Old Fashioned Date Bars (Just Like Grandma Made!)

These Old-Fashioned Date Bars might bring back some memories! Inspired by a long-time family favorite, these date bars will satisfy your sweet tooth with simple ingredients and easy prep steps. Let’s get started!

Old-fashioned date bars are one of those classic recipes that never seems to go out of style! Once called matrimonial bars (or matrimonial cake), they’re similar to other types of crumb bars. This one is truly as good as grandma’s recipe because it doesn’t stray from the original version my family started baking years ago!

If you’re looking for more delicious inspiration for Medjool dates, check out my list of 30+ Sweet and Savory Date Recipes.

Old-Fashioned Date Bar Ingredients

Hopefully these simple ingredients are already hanging out in your pantry. Here’s what you need to make this date bar recipe:

• Medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
• Water
• Shortening, which helps the crumb layers stay light and crispy
• Butter
• Brown sugar
• All-purpose flour
• Rolled oats or old-fashioned oats. You can use quick-cooking oats or instant oats (a different type of quick oats), but they are chopped smaller so the crumbly texture will be slightly different
• A little bit of baking soda and salt
• Mini chocolate chips

(full ingredient list and quantities listed in the recipe card below)

Street Smart Nutrition Tip: If you’re shopping for Medjool dates, look for them in the produce section of your grocery store. Even though they resemble other dried fruits, dates are actually a fresh fruit. Click here to learn more about how Medjool dates are grown and harvested!

Swaps and Substitutions

It doesn’t get much simpler with these old-fashioned date squares, but there’s still plenty you can do to customize your pan of date bars. 

If you’re a fan of baking spice like cinnamon, nutmeg, or vanilla extract, add a small amount to the date paste towards the end of cooking. Just don’t add at the beginning, since the simmering heat can dull the flavor.

My family always includes chocolate chips, but you can swap these for chopped nuts. Walnuts or pecans would be especially good…or, why not use both?

And finally, know that shortening has been reformulated so there’s no longer trans fat in it. But if you prefer to avoid, swap for coconut oil or butter. The flavor and texture will be slightly different, but you should have no issues with baking if you make this swap.

Street Smart Nutrition Tip: To make a gluten-free version, double check that the oats are certified gluten-free to avoid cross-contamination. Try using an all-purpose gluten-free flour like this one from Bob’s Red Mill. It’s an easy one-to-one conversion. 

How to Make Old-Fashioned Date Bars

Follow these simple steps to make these classic date bars:

1. Start by pre-heating your oven to 400 degrees F. Get out a 9″x13″ baking dish and small saucepan.
2. Remove the pits if needed, then roughly chop the dates and add to the saucepan along with the water. Cook on low heat until the dates break down and thicken into a sticky paste (about 5-10 minutes). Remove from the heat to avoid scorching the date filling.
3. Meanwhile, mix the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Blend the butter, shortening, and brown sugar in a separate bowl (this is where a hand mixer can really help).
4. Combine into one bowl and mix until you get a crumbly texture. Spread half of it into the pan, pressing the flour mixture into an even layer.
5. Spread the date filling over the bottom layer, then top with the mini chocolate chips. Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture over the date layer.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown. They’re done!

For clean lines, cut the date bars while they’re still warm. Once they’re cool enough to eat, you can dig in!

Old-Fashioned Date Bars

5 from 8 votes

Just like grandma made! These old-fashioned date bars or date squares are so simple to make. Juicy Medjool dates create a sticky, caramel-like paste to spread between buttery crumb layers.

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Print Recipe Rate Recipe Pin Recipe

Servings: 16 bars

Ingredients

• 3 cups Medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
• 1 ½ cups water
• ½ cup shortening
• ¼ cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups rolled oats or quick-cooking oats
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ⅓ cup mini chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare a 9”x13” baking dish or pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• Add the chopped dates and water to a small saucepan. Cook over low heat until thickened into a paste, about 5-10 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow to cool.
• Meanwhile, mix the flour, baking soda, salt, and oats in a mixing bowl. Blend the butter, shortening, and brown sugar in a separate bowl.
• Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix until a crumbly texture forms. Spread approximately half of the mixture in the pan, pressing into an even layer.
• Spread the date mixture on top, then top with the chocolate chips. Follow with the remaining crumb mixture.
• Bake on the middle rack for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Slice and serve warm.

Notes

If adding extra baking spices, stir into the date filling after it has thickened into a paste (at the end of cooking).

Slice the old-fashioned date bars while still warm for clean lines.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 bar, Calories: 277 kcal, Carbohydrates: 51 g, Protein: 3 g, Fat: 8 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g, Trans Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 1 mg, Sodium: 119 mg, Potassium: 255 mg, Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 34 g, Vitamin A: 56 IU, Vitamin C: 0.02 mg, Calcium: 44 mg, Iron: 1 mg

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Date Bars, Date Squares

What to Serve with Date Bars 

Short answer: nothing! These old-fashioned date bars are already the perfect balance of sweet flavor with a crumbly, buttery texture.

But my family loves adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream. This is especially yummy while the date bars are still hot and fresh out of the oven!

How to Store Date Bars

If you plan to eat them quickly, you can store date bars at room temperature in an air-tight container. They’ll last for 3-4 days. 

Otherwise, stash them in the fridge for up to one week.

To freeze, seal or wrap tightly. Date bars can be frozen fo 3-6 months. To thaw, move to the fridge or countertop. Once they’re softened up again, slice and serve as normal.

I promise, one bite of these old-fashioned date bars will have you hooked on the chewy texture and delicious flavor! If you enjoy, I’d love to hear what you think – leave a star rating and review down below.

As always, thanks for stopping by the Street Smart Nutrition blog. Cheers to more fearlessly nourishing meals!