Blueberry Date Bars

Wow, this recipe for Date Bars is so good. It’s super moist and easy for little ones to chew, and it’s made with a handful of wholesome ingredients that taste seriously good, too. It’s ready in under 30 minutes and stores amazingly well.

Date Bars

This bar recipe is a yummy snack or breakfast since it’s easy to eat and seriously satisfying. It’s lightly sweet and has the most delicious flavor combo from almond butter and dates. It’s made with a base of rolled oats, eggs, and almond butter—and blueberries and dates—so you’ll know the kids are getting a nice mix of nutrients in each bite.

It’s easy to make this gluten-free if you use GF oats, and it is packed with protein and beneficial fats for the little ones … though I love it just as much for myself!

(You may also like my Breakfast Bars with Jam and my Oatmeal Bars.)

Ingredients You Need

Here’s a look at the ingredients you need to make this easy recipe.

• Medjool dates: I use Medjool or Deglet Noor dates here, pits removed, as they are nicely sweet and moist, which makes them easy to blend.
• Rolled oats: Instead of flour in this recipe, we use whole grain rolled oats, which are sometimes called “old-fashioned oats” at the store.
• Baking powder: A little baking powder helps these bars rise nicely and bake through evenly.
• Ground flaxseed: I like to put a little flaxseed in this recipe for added nutrition. You can use additional oats if you don’t have any on hand, though.
• Eggs: Eggs help the batter stay moist and the bars bake through. If you can’t do eggs in your family, the best option in this recipe is a liquid egg replacer.
• Almond butter: I prefer the flavor of almond butter with dates and blueberries, but you can also use peanut butter or sunflower seed butter if needed. You could use melted coconut oil, too.
• Vanilla extract: A little vanilla adds pleasant flavor to the mix.
• Blueberries: I like to add fresh or frozen berries to the top of this batter to bake through and add flavor. We love blueberries, but see what your family enjoys most.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Below is an overview of how to make this recipe so you know what to expect. Scroll down to the end of the post for the full information, including timing and amounts.

1. Soak your medjool dates. Drain, pat dry, and remove the pits. This helps them to be moist and easy to blend
2. Grind the oats into a coarse flour in a food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients except the berries.
3. Grind to blend into an even mixture.
4. Transfer to a pan and sprinkle with blueberries. Bake.
5. Once cool, you can slice into bars and serve or slice and wrap or place into an airtight container.

How to Store

This simple cake (which I often think of as a bread!) stores in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can put the bars into an airtight container or wrap each bar individually and store in a zip-top bag. Either way works! You can eat it cold, at room temp, or slightly warmed, depending on your preference.

Best Tips for Success

• Soak the dates to be sure they soften up nicely and are easy to blend.
• Use fresh or frozen blueberries.
• Trade in chocolate chips or chopped walnuts for the blueberries.
• Bake just until golden brown. If it starts to brown more deeply, cover with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.
• Sub in peanut butter or sunflower seed butter for the almond butter if desired.
• Let cool completely before slicing.
• Add ¼ cup honey, maple syrup, or sugar to the batter to make slightly sweeter bars.

If you make this recipe, please let me know what you think below in the comments!

• Place the dates in a bowl, cover with water, and soak for 30 minutes. Drain, pat dry, and remove pits.

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease an 8×8-inch square baking pan.

• Place the oats into the bowl of a food processor and grind into a coarse flour, like the texture of instant oats. Add the baking powder, salt, flaxseeds, eggs, almond butter, vanilla, and dates. Process until smooth, about 15-30 seconds.

• Pour into the prepared pan and smooth with a spatula.

• Sprinkle the blueberries over the top and press gently into the batter.

• Bake for 28-32 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the pan comes out clean. Cover with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking to prevent the edges from browning too deeply.

• Remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

• Slice into bars, place into an airtight container or a zip-top bag, and store in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• Soak the dates to be sure they soften up nicely and are easy to blend.
• Use fresh or frozen blueberries.
• Sub in peanut butter or sunflower seed butter for the almond butter if desired.
• Store the bars in an airtight container (or individually wrapped in plastic wrap) in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw to serve.

Serving: 1bar, Calories: 104kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.003g, Cholesterol: 31mg, Sodium: 76mg, Potassium: 156mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 62IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 56mg, Iron: 1mg

This post was first published January 2018.