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Apple Oat Date Bars Recipe

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4.2 from 75 reviews

These Apple Oat Date Bars are a wholesome and naturally sweet snack made from dates, oats, walnuts, and fresh apples. Perfectly spiced with cinnamon and ginger, they offer a chewy texture with a satisfying bite. Baked to a golden finish, these bars are great for a healthy breakfast, snack, or on-the-go treat, providing energy and nutrition without added refined sugars.

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 3 cups pitted dates (soaked in warm water for 20 minutes, if dry, then drained)
  • 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (divided into 1 cup and 1 cup)
  • 1 cup raw, unsalted walnuts
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

  • 1 cup diced apples

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Line an 8x8 inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving extra paper hanging over the sides to serve as handles for easy removal of the bars later. Set the prepared dish aside.
  2. Process Base Mixture: In a food processor, pulse together the soaked and drained dates, 1 cup of oats, walnuts, ground cinnamon, and ground ginger. Pulse only until a pasty dough forms. The mixture should be sticky but with some texture remains present—avoid over-processing to keep texture in the bars.
  3. Add Apples and Remaining Oats: Add the remaining 1 cup of rolled oats and diced apples to the food processor. Pulse a few times just enough to incorporate them evenly into the mixture. If the mixture is too thick or not blending well, transfer it to a mixing bowl and fold together gently with a wooden spoon or clean hands just until combined.
  4. Press into Baking Dish: Slightly dampen your hands to prevent sticking and press the dough mixture firmly and evenly into the prepared baking dish, smoothing out the surface.
  5. Bake the Bars: Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the mixture darkens by a shade and is cooked through.
  6. Cool and Slice: Remove the bars from the oven and allow them to cool completely in the pan placed on a cooling rack. Once cooled, use the parchment paper handles to lift the whole slab out of the dish, then cut into 16 equal-sized squares.

Notes

  • Soaking dates softens them and helps the mixture blend easier; if dates are already soft, soaking can be skipped.
  • Use raw, unsalted walnuts for best flavor and health benefits.
  • For variation, you can substitute walnuts with pecans or almonds.
  • Ensure not to over-process the mixture to retain a pleasant texture in the bars.
  • Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for longer shelf life.

Find it online: https://recipethrive.com/apple-oat-date-bars-recipe/