Canadian Date Squares

Submitted by PCrocker

"These date squares are a childhood favorite."

 

• Ready In: 40mins
• Ingredients: 9
• Serves: 16

ingredients

• 8 ounces dates, cut up
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1⁄2 cup water
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt
• 3⁄4 cup butter
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 cups oats (not instant)

directions

1. Combine dates, 1 TBSP brown sugar, and water in small saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook, stirring often, until dates are soft enough to be mashed with a fork.
3. Set aside.
4. In mixer bowl, blend flour, baking soda, and salt.
5. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
6. Stir in brown sugar and oats.
7. Do not over mix.
8. Mixture should stay crumbly.
9. Press half of crumb mixture over bottom of lightly buttered 8x8-inch pan to form bottom crust.
10. Gently spread date filling over bottom crust.
11. Sprinkle remaining oat mixture over date filling.
12. Lightly pat with palm of hand to even out.
13. Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.
14. Cool completely and cut into squares.

Reviews

[Karl D.]

I am about to try this recipe, but can I just say I am frustrated by those people who review recipes after they have made significant changes to it. What is the point? Don't you see it is not a review of the recipe if you didn't follow it? Am I the only one who is frustrated by this?

 

[Shoga-chan]

Delicious and would be 5 stars but as others wrote did need to double amount of dates. I also had to add about another 1/2 cup of flour as that much margarine made the flour mix too mushy, but i suspect my non-cooking margarine is to blame. I also threw some grated apple in with the dates, and some almond slivers in the topping half of the crumb mix.

 

[dices_13131686]

We call these Matrimonial Squares here on Vancouver Island. Definitely butter and I have used raisons for the filling too. Yum!

 

[2boyzmum]

These were a hit with parents and kids alike at a recent potluck. I added a few extra dates based on other reviews, and they turned out great! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Boxerwing]

Extremely yummy, especially warm from the oven. I probably used more dates than was called for, and added a bit more water when they were cooking. I also left the dates whole, and had no problems with large chunks; the dates mushed down quite nicely. Overall a delicious old-fashioned treat!