We all have those time tested, family recipes that everyone loves. These date bars are one our family’s favorite sweet treats! They are crunchy on the outside and sweet gooeyness on the inside! They’re sweet with out being too sweet and they have a great texture to them with the added crunch of nuts.
I’m not sure where she got it, but I got this recipe from my mother-in-law. She is famous for her date bars! All the family members request them and grumble when she hasn’t made any in a while. My husband wanted to hand some out to his customers and co-workers, so we decided to take things into our own hands and make them ourselves.
With the help of my trusty KitchenAid mixer, these were a breeze to make. I will say that it is important to use the right pan. The first batch, I used my largest Pyrex lasagna pan and it wasn’t big enough. While the bars still tasted good, they were too thick and came out very gooey and didn’t have the nice crunch on the outside. The next batch I baked in my larger, but more shallow Pampered Chef Large stoneware bar pan and these turned out perfect! My mother-in-law says she usually cooks hers successfully in a metal pan.
Date Bars
3 eggs
1 – 16 oz package of light brown sugar
3 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
2 cups chopped nuts (I prefer pecans over walnuts)
1 cup chopped dates (You can find these in the grocery store near the raisins)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat eggs slightly. Add brown sugar & vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Combine flour, salt and baking soda and then add to egg/sugar mixture and mix well. Add nuts & dates and mix well. Spread in a heavily greased oblong pan approximately 11″ x 15″. Bake for 30 minutes.
Enjoy and Merry Christmas!!!
Inside Kel's Kitchen 