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Add a little twist to your traditional date squares when you make these vegan date squares with coconut! This tasty, easy-to-make treat also happens to be gluten free which makes them vegan gluten-free date squares! Bonus 🙂
When I was little, date squares were not on my favourites list (anything with dates, really), but as I got older, I started to appreciate them more. They were still not on my list of faves, but I still enjoyed them every now and then.
Fast forward to today, and these date coconut squares are definitely on my favourites list—mostly because of the slight makeover I gave them.
These coconut date bars are very similar to the one we're all used to, but with a little coconut twist!
Traditional date square ingredients are quite basic...flour, oats, dates, sugar, and butter.
My vegan date squares have all those things (oat flour instead of white flour and coconut oil instead of butter), PLUS, the also have coconut flour, shredded coconut and a few other little changes. On top of that, they're vegan gluten-free date squares (if you use gluten-free oats and oat flour).
Despite the few extra ingredients, this vegan date squares recipe comes together quickly and is very easy to make. They make a great snack (school snacks, too if your kids like dates!) or a sweet companion for tea.
These coconut date bars also pack up nicely for picnics and road trip snacks. You know, since summer is right around the corner!
Do Date Squares Freeze Well?
You'll be pleased to know that these date squares DO freeze well if you want to save them for later. Simply place them in an airtight container or freezer bag and they will last for at least three months.
When you're ready to enjoy them, place the freezer bag or container in the refrigerator overnight or until they have defrosted.
If you like this recipe, you may also like these:
- Walnut Coconut Hemp Seed Bites
- Blueberry Oatmeal Bars
- Vegan Granola Bars
- Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
- No-Bake Peanut Butter Coconut Balls
And if you make this vegan date square recipe, take a pic and tag me on Instagram! I'd love to see! You're already following me on Instagram, right? 🙂
They're crumbly, gooey, just the right amount of sweet, and I hope you love them!
How to Make Vegan Date Squares
Vegan Date Squares with Coconut
Ingredients:
Date filling
- 2 cups pitted medjool dates
- hot water
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- pinch of salt
Crust and crumble
- 1 cup oat flour
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- ¾ cup firm coconut oil (see note below)
- 2 cups rolled oats
- ¼ cup shredded coconut
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Line an 8x8 baking pan or dish with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Place the pitted dates into a large bowl and add hot water until the dates are covered. Let sit to soften for 10 minutes.
- Add oat flour and coconut flour to a medium-sized bowl.
- Add coconut oil and using a pastry cutter, cut coconut oil into oat and coconut flour mixture until mixture is crumbly.
- Add rolled oats, shredded coconut, coconut sugar, ground cinnamon, and baking soda and mix until everything is combined.
- Remove ⅓ of the mixture and set aside.
- Add the remaining ⅔ of the mixture to the parchment-lined dish and press down firmly until it is solid and there are no crumbly bits left.
- Pour away the water from the bowl holding the dates and add the dates to a food processor. Process until smooth.
- Add the vanilla and the pinch of salt. Mix again to combine.
- Gently spread the date mixture onto the top of the crust with a rubber spatula.
- Sprinkle the remaining ⅓ of the crumble mixture on top of the date layer and gently press down so the crumble sticks to the dates.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack to sit until cooled off before cutting.
- Cut when warm and depending on how large you want your squares to be, cut into 9 or 12 squares.
- Store in an airtight container for up to a week.
Recipe Notes:
- For this recipe, you want your coconut oil to be quite firm, but not too firm that it can't be worked with. Do not use liquid coconut oil or coconut oil that is very soft. If yours is too soft measure it out into a bowl and put into the fridge or freezer for a few minutes for it to firm up before using.
- Don't buy oat flour! Make it yourself! Learn how to make your own oat flour here.
- Store your squares covered in an airtight container for up to a week.
- Nutrition info listed below is based on 1 of 12 squares and the recipe made as written. Nutrition info is only to be used as a rough guide. Click here to learn how nutrition info is calculated on this website.
Melanie says
Delicious! I added salt to the crumbs.
Gwen Leron says
Happy you liked it, Melanie! 🙂
meena says
Hi ! If I want to omit ists totally from the recipie whats the substitute of the oats and oat flour? will seeds and nuts work?
Gwen @ Delightful Adventures says
Hi Meena, date squares are traditionally made with oats. I have never made them any other way, so I am unsure of what to suggest to you as a substitute for this ingredient. If you do try the recipe without them, I'd be interested to hear how it goes!
Gwen @ Delightful Adventures says
Hi Meena, date squares are traditionally made with oats. I have never made them any other way, so I am unsure of what to suggest to you as a substitute for this ingredient. If you do try the recipe without them, I'd be interested to hear how it goes!
Demeter | Beaming Baker says
Gwen, if only Wonka Vision were a thing right now... I would ask you to beam me some of these date coconut squares. Seriously, this ingredients list has me swooning (with hunger that is). And maybe just a little bit of foodie love? 😉 So happy you grew to love dates--if not for that, we wouldn't have these delicious treats. So when are ya gonna bring some over? 😉
Gwen says
Ha! Wonka Vision 😉 How about we trade treats one of these days? And yes, I LOVE dates now, thank goodness 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!