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Home > Vegan Recipes

Vegan Date Squares Recipe (Date Crumble Slice)

6/3/21 by Nicole | 6 Comments

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5 from 6 votes. Leave a review!

This recipe for vegan date squares is super easy to make, creating deliciously classic date and oat crumble slices! With a crisp bottom, smooth layer of dates and crumbly oat topping, this recipe brings all the traditional flavors and textures of non-vegan date slices!

Stack of four date and oat crumble slices on a wood board with white-grey marble background. Wood board has other date slices blurred behind the stack.

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Are Date Squares Vegan?

Most date square recipes are not vegan because they use butter or non-vegan margarine. Typically, this is the only non-vegan ingredient which means date square recipes are easy to veganize – simply select a vegan butter or margarine substitute.

The date crumble recipe in this post is an old family recipe that was one of the easiest recipes I’ve ever veganized! It tastes like a traditional date square and there’s no way anyone would know it’s vegan!

Arrangement of date squares on half wood, half marble board with one corner of the board centered in the middle of image. The square in this central corner is in focus with the other squares behind slightly out of focus. Bottom right corner of image shows a small wood bowl of dates that is blurry.

Oat and Date Slice Ingredients

This recipe uses 5 simple ingredients that you likely have on hand! Even with such basic ingredients, this dessert is truly delicious!

  • Dried dates: Creating a delicious layer of pureed dates only requires basic cooking dates; no need to spend the extra money on fancy dates meant for eating. We’re going to soak the dates before pureeing anyway!
  • Rolled oats: Oats add a great taste, texture and crunch to the date slice crust and crumble layers.
  • Brown sugar: Brown sugar is the perfect choice for a delicious crust and crumble! Some recipes add sugar to the dates, but I’ve never understood why, considering dates are perfectly sweet on their own. I only use the sugar to create the crust and crumble.
  • Whole wheat flour: The classic recipe I’ve based this one from uses all purpose flour. However, I like to use whole wheat flour and it works perfectly in this recipe. Whole wheat flour has a slightly nutty flavor which I think is welcome in a date square!
  • Vegan butter or margarine: My family’s classic recipe calls for margarine, which I often have on hand, but if you’re a butter fan, it should work just as well. This binds together other crumble ingredients and creates a delicious, rich base layer and crumble topping. Just soften the vegan butter before using by bringing it up to room temperature.
Top view of 9 date squares on a half marble, half wood board. The board sits on white-grey marble with a light brown towel to the right and small dish of oats to the top right.

How to Make Date Crumble Slice

This recipe is effortless to make, especially if you have a food processor. If not, read below for details on how to prep the dates using a pot on the stove!

Step 1: Prep Dates

There are two ways to prepare your dates for this recipe. For the longest time I used a pot on the stove because that’s the directions in my family’s original recipe.

Then I discovered how much easier it was to use a food processor and haven’t looked back.

Either way, you need to soak the dates first. If you have time, soak them in the fridge overnight. If you haven’t done this, a quick soak in boiling water works as well. Simply boil 8.5 cups (2 liters) of water and pour over the dates. Let them sit for 30-45 minutes, until soft all the way through. Strain away your soaking water.

A kettle is pouring water into a large glass bowl filled with dry dates.

If you have a food processor, simply add the soaked, drained dates and puree until smooth. You’ll need to stop and scrape the edges down a few times, but it’s a quick process.

If you don’t have a food processor, save 1 cup of the soaking water and add to a pot with the dates (remaining water strained away). Cook over medium-low heat until the dates are extremely soft and you can them mash them (I use a fork to press dates against the side of my pot until I get the right texture).

Food processors create a more concentrated, thicker date paste for the center layer. Using a pot may “water down” the dates, but since they have such a concentrated sweet flavor, you may even prefer it this way!

Close crop of a food processor blending dates. Some pieces of dates stuck to the top edges while the bottom half is blurred as the dates are being pureed.

Step 2: Prep Crumble

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the dry crumble ingredients, including flour, oats and brown sugar. Once mixed, add the vegan margarine (or softened vegan butter).

Crumble the margarine into the dry mix using a pastry cutter, fork or your hands. Mix the margarine throughout the dry ingredients until there aren’t any sections of completely dry ingredients.

Hand crumbling butter into a mixture of oats, flour and brown sugar. Left hand holds the edge of the large glass bowl white the other hand is slightly blurred in motion of mixing.

If you grab a handful of crumble mixture and press it in your hand, it should hold together but then crumble away with light pressure.

Step 3: Assemble Dates and Crumble in Dish

Grease a 9x13 baking dish with extra vegan margarine or a cooking/ oil spray.

Pour about ⅔ of your crumble mixture into the pan and firmly press down to form an even layer. Firmly pressing your crumble ensures the bottom of these date slices hold together once cooked.

A hand presses a firm layer of oat crumble into the bottom of a large glass baking dish. The oat crumble appears firmly pressed and not crumby. A second hand is holding the baking dish on the left.

Next, spread pureed dates evenly across the top. It’s best to scoop small amounts of date puree all over the pan rather than dumping a larger pile in the middle.

Top view of a large glass baking dish filled with a firm layer of oat crumble crust at the bottom and topped with piles of pureed dates across the top.

Dates are sticky, so use water on a spatula or your hands when working to smooth the dates.

A hand spreads pureed dates across an oat crust in a large glass baking dish. The crust is completely covered with date puree but a few flecks of oatmeal is visible through the dates.

Finally, sprinkle your remaining crumble mixture evenly across the top. Lightly press this layer down.

A hand is pressing oat crumble on the top left corner of a large glass baking dish. The dish is covered with this crumble mixture.

Step 4: Bake and Serve

Place your date crumble into an oven preheated at 350 °F for 30-35 minutes, until the top and bottom is golden brown.

Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes so the crust can firm. Then, cut into squares or slices and serve!

Close up of four stacked oat and date slices on wood board. Blurred background with other date slices visible.

How to Refrigerate and Freeze Vegan Date Squares

Refrigerate fully cooled leftover date slices in an airtight container for up to a week (maybe up to 2 weeks; they last quite a while).

You can also freeze this recipe. Place fully cooled date squares into a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. They’ll last in the freezer for at least 3 months (I’ve stored some for up to 5 without issue).

Frozen date squares are quick to thaw. You can either let them sit at room temperature for about an hour, or thaw in the fridge overnight.

Three date squares on round white plate, with a large bite taken from one square. Plate sits on white-grey marble with the corner of a glass baking tray of date square in top left corner and two small wood bowls to center right, filled with dates and oats.

If you make this recipe, please rate and comment below to help others benefit from your experience!

Stack of four date and oat crumble slices on a wood board with white-grey marble background. Wood board has other date slices blurred behind the stack.

Vegan Date Squares (Date Crumble Slice)

This recipe for classic vegan date squares makes a delicious, easy dessert. Using oats and dates to create a crumbly slice, this is based off an old family recipe that’s been veganized!
5 from 6 votes. Leave a review!
Prevent screen going dark
Prep Time 25 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 55 mins
Servings 24 Medium squares
Calories 293 kcal
Cuisine Vegan

Equipment

  • 9x13 Baking dish
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Food processor (or small pot and fork)

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups dried dates
  • 1 cup water (optional; to boil dates)
  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 1 ½ cups brown sugar , lightly packed
  • 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup vegan butter (or margarine)
Prevent screen going dark

Instructions

Step 1: Prep Dates

  • Option 1: Soak the dates in a large bowl, fully submerged in water, until soft (at least 4 hours, but overnight is best). Once soaked, drain away the soaking liquid and puree your dates in a food processor. I like a mostly smooth texture with a few smaller pieces of date throughout, but puree to your desired consistency.
    3 cups dried dates
  • Option 2: If you don’t have a food processor or time to wait for dry dates to soak, you can cook the dates in a small pot. This waters down the flavor of the dates, but you may enjoy a slightly less sweet filling anyway.
    For this option, add dates to a pot with water. Cook over low heat until the dates are soft and you can mash with a fork (press dates into the side of the pot to mash). This option also creates a more textured filling because the dates won’t be pureed.
    3 cups dried dates, 1 cup water

Step 2: Prep Crumble

  • To make the crumble, add rolled oats, lightly packed brown sugar and whole wheat flour. Stir until well combined.
    2 cups rolled oats, 1 ½ cups brown sugar, 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
  • Add vegan butter or margarine to the dry mixture and use a fork or your hand to mix the butter throughout, creating a crumbly mixture.
    1 cup vegan butter

Step 3: Assemble

  • Grease a 9x13" baking dish (with extra vegan butter/ margarine or cooking spray).
  • Pour about ⅔ of the crumble mixture into the bottom of your baking dish and press down firmly, creating an evenly packed layer.
  • Spread the dates evenly over your pressed crumble. It’s best to scoop small amounts of date puree all over the base layer to make it easier to spread.
  • Sprinkle the remaining crumble mixture over your layer of dates and lightly press down.

Step 4: Bake and Serve

  • Bake in an oven preheated to 350 °F for 30-35 minutes, until the top is slightly golden brown and the bottom is fully golden brown (if you have a glass baking dish you can look at the bottom).
  • Cool completely before you slice into squares or slices and serve at room temperature.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days on the counter or a week in the fridge. You can also freeze this recipe.

Video

Notes

Accuracy of nutrition information cannot be guaranteed (certain ingredients may not have all nutrients listed in the database); amounts may vary (and will vary depending on brands of ingredients used); all nutrition fact values rounded to the nearest whole number.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 Date square (1/24 of recipe)Calories: 293 kcalCarbohydrates: 37 gProtein: 2 gFat: 16 gSaturated Fat: 2 gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4 gMonounsaturated Fat: 9 gSodium: 142 mgPotassium: 190 mgFiber: 3 gSugar: 25 gVitamin A: 986 IUCalcium: 25 mgIron: 1 mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

More Vegan Dessert Recipes

Like this recipe? You should also try:

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    Vegan Raspberry Cheesecake Recipe
  • Close up of cut loaf of banana bread on cooling rack.
    5 Ingredient Vegan Banana Bread Recipe
  • Wire cooling rack topped with peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.
    Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (with Banana)

About Nicole Stevens

Nicole is a vegan Registered Dietitian (RD) and founder of Lettuce Veg Out.

She helps people thrive on a vegan diet with balanced recipes and easy-to-understand nutrition science.


Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. J Marshall

    December 16, 2022 at 3:57 pm

    It wasn't very easy for me to get that date mash spread out, but eventually I got it done. I used regular butter and I used golden monk fruit instead of sugar (a little less than the sugar called for but that's probably a matter of personal taste. Yippee! They turned out fantastic and I will make them again! Also, I used the date water drained off to make oatmeal the next day :).

    Reply
    • Nicole

      December 16, 2022 at 5:00 pm

      Spreading the dates can be finicky but it's worth it! And that's a fantastic idea for how to use the date water, I'll have to try it next time 🙂

      Reply
  2. Kim Scott

    June 21, 2021 at 9:52 am

    Yum! Agreed they are delicious!!

    Reply
    • Nicole Stevens

      June 22, 2021 at 11:31 am

      So happy you enjoyed!

      Reply
  3. Jeannette

    December 18, 2020 at 4:34 pm

    What can I say except that these are better then grandmas recipe and they don't last long so freezing is not an issue.
    Thank you so much for these fabulous treats!

    Reply
    • Nicole Stevens

      December 22, 2020 at 9:27 am

      Thanks so much, happy you liked them!!

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Nicole! As a vegan Registered Dietitian, I empower vegans to live a balanced life and gain confidence in the kitchen.

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