Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
These Apple Raisin Date Squares are the perfect treat for lovers of date squares.
You’ll gobble up these easy-to-make squares by combining apples, raisins, and dates.
Try them with Mum’s 4-Ingredient Victoria British Sponge Cake for a fruity filling!
Mixed Fruit Apple Raisin Date Squares
These Apple Raisin Date Squares came about from my love for date squares.
As a result, combining apples, raisins, and dates makes a fantastic thick filling.
If you like date squares, you’ll gobble up these apple raisin date squares.
I enjoy oatmeal bars filled with fruits if there’s anything to know about me.
We store our raisins in the freezer, which buys us time to use them.
You’ll often find dates and prunes in our house because I like snacking on them.
Growing up in the UK, making Classic Date Squares was expected at my parent’s house.
If it wasn’t squares, it was Mum’s 4-Ingredient Victoria British Sponge Cake with a fruit filling.
How To Make Easy Sugar-Free Jams
Fruit fillings are a big deal in the UK, especially with how easy it is to make jam and jellies.
Since moving to Canada, I’ve made many jams, primarily sugar-free keto jams.
I don’t go hog-wild and make jam jars, but one or two to get us through the month.
Some of our favorite sugar-free jams are all made with low-sugar berries.
The mulberries and strawberries are harvested from our property in the summer.
In the off-season, we buy berries when they are on sale, or even frozen fruits make a nice jam.
- Keto Rhubarb Strawberry Chia Jam
- Sugar-Free Mulberry Jam
- Blueberry Sugar-Free Jam
- Blackberry Sugar-Free Jam
- Raspberry Sugar-Free Jam
- Strawberry Sugar-Free Jam
The sugar-free keto jams follow a similar recipe of berries, cold water, lemon juice, sweetener of choice, and xanthan gum.
Forget about buying expensive sugar-free jam or alternatives and make it at home for a fraction of the price.
How To Make Apple Raisin Date Squares Filling
We had one apple that needed use, so I created a mixture of apples, raisins, and dates.
What came of it was a delicious filling similar to a thick date filling.
To make this simple apple raisin date filling, you need first to soak the raisins.
Add pizzazz to the apple raisin date squares by soaking them in 1/2 cup of dark rum or 1/4 cup dark rum and 1/4 cup of cold water.
Note: Do not throw the liquid away, as you’ll need it for the recipe.
I soaked the raisins to plump them so they were easier to mash.
The dates and apples soften quickly, but the raisins need help.
The mixture becomes a flavourful thick filling following the same process as the Classic Date Squares.
Another great idea a reader gave me was to add grated orange peel to the mixture.
If the filling is too thick, add a tablespoon of water to thin it out.
Saving Money Baking
If you consider the costs of dates, they can get pricey based on season and availability.
However, replacing part of the dates with raisins and apples helps bulk the filling.
As a result, you’ll have a delicious make-ahead apple raisin date squares recipe.
Ingredients To Make Apple Raisin Date Squares
- 13×9 baking pan
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- 3/4 pound pitted dates
- 1 cup Thompson Raisins soaked in 1/2 cup of water or dark rum for 30 minutes
- 1 medium red apple of choice peeled and chopped into chunks
- 1 cup of water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 cups large Flake oats
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 cup brown sugar for oats mixture
- 2 tablespoons of brown sugar for apple raisin date mixture
- 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon or add to your preference cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup of cubed cold butter
- parchment paper
- cooking spray
Apple Raisin Date Squares Procedure
Printable Recipe is Below
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
- Put your pitted dates, soaked raisins, and apple chunks in a pot with 1 cup of cold water, water or alcohol-soaked raisins, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, and vanilla, then cook until tender (about 15-20 minutes) then cool.
- Puree cooled date, raisin apple mixture in a food processor until blended and smooth (if you like it chunky, use a fork to mash them up)
- Spray a 13×9 baking pan with cooking spray, then line it with parchment paper so it’s hanging over the edges.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, salt, oats, butter, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon, and mix in the food processor until combined or the oats look like chunks.
- Pat 2/3 of the oatmeal mixture in the bottom of a parchment-lined baking pan. I use a fork around the pan to ensure it’s packed in nicely.
- Add the apple, raisin, and date mixture to the oat mixture and smooth out over the top.
- Use the rest of the oat mixture and crumble over the top. Don’t press in as you did for the bottom of the pan. Just let the oats fall all over the top of the date mixture.
- Bake for 25 mins or until golden brown at the top.
- Let cool, then pull the date squares out by lifting the parchment paper out and place on a cutting board.
- Cut into squares with a sharp knife and set them back into the pan or on a serving platter.
- You can freeze these for up to 6 months if they last that long.
Printable Recipe – Apple Raisin Date Squares
Apple Raisin Date Squares
Jazz up the classic thick date square with these easy apple raisin date squares boasting a thick filling and large oat flake bottom and topping.
Ingredients
- 13×9 baking pan
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
- 3/4 pound pitted dates
- 1 cup Thompson Raisins soaked in 1/2 cup of water or dark rum for 30 minutes (keep water)
- 1 medium red apple of choice peeled and chopped into chunks
- 1 cup of water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 cups large Flake oats
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 cup brown sugar for oats mixture
- 2 tablespoons of brown sugar for apple raisin date mixture
- 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon or add to your preference cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup of cubed cold butter
- parchment paper
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
- Put your pitted dates, soaked raisins and apple chunks in a pot with 1 cup of cold water, water or alcohol soaked raisins, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, and vanilla then cook until tender (about 15-20 minutes) then cool.
- Puree cooled date, raisin apple mixture in a food processor until blended and smooth (if you like it chunky just use a fork to mash themup)
- Spray a 13×9 baking pan with cooking spray then line with parchment paper so it’s hanging over the edge.
- In a large mixing bowl add the flour, salt, oats, butter, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and mix in the food processor until combined or the oats look like chunks,
- Pat 2/3 of the oatmeal mixture in the bottom of a parchment lined baking pan. I use a fork to go around the pan to make sure it’s packed in tight.
- Add the apple, raisin, date mixture on top of the oat mixture and smooth out over top.
- Use the rest of the oat mixture and just crumble over the top. Don’t press in as you did for the bottom of the pan just let the oats fall all over the top of the date mixture.
- Bake in the oven for 25 mins or until golden brown at the top.
- Let cool then pull the date squares out by lifting the parchment paper out and place on a cutting board.
- Cut into squares with a sharp knife and set them back into the pan or on a serving platter.
- You can also freeze these up to 6 months if they last that long for you.
Notes
Add grated orange peel into the mixture for hints of orange
Freeze in freezer bags or container.
Choose an apple that you like or have on hand.
Let me know what you think if you make these in the comment section below.
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Thanks,
Mr.CBB
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