Best Date Nut Honey Bars Recipes

OLD-FASHIONED DATE BAR RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Prepare a 9 x 13" baking pan by spraying with cooking spray and/or lightly but thoroughly flouring the bottom (if needed - my pan doesn't need this).
• In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt until thoroughly combined.
• In a second medium bowl, combine sugar and butter until butter is completely incorporated into the sugar. The mixture will be crumbly, similar to wet sand. (I find it's easiest to do this with my hands, rubbing the butter into the sugar with my fingers, but you can also use an electric mixer.) Add eggs, water, and vanilla, and stir until thoroughly combined. Add the dates and walnuts and stir again to distribute evenly.
• Lightly dump the dry ingredients (flour mixture) over top of the wet ingredients (sugar mixture) and stir just until thoroughly combined. The dough will be very thick and sticky.
• Using a rubber scraper, spread the dough into the pan, pushing it and flattening it until it's an even thickness (dough will only thinly cover the entire pan).
• Bake for about 20-22 minutes, until lightly golden brown.
• Let cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack before cutting. Cut into 39 sticks that are 1 inch wide and 3 inches long.
• Place at least 1/4 cup of powdered sugar in a wide bowl. Roll each bar in the sugar to coat, tapping gently to remove any excess, loose sugar. (You should actually use only about 1 tablespoon of the sugar to thinly coat the bars, but it makes it much easier to work with them if there is plenty of extra sugar in the bowl. You can discard the excess.)

DATE AND NUT BARS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, pour boiling water over dates, and set aside to cool. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 10x10 inch baking pan.
• In a medium bowl, cream together the shortening and white sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the dates, including any water; mix well. Sift together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda; stir into the date mixture. Then stir in the nuts.
• Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared 10x10 inch pan, and bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven. When cool, cut into bars, and roll each bar in confectioners' sugar.

DATE BARS

Steps:

• In 2-quart saucepan, cook filling ingredients over low heat about 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened. Cool 5 minutes.
• Heat oven to 400°F. Grease bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with shortening.
• In large bowl, stir brown sugar and butter until well mixed. Stir in flour, oats, baking soda and salt until crumbly. Press half of the crumb mixture evenly in bottom of pan. Spread with filling. Top with remaining crumb mixture; press lightly.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until light brown. Cool 5 minutes in pan on cooling rack. Cut into 6 rows by 6 rows while warm.

DATE AND PINE NUT BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Roll pate brisee into an 8-by-18-inch rectangle. Roll onto a rolling pin and unroll over a 4 1/4-by-13 1/2 inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Using your fingers, gently press dough into pan. Trim overhanging dough flush with edges of pan. Chill 30 minutes.
• Place pine nuts on a baking sheet; toast nuts until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
• In a small bowl, toss and separate chopped dates with 2 tablespoons flour; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, honey, vanilla, and lemon zest. Stir in remaining 6 tablespoons flour, cinnamon, and dates. Pour batter into the chilled shell; sprinkle with pine nuts.
• Bake until filling has browned and set, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack tn cool. Slice into 1-inch-thick bars. Serve.