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 using your food processor, purée.
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 dish.
Spread the date purée evenly over the oat crust. 
Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture on top of the dates, press to compact. 
Bake 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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