These Oatmeal Walnut Gluten Free Date Bars are seriously dreamy! They make the perfect energizing on-the-go snack, and are a healthy option because they are free of added sugars.
This has been one of the top 5 recipes on my site for over 2 years! I have rephotographed it, and rewritten this post, to better reflect where my blog is at now. The recipe is the same, but I have streamlined the recipe (fewer steps!) and added some additional tips to help you make the best date bars possible.
These date bars continue to be a big hit at our house. I made another batch for our trip this past weekend to Pangkor Laut resort here in Malaysia. I’ve been posting photos of this trip on social media — so if you’re interested, follow along with me on Facebook and Instagram!
If you’re hoping for another recipe in my Freezer Friendly Meal Series, no worries! I had a fantastic cook-once-3-meal recipe to share with you today, but in my overzealous hard drive clearing this morning, I deleted THE WHOLE FILE of photos for the recipe I had planned.
I am not sad that I will have to make that recipe again (and have more healthy delicious meals in my freezer), but I am sad I lost those beautiful images. And that I will have to find time this week to take them again!
Life.
So back to these amazing bars. If you’ve never used dates in your baking before, YOU ARE MISSING OUT! Not only are they super sweet and caramelly in flavor, they are loaded with fiber, vitamins and minerals, meaning they are a much healthier alternative to other sweeteners. I use them often in my baking and treat making. If you haven’t seen them yet, my Double Chocolate Muffins and my Chocolate Quinoa Cake are completely date sweetened.
THIS date caramel! It’s magical. All it is is dates, and a little splash of lemon juice and a pinch of sea salt to help bring out the caramel flavor. When frozen (I like to keep these bars in the freezer for the best texture), the dates harden and are even chewy like caramel.
And the rest of the ingredients in these bars?! Totally nutritious. Whole oats. Flax. Egg. Coconut Oil. Walnuts. Talk about a lot of fiber, a lot of omega 3s, and a lot of chewy deliciousness going on.
These could be brunch, a pre-workout boost, or dessert.
Tips for Gluten Free Date Bars
- To make these gluten free, be sure to buy certified gluten free oatmeal. I use Bob’s Red Mill.
- Medjool Dates work the best. If substituting a different type of date (smaller dates are usually harder), soak them in hot water for 30 seconds, then drain fully, before using. I have used smaller dates before and had good results after soaking them.
- A good quality food processor is needed to process dates into a smooth “caramel.” I suggest one that has at least an 8-cup capacity (the mini processors just aren’t powerful enough).
Serves 1 square
A completely date-sweetened cookie bar. Processed dates take on a chewy-caramelly taste and texture, making these a special treat. I am a Medjool date convert. They really are much easier to work with. Adapted from OhSheGlows' No Bake Vegan Date Squares .
15 minPrep Time
18 minCook Time
33 minTotal Time
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup oats (divided)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
- 5 Medjool dates (4 ounces of pitted dates)*
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons ground flax
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 18 Medjool dates (8 ounces of dates)*
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon sea salt (I like 1/2, but begin with 1/4 and add to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325º F.
- Add 1 cup oatmeal to a food processor bowl, and process until a flour forms.
- Add coconut, dates, sea salt and baking soda, and process until the dates are fully broken up. I find it easiest to process if I break the dates into quarters (if using large medjools) as I am tossing them into the processor.
- Add the other 1/2 cup oatmeal and walnuts, and pulse 8-10 times, until the walnuts are chopped, but still a bit chunky.
- To the food processor bowl, add the egg, flax and coconut oil, and pulse until combined.
- Reserve 1/2 cup of oatmeal mixture to use as a topping.
- Line an 8 x 8 pan with baking paper. Add the rest of the oatmeal cookie mixture to the pan, and press down into an even layer. I use a pastry roller to pack down the bottom layer.
- Rinse out the food processor, and add date layer ingredients. Pulse 10-15 times, until the dates are broken up. Then, process for another 3-4 minutes, until the dates take on a light, whipped caramel color. If you soaked the dates, this process should be very easy. If your dates were soft, so you opted not to soak them, and they are not whipping up nicely, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of hot water to help them process smoother.
- Carefully, using wet hands to press it down and smooth it, add the date later on top of the cookie layer. Using wet hands will keep the layer from sticking and pulling up the cookie layer.
- Crumble the reserved 1/2 cup of oatmeal mixture over the top.
- Bake for 18 minutes.
- For best results, completely cool before slicing. I like to freeze them before slicing for nicer bars.
- These bars are best stored (and enjoyed!) from the freezer, but also hold up well as a travel snack.
Notes
*1 cup of packed Medjool dates is about 5 1/2 ounces. To sub a smaller date variety, please weigh instead of relying on the measurements for Medjools. Depending on what variety you use, it might take 2 1/2 cups of dates to equal the weight of 5 1/2 ounces. I have used different dates in this recipe with success by measuring by weight rather than cups.
Other Date Bar Recipes:
- 5 Ingredient No-Bake Vegan Date Bars, by OhSheGlows.
- The Best Date Bars Ever, by Vegan in the Freezer
- Crumble Date Bars, by Beard and Bonnet
- No-Bake German Chocolate Cookie Bars, by Vitamin Sunshine
The post Gluten Free Date Bars {No Added Sugar} appeared first on Vitamin Sunshine.
