Classic Date Squares... The Best in the World!

Classic Date Squares

Ingredients

For the filling:
3 cups of dehydrated dates
1 cup (240 ml) of water
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

For the oat crust:
2 cups of rolled oats
1 cup of flour 
3/4 cup of brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 cup of cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

Preparation
For the filling: 
In a saucepan, place the dates and water.
 Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, remove from heat and add the vanilla extract.
Let cool to room temperature and use your food processor to puree.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and butter a 9-inch square pan, line with parchment paper.

For the crust:
In a bowl, mix the oats, flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
Incorporate the butter and mix with a fork.
Place 2/3 of the mixture in the prepared pan.
Evenly spread the date puree over the oat crust. 
Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture on top of the dates, press to compact. 
Bake in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes.
 Once the squares have cooled, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

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