Slow Cooker Date Bars
Growing up, I always enjoyed learning about family history. I loved hearing stories about my grandparents, my great-grandparents, and my mom's childhood. My mom is full of stories about our Ozark ancestors and their simple ways of life in the 20th century. She often speaks about meals at the home of her grandmother, who we always called Grammy. When it came to dinnertime, Grammy tended to serve meat (often something her husband had hunted or fished), a vegetable, and bread (homemade biscuits or sometimes a stack of store bought white bread on a plate). Dessert followed. The desserts were often Betty Crocker box affairs. Favorites included Snackin' Cakes and Date Bars.
After decades of hearing these stories, we decided last year to try to find a recipe for the date bars. After a little trial and error, we adapted one from Allrecipes to taste just like my mom's childhood favorite. We made them several times last winter. We assumed we wouldn't be enjoying them again until the bunkhouse is done. After successfully making pecan pie in our slow cooker this fall, however, we decided to give date bars a try. They turned out as delicious as ever.
Slow Cooker Date Bars
Crust ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups oats
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
Filling ingredients:
8 oz. dates, chopped
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions
First, make the filling. Combine chopped dates, water, and brown sugar. Cook over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and add vanilla.
Next, make the crust. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly.
The assembly is simple. Press half the crust mixture into the bottom of an 8-quart slow cooker. Then spread the filling over the top. Sprinkle the remaining crust mixture over the top.
Place two layers of paper towels under the slow cooker lid. This is not recommended for safety reasons. However, if you can watch the slow cooker well, it does wonders for keeping pastries from being soggy. I've done it dozens of times since we started camping with no issues.
Slow cook on high for about an hour. Next, switch the slow cooker to warm for another half hour. I have found the exact time depends on the humidity, how cold the slow cooker was to begin with, etc. Look for golden brown edges and set middle. Cool with the lid off for a crisper finish.
Cut into squares. Enjoy slightly warm or completely cooled.
You can also bake these in an oven. Just prepare them in a 9-inch x 13-inch pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.