Date Bars For My Youngest

Alistaire has changed, he is a big boy now. He looks at our food longingly. He wants what we have, to not be segregated due to his allergies. I went back into my copy of Enjoy Life’s Cookies for Everyone!: 150 Delicious Gluten-Free Treats that are Safe for Most Anyone with Food Allergies, Intolerances, an, to make a new recipe for him to enjoy. I picked the Date Bars on page 107 and adapted them to coconut oil, rather than shortening. I have really enjoyed this cookbook, I first found it long before allergies were even an issue in our family. Now? I have a vast array of sweet treats I can offer the littlest. No eggs, gluten, peanuts, nuts and so on 🙂

His face was beaming happiness.

Little man couldn’t get enough of it!

Baking for my children makes me happy, being able to create for the baby? That is more than happiness.

Date Bars

Cookie Base:

• ½ cup virgin coconut oil, chilled
• 1½ cups old-fashioned oats (GF if needed)
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup brown rice flour
• ¾ cup tapioca flour
• ½ tsp fine sea salt

Filling:

• 3 cups medjool dates, pitted and chopped
• 1½ cups water
• ¼ cup granulated sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°, lightly oil or spray a 9×13″ glass baking dish.

Place the dates, water and sugar in a medium heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until thick and mostly smooth. Set aside to cool while the crust is prepared.

Add the cookie base ingredients to a food processer, process until finely crumbed. Divide in half, spreading on half in the prepared dish, pat down firmly. Spread date filling over crust, smoothing out. Sprinkle remaining crust mixture over the top evenly.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until lightly browned. Let cool partially on a wire rack, cut bars while still warm (but not hot).

I cut 16 bars. Wrap extras in plastic wrap, freeze on a baking sheet till hard, then package in a freezer bag.

PS:

I chilled a wrapped bar and took it on my Sunday hike. For second breakfast, it was so tasty. It fueled me on my way out! Even after I squashed it with my camera 😉 Oh yeah, that is Mt. Rainier.

~Sarah