Cranberry Date Bars

Submitted by Recipe Junkie

"From the Kansas City Star, submitted by Patty A. Peterson, Pleasant Hill KS."

 

• Ready In: 1hr
• Ingredients: 14
• Yields: 32 bars

ingredients

• 1 (12 ounce) package cranberries
• 1 (8 ounce) package chopped dates
• 1⁄4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups oats
• 1 1⁄2 cups brown sugar, packed
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, melted
• cooking spray

• For glaze

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons orange juice

directions

1. In saucepan, combine cranberries, dates and water.
2. Cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes.
3. Stir in vanilla and set aside.
4. In bowl, stir in flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda and salt.
5. Stir in melted butter until blended.
6. Pat half into bottom of a 13x9" baking pan sprayed with cooking spray.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.
8. Spread cranberry mixture over crust, sprinkle with remaining oat mixture, and pat gently.
9. Bake 20-22 minutes or until golden brown.
10. Cool.
11. For glaze, combine powdered sugar and vanilla.
12. Stir in orange juice 1 t at a time.
13. Drizzle glaze over cooled bars.
14. Let sit before cutting.
15. You may have to dip knife in water to cut.

Reviews

[Chilicat]

I messed up a little on this recipe but it still turned out fine. I forgot to add the vanilla to the cranberries and dates, and I didn't pre-bake the bottom crust. I also had to add a couple tablespoons more water to the cranberries and dates while they were cooking - the flour coating on my chopped dates made the mixture so thick I couldn't even mix it, much less spread it. I liked the way the tartness of the cranberries offset the butter and sugar in the crust. Next time I'll follow the directions as written to see if there's a noticeable difference. In any case, I was looking for a different way to use fresh cranberries and this really hit the spot.