
can I use regular sweet dates as I catn find medjool?thanks
Just made these last night. They were awesome!! Even the kids loved them! thanks Angela :)
These just might be my favorite recipe from your blog. They are delicious as is, but also very versatile! I have made them 3 different ways, and am sure I will come up with other versions in the future! The first time I made them I followed the recipe, as is, and fell in love. For Easter this past year I decided to mix it up a little and made them following your recipe, but I replaced the water in the filling with fresh squeezed lemon juice mixed with a very small amount of coconut sugar. They were a big hit. Everyone thought they were very refreshing and it was the first plate to be emptied. More recently I tried a chocolate version, combining my love for the date bars and your brownie bite recipe. I followed your date bar recipe adding dark chocolate chips, cocoa powder, and maple syrup to the filling, then after putting everything together I melted dark chocolate chips with coconut oil to drizzle around the top of the bars. This recipe does not last very long in my house. Needless to say I am very grateful to have found this date bar recipe!
These are soooo yummy! My kids beg me to make them! The only difference is that I use pecans instead of almonds…super delicious too! Costco has a great price of Medjool Dates and almonds and pecans…I also double the recipe because we are a family of 8! Thank you for such a wonderful recipe that we all adore!
Are these sweet? And can you substitute the coconut oil with anything else?
Do you think other oils beside doc it could be used?
OH MY GOODNESS!! Talk about healthy food that tastes so unhealthy! I love these so much. Will definitely add this to my recipe collection.
I love these date squares, they are my go to recipe when I need a dessert!! All of my non-vegan friends think these are the greatest date squares ever too. Can’t wait to make them for my party tomorrow night! :)
Hi there , this recipe looks great just wondering if I could use a different nut other than almonds? Cashews , pecans or walnuts? Almonds is the only ingredient I am missing :( I love all of your recipes and I’m assuming this will be a winner as well!
Thanks,
Mary Lou
Hi, was just wondering how many serves this recipe would take.
Sorry just saw 12-16 serves when I went into print recipe. I made this yesterday and not much left. My family of four loves it and so do I. Just found this website and will be trying alot more recipes..Thankyou.
Absolutely LOVE these date bars!! I appreciate the simple ingredients and quick prep time. I reviewed the recipe here: sweetgreens-blog.com!
I just made these today and they turned out well. Thank you for the recipe.
What could you use instead of oats if your allergic?
you might could try buckwheat which is a seed that is suitable for people with gluten sensitivities or puffed rice cereal like rice crispies but only lightly crushing the rice cereal or keeping it whole then mixing it in with the nuts dates salt and coconut oil for the crust.
just an idea now I wanna try the rice cereal.
Hi Gemma, Just stumbled across your question. I wasn’t eating oats for awhile and found quinoa flakes. They work like a charm:)
Gosh these are so yummy! When I was making them I had trouble with wanting to eat it all before they were done lol. I added cashews in with the almonds and a little cinnamon too worked well. Dates have quite a bit of sugar but they are really nutritious and if you consume a couple of dates and eat a curry leaf or two with them it can help with anemia.
thanks for this awesome recipe!
OMG! I made these a few days ago and have already devoured them all. They are so addicting! Thank u for sharing this recipe, this is definitely my new favorite on the go snack. I took them hiking & they were perfect for it :)
Wow! I love all your recipes… You’re the reason my mother coocks vegan ;) (cookbook is amasing). I just had a couple of questions: in your recepies that asks for almonds/almond flour, can i sub regular flour or oat flour or from another nut? And you said you are going to do a second cook book… When is it due??
Thanks for your kind words!
Usually almond flour or meal can’t be subbed without completely revamping the recipe. So I can’t say for sure if it would work unless I tested a different combo in a specific recipe. Sorry about that! :)
My next book is due out early fall 2016 :) Thanks for your excitement!
Brother in law cannot have nuts. Any recommendations as a replacement for the almonds in the crust?
I had the same question as Miriam. My son is allergic to nuts. What about making these with sunflower and pumpkin seeds? Thoughts anyone?
In case anyone’s interested: 2,000 calories in the whole batch. How do I know? Because my husband and I finished these. In one day (in about 12 hours, actually). And I wanted to know how much we’d eaten lol.
What a fantastic recipe, made it twice already! Looked bake shop worthy :) Love the subtle coconut flavour that comes from the oil, and how great to only have 5 (all natural) ingredients. Ran the whole recipe in my Vitamix and it was easy (though I struggled a bit to get the chopped dates to crumble and blend with the oats and almonds as it made one big clump at the bottom of the Vitamix, but shaking things out a bit with a wooden spoon or running it in two batches fixed the issue). Assembling it was very easy thanks to the clear instructions, and vegans and non-vegan friends alike loved the end result.
HI Angela
I had been looking for ideas for a raw date bar. I made your recipe and absolutely love it. The balance of everything works perfectly and needs no tweaking! I’ll be making it weekly!
Thank you!
So glad this recipe hit the spot, Jane! :)
Thank you for these! They have become a staple in my house! Medjool dates aren’t available where I live, so I used dried pitted dates which I soak in hot water for a bit to soften them. I pat the ones for the topping dry with kitchen paper before adding to the processor. I use the water they soak in for the filing. Using dried dates requires more dates – I put about 14-15 in the topping and 30 odd in the filling.
Hi
For coconut oil assume the measurement is once it is melted? probably silly question!
Thanks
Kate
Just wondering if I could sub almond meal for any of the almonds. I bought a big bag and need to use it. I have made these following your directions, and they were amazing. I couldn’t believe there was no sugar. Thanks
Hi Toni, I can’t see why not! As long as the dough sticks together nicely it should be fine. :)
I made these and they were nummy, but I had extra crust (or a shortage of date mixture) so I smeared raspberry preserves on that end and those were delicious. The kids loved them. Thanks for the easy recipe with figs or raspberry jam. XO, Heather
So glad to hear the preserves worked out, Heather! (Sounds delicious!)
Turned out great! So delicious.
I’m glad they were a success! :)
These look lovely!! How long do you suppose these would last for?
Would it be ok to use roasted cashews instead of almonds? These look absolutely delicious but cashews are the only nuts I have right now.
Hi Casey, I haven’t tried using another nut yet, but I can’t see why cashews wouldn’t work! Roasted cashews will add a toasted, light sweetness which might be really nice. Please report back if you try it out!
These dates squares are the best. I make them often as they are easy and everyone loves them:) I had a bunch of dried apricots in my freezer, so thought I would throw some in with the dates. They turned out heavenly!!! Love your recipes Angela….thank you for all your dedication and hard work. We all appreciate you so much.
I WILL be making these tomorrow. I just rediscovered sun dried dates. I also bought some sun dried figs and might try a batch with those swapped in for dates. The mass and consistency is pretty close.
Turned out pretty well for my first try. The suggested ingredients were seeming a bit dry so I doubled the qty of dates and added some water. Added some freshly minced pecans and walnuts to give the mix more bulk.
I dashed some cinnamon on top right before eating and loved it.
Thank you so much, in Rhode Island you can get date bars in almost any bakery but they always have a crisco or something taste but better than nothing. But in Florida, forget it, I haven’t seen any. I love the simplicity of it. I didn’t have all the correct ingredients, roasted almonds instead of raw, and only about 20 dates but I tried it anyway. Soooooo good. Can’t wait to do it again with the correct ingredients.
Hey Susan, Oh I hear you about the bakery bought date squares. I bought one from a restaurant over the holidays and it didn’t taste nearly as good as these (too much white sugar which was over powering). I also think this recipe would work well with all different kinds of nuts…love the roasted almond idea. Happy new year!