Mexican Date Bars
Transport your taste buds to the vibrant flavors of Mexico with these irresistible Mexican Date Bars. These delightful treats feature a luscious date filling infused with warming cinnamon, fragrant vanilla, and a zesty kick of fresh lime zest—all nestled between layers of buttery, crumbly oat goodness. Perfectly balanced between sweet and tangy, this dessert is both comforting and exotic. With only 20 minutes of prep time and easy-to-follow steps, these bars are ideal for a quick yet indulgent treat. Whether enjoyed as a midday snack or a crowd-pleasing addition to your dessert table, these bars deliver a unique twist on the classic date square. Plus, they store beautifully, making them a make-ahead favorite. Bake up a batch today and savor a bite of Mexico in every bar!
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 2 cups pitted dates
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 0.75 cup brown sugar
- 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 0.75 cup unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease an 8x8-inch baking dish, then line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the pitted dates and water. Cook for about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the dates soften and the mixture thickens into a paste. Remove from heat and stir in the ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, and lime zest. Set aside to cool.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Stir until the dry ingredients are evenly mixed.
Pour the melted butter into the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly until the mixture turns crumbly and holds together when pressed.
Press half of the oat mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish to form the base layer.
Spread the cooled date filling over the base layer evenly, using a spatula or the back of a spoon.
Crumble the remaining oat mixture evenly over the date filling, gently pressing it down to adhere but keeping the crumbly texture.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25-28 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
Remove from the oven and let it cool completely in the pan before slicing into bars.
Store the Mexican Date Bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
3790 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 151.8 g | 195% | |
| Saturated Fat | 92.3 g | 462% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 388 mg | 129% | |
| Sodium | 1869 mg | 81% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 615.3 g | 224% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 45.8 g | 164% | |
| Total Sugars | 425.8 g | ||
| Protein | 36.4 g | 73% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 543 mg | 42% | |
| Iron | 14.7 mg | 82% | |
| Potassium | 4026 mg | 86% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
