Date Squares

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 24
• 1 1/2 cups pitted dates
• 1 1/2 cups orange juice
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups firmly-packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups butter, cut into pieces
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or 1 cup pecans
• 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats

Recipe

• 1 simmer dates in orange juice and cinnamon for 30 minutes, or until thickened, stirring occasionally. (be careful not to scorch mixture if it gets too thick)
• 2 combine flour, salt and brown sugar and cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. stir in coconut, nuts and oats.
• 3 press half of dough mixture into bottom of 9 x 13 inch pyrex baking dish. pat dough flat with a sheet of wax paper on hand.
• 4 spread date mixture to within a half inch of edges.
• 5 top with remaining dough and flatten lightly with wax paper on hand.
• 6 bake in a preheated 375 degrees f (190c) oven for 45 minutes, or until golden.
• 7 let cool in pan and cut into 24 bars (4 long strips cut by 6 shorter strips).