Apple Oat Date Bars Recipe
These Apple Oat Date Bars are a wholesome and naturally sweet snack, made with soaked dates, rolled oats, walnuts, and fresh diced apples. They are easy to prepare, requiring minimal mixing and baking, resulting in chewy, flavorful bars perfect for a healthy treat or on-the-go breakfast.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 16 bars 1x
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups pitted dates, soaked in warm water for 20 minutes if dry, then drained
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, divided
- 1 cup raw, unsalted walnuts
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Produce
- 1 cup diced apples
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Line an 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper, allowing the ends to hang over the sides to serve as handles for easy removal of the bars after baking. Optionally, spray the bottom of the pan with cooking spray before adding parchment paper to keep it in place.
- Process Base Mixture: In a food processor, pulse the soaked and drained dates, 1 cup of oats, walnuts, ground cinnamon, and ground ginger until a sticky, pasty dough forms. Ensure not to over-process; some texture should remain so the mixture holds well.
- Add Apples and Remaining Oats: Add the remaining 1 cup of oats and the diced apples to the food processor and pulse a few times just to combine. If the mixture doesn’t incorporate easily, transfer it to a mixing bowl and gently mix with a wooden spoon or clean hands until evenly mixed.
- Press Mixture into Pan: Slightly dampen your hands to prevent sticking, then press the dough firmly and evenly into the prepared baking dish. Compacting the mixture well helps the bars hold together after baking.
- Bake the Bars: Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until the mixture darkens slightly in color.
- Cool and Slice: Remove the baking dish from the oven and allow the bars to cool completely on a cooling rack. Once cool, use the parchment overhang to lift the bars from the pan and cut into 16 small squares.
Notes
- Check dates carefully for any remaining pits or fragments to avoid unpleasant bites.
- Pulse the mixture until it becomes sticky but retains some texture; this helps bind the bars while maintaining chewiness.
- Mix diced apples and remaining oats gently to avoid overworking the dough; using your hands can be more effective than a small food processor.
- Spraying the pan before lining with parchment paper prevents the liner from shifting during the pressing and baking process.
- Pressing the mixture firmly into the pan is key to bars holding together; the denser, the better.
- Ensure bars are fully cooled before cutting to prevent crumbling and to maintain shape.
Keywords: apple bars, oat bars, date bars, healthy snack, homemade granola bars, no refined sugar, easy snack recipes
Find it online: https://hannahdelgado.com/apple-oat-date-bars-recipe/
