These date squares are the perfect sweet treat.
Featuring just a handful of ingredients, they are sweetened with only nutrient-rich dates and can be prepared in just about 20 minutes!
I’ve been on a mission to eat more dates lately, because they’re thought to improve labor when eaten during the last month of pregnancy. Since dates are naturally sweet and delicious, I’m happy to increase my consumption, regardless. Even if you’re not pregnant, dates are a beneficial addition to the diet, since they’re rich in fiber, which can promote digestive health and relieve constipation. They are also rich in magnesium, which is known for its anti-inflammatory benefits, reducing the risk of high blood pressure and stroke.
Paired with the antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids found in walnuts, these bars are a grain-free, nutritious treat!
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Raw Date Squares (Vegan, Paleo)
makes one 8″x8″ pan
Adapted from this recipe
Ingredients:
For the crust/crumble:
3 cups raw walnuts
8 soft Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
For the filling:
2 cups soft Medjool dates, pitted and tightly packed
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Line an 8″x8″ baking dish with parchment paper or plastic wrap. In a food processor fitted with an “S” blade, pulse the walnuts until they are finely ground into a meal. Add in the chopped dates, coconut oil and salt, and process again until sticky dough is formed. Set aside 1 cup of this dough to save for the crumble topping, then transfer the rest of the dough to the lined baking dish, using your hands to press it evenly into the bottom of the pan.
To prepare the date filling, combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor, and process until a uniform filling is created. Spread the filling over the crust evenly, then crumble the reserved cup of dough over the top. Use your fingers to gently press the crumble topping into the date filling, then place in the fridge for at least 2 hours to set.
Serve chilled for best texture, and store any leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week.
Raw Date Squares
Ingredients
For the crust/crumble:
- 3 cups raw walnuts
- 8 soft Medjool dates , pitted and chopped
- 1/4 cup coconut oil , melted
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the filling:
- 2 cups soft Medjool dates , pitted and tightly packed
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Line an 8"x8" baking dish with parchment paper or plastic wrap. In a food processor fitted with an "S" blade, pulse the walnuts until they are finely ground into a meal. Add in the chopped dates, coconut oil and salt, and process again until sticky dough is formed. Set aside 1 cup of this dough to save for the crumble topping, then transfer the rest of the dough to the lined baking dish, using your hands to press it evenly into the bottom of the pan.
- To prepare the date filling, combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor, and process until a uniform filling is created. Spread the filling over the crust evenly, then crumble the reserved cup of dough over the top. Use your fingers to gently press the crumble topping into the date filling, then place in the fridge to set for 2 hours.
- Serve chilled for best texture, and store any leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week.
Nutrition
Per Serving: Calories: 343, Fat: 23g, Carbohydrates: 34g, Fiber: 4g, Protein: 5g
Enjoy!
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Reader Feedback: What’s your favorite way to eat dates?
These look delightful, thank you! I love dates. I like to take about 4 soaked Medjool dates and process them in a food processor with about a tablespoon of almond butter (or peanut, or whatever), a half teaspoon of vanilla, teaspoon of honey, tablespoon of raw cocoa and a tablespoon of unsweatened shredded coconut. A doughy batter is formed and if I’m really lazy I just eat it with a spoon right out of the food processor, otherwise you can form balls :).
That sounds delicious! Thanks for the idea, Lisa!
These look great! I love medjool dates but have yet to bake with them. I’ll have to try these out!
Wau Thanks a lot I have to use this date fruit for my labor. How many do you consume them a day? In article is 6 date ( I do not know if medjool date or regular one)
Thanks.
Love date with coconut oil nuts chocolate like date balls
I have 5 fig trees on our property, when I saw the recipe I thought maybe I could substitute the fresh figs. I decided, if they were dried figs they might work but the fresh ones would be too soft.I am looking for a fresh fig bar recipe that isn’t loaded with sugar and flour, I probably will just have to make some with the trial and error method, anybody have any recipes or ideas? You’re date bars look so delicious I definitely want to make them, but right now I am overloaded with figs!
Just Google raw fig bars and tons of recipes come up. 🙂
Here are a couple of ideas:
http://www.thisrawsomeveganlife.com/2012/10/raw-fig-bars.html#.Ug0qST_3NCs
http://rawified.blogspot.com/2012/07/raw-fig-newtons.html
You can sundry your figs and then replace the filling from this recipe with figs instead of the dates, I made some very very similar to this and the filling I used sun dried figs it tasted like a raw version of fig newtons yummy!!!
Easy to make and so very good!!!
I want more information your recipe locks good
The Raw Date Bars look awesome, Megan. I will need to put this recipe in my ‘To Make’ list when I purchase some dates and raw walnuts . I love the taste, texture, and health value of raw desserts!
These look awesome! I’m so glad you posted these because I have to stay away from sugar for awhile (fruit sugar is ok) and I was trying to figure out how to still please my sweet tooth! I can’t wait to try these.
Ooooo! These look great! I love dates!
I use to love the baked Date Squares my mother made. This Raw Date Squares (Vegan, Paleo) looks really good, and I love the fact that it’s Raw. I keep a good supply of Bard Valley Medjool dates on had all the time. But I need to restock my mason jars with Walnuts, and other nuts. Definitely going to try this recipe. Thanks Megan for sharing this recipe.
I have a date blondie that I have yet to post. Dates are the perfect natural sweetener. Love the looks of these bars and anything to improve labor, right? 😉
Kim, date blondies sounds fantastic! I just bookmarked your blog, so I can see them when you post them.
Yum! I love dates & am super excited to make these! My favorite way to enjoy dates is simply individual dates topped with shredded coconut and half an almond. They’re like gourmet candies that way :0). But, so far, I’ve liked dates every single way I’ve ever had them!
Get good quality pitted dates,melt 75%cocoa chocolate, about 6 squares, add 1/2 a teasp coconut oil, mix till melted, Dip dates into choc, place on a lined tray and pop into freezer until set. Transfer to a container and keep in freezer, when eaten straight from freezer they taste like choc coated caramels, yummy!!!
Must try! Thanks for sharing!
Do you think almonds could be substituted for walnuts? I have a plethora of almonds I need to use and would prefer to use those up. Any thoughts?
Sure, I don’t see why not! They are slightly less oily than walnuts, so just be sure to add more dates or coconut oil if needed to create a “sticky” dough.
What can be substituted for nuts, due to tree nut allergy?
Perhaps rolled oats? You’d probably have to add some extra coconut oil or butter to help them stick together.
Thank you. I’ll try it with rolled oats.
I just made the recipe but the filling is same color as the crust inside doesnt look darker like the picturee and crust is very oily dont know what went wrong
Mine are the same.
I am enjoying your recipes so much!!! All of them are delicious and healthy and I am really learning a lot,plus all the comments are so helpful to me, too. Love your newsletters!!!!
Dates are magical in raw desserts and I can’t imagine using anything different. These look SO tasty and easy to make 🙂
I love pitted medjool dates split into two halves, and shmearing each half with raw almond butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
yummmmmy! 😀
Stuffed with nut butter and dipped in chocolate then freeze…and every other way…
Great recipe! Made it today for a raw food birthday party. Thank you for sharing!
Wow, these look delicious! I can’t wait to try them!
Made these last night. So unbelievably good! Thank you!!
Lauren
Do you recommend soaking the walnuts first? Thanks!
I didn’t soak mine, but if you want to, I’d just make sure they’re dry before using them in this recipe. I’m not sure how the moisture would affect the results.
These were easy to make and delicious. Please share more gluten free vegan recipes.
These are absolutely delicious! I did mix in some pecans with the walnuts. Can’t wait to make again!
Possibly my favourite recipe from your site yet! I just made these and they are TO DIE FOR. I love date squares and these taste even better than the “real” thing. Took me 15 minutes to whip up – I will make these again and again.
FYI for all: I am allergic to walnuts so I subbed pecans as the nut and it worked very well 🙂
I made these yesterday, and was absolutely thrilled with the result. My husband just ate two of the squares (good thing, too, before they are all gone!). We both agree, they are beyond exceptional!! Thank you SO very much for posting this recipe. I’m thrilled to have a healthy version of one of my all-time Favourite Treats!
I made these today and I bow down to you. These are awesome. I actually made half a recipe and still got 8 nice treat serving sizes from them. I plan on making them for Holidays my junk food loving friends and family will never know!
Hi Megan
Love the sound of this recipe although can’t get medjool dates here in Crete. Will ordinary soft dates do and if so how what quantity will I need?
Also the same with coconut oil. Can I use any other kind of oil ie walnut oil, light olive oil, melted butter?
Best regards
Tessa
Hands down the BEST dessert ever!!! Even my picky 6 year old son LOVES!! Thank you for this great recipe!!!
OMG! made this over the weekend, delicious!!! I froze half of them pre-cut and been eating them from the freezer! Love your recipes!!
These are delicious. Made a pan last weekend and doing another one this weekend. Such a great treat !!!!
Just made these and they turned out great. Didn’t miss the sugar at all.
So I made the crust and it was soo good (and sweet enough) that I opted out of the actual date feeling and just froze the crust, and cut them into bars for snacks. Delicious!
These are amazing! I love them! Thanks so much for the recipe. This might sound weird but I’m going to put a thin layer of blue cheese before the top layer next time I make these. It was a huge hit.
I really liked the crust and crumble but once I added the date filling and tasted the end result found it to be too sweet after eating a few bites. If you are like me consuming no additional sugar in general outside fruit you might want to consider putting on the filling even thinner than what you see in the picture and even putting less dates in the crust/crumble to balance out sweetness of filling. Otherwise the first couple bites were delicious!
I just finished making the recipe and am looking forward to the results because making it turned into a mess and a pain in the b*tt. When I started to process the dates, the water, the vanilla and salt, the liquid started spraying out the sides of my processor. (I have the same one that you have.) I stopped it to make sure that the top was on properly and it was. So I started it up again and again the sticky liquid sprayed out again. Groan. I transferred the dates, etc. to my blender but my blender wasn’t strong enough to blend it but it did manage to mix some of the water with the dates. So…back again to the processor to blend it all and then all was fine. Maybe the liquid should go in first??
Wrap a towel around the top of the food processor next time (right where the top twists on because that is where it leaks). After a few seconds once the mixture comes together you can take it off.
I used pecans instead of walnuts(walnuts make my mouth get instant cankres) and added some freshly grated nutmeg and a bit more salt to the crust. I also added a touch of cinnamon and vanilla pod instead of vanilla extract to the filling. I finished with pulsing 1/4c macadamia nuts and 1/4c fine coconut with the reserved 1c of crust before layering on as crumble. Thanks for the great recipe!
These are by far my favourite sweet. My husband and I paddle competitively, we will be including these in our race food 🙂 For anyone interested if you cut these into 12 squares, one square is 275 calories
These were really good. Thanks for the great recipee. I will be making these again.
I bought dates from Costco and wanted a grain free recipe to use them up – this was perfect! These are gooey and decadent and the salt is the perfect balance to make them really hit the spot. These took no time to make and I didn’t change anything about the recipe. Delicious!
I am obsessed with these date squares they are delicious!!! My family loves them too!!
These are delicious; my family loves them.
Can you freeze these?
Could I use dried figs in this recipe as a substitute for dates?
This recipe is very tasty. Thank you for posting it. I would suggest that you add a notation to soak the dates. I purchased a package of dates that were rather dry and it made a huge mess in the food processor when making the filling. I had water spraying everywhere but the dates were still intact. Soaking would help them blend better and smoother.