Date Bar Cookies

Yield: 30

Categories:  None

Ingredients

filling:
3 cups coarsely chopped dates
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups water
crust and topping:
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) very cold butter cut into

Directions

preheat oven to 400. In a nonreactive medium saucepan over low heat, combine dates, granulated sugar and water. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 15 minutes. Cool completely. In a large bowl or bowl of an electic mixer, place brown sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, and oats. Mix on low speed until combined. While mixer is running, add butter 1 piece at a time. Mix until crumb like, with some lumps of butter no larger than pea size.

Using your hands, press and flatten half of crumb mixture into a greased 9x13 inch pan. Spreas cooled filling over crust. Cover with remaining crumb mixture, patting lightly. Bake until lightly browned, 25 to 35 minutes. Cool slightly and cut into bars while still in the pan. Genly remove cut bars from pan. Serve warm or at room temperature. Date bars, stored in an airtight container, refrigerate and freeze well.