These Oatmeal Walnut Gluten Free Date Bars are seriously dreamy!
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup
Rolled oats- Gluten Free
((divided)))
1/2 cup
Coconut, shredded
(unsweetened)
171 gm
Medjool date
((4; of pitted dates) *))
1/2 cup
Walnuts
1/4 tsp
Salt
(sea)
1/2 tsp
Baking soda
1 large
Egg
2 tbsp
Flaxseeds
(ground)
1/4 cup
Coconut oil
511 gm
Medjool date
((12; of pitted dates) *))
1 tsp
Lemon juice
1/4 tsp
Sea Salt
((1/4 to 1/2); (I like 1/2; but begin with 1/4 and add to taste)))
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325º F.
Add 1 cup oatmeal to a food processor bowl, and process until a flour forms. Add coconut, dates, sea salt and baking soda, and process until the dates are fully broken up. I find it easiest to process if I break the dates into quarters (if using large medjools) as I am tossing them into the processor. Last, add the remaining 1/2 cup of oatmeal and the walnuts, and pulse 8-10 times until the walnuts are chopped but still a bit chunky.
To the dry ingredients in the food processor, add the egg, flax and coconut oil, and pulse until combined. This mixture is the base and the top layer of the bars.
Reserve 1/2 cup of oatmeal mixture to use as a topping.
Line an 8 x 8 pan with baking paper. Add the oatmeal mixtureto the pan, and press down into an even layer. I use a pastry roller to pack down the bottom layer.
Rinse out the food processor, and add date layer ingredients. Pulse 10-15 times, until the dates are broken up. Then, process for another 3-4 minutes, until the dates take on a light, whipped caramel color. If you soaked the dates, this process should be very easy. If your dates were soft, so you opted not to soak them, and they are not whipping up nicely, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of hot water to help them process smoother.
Add the date layer on top of the cookie layer, and press down into an even layer. Using wet hands will keep the layer from sticking and pulling up the cookie layer.
Crumble the reserved 1/2 cup of oatmeal mixture over the top.
Bake for 18 minutes.
For best results, completely cool before slicing. I like to freeze them before slicing for nicer bars.
These bars are best stored (and enjoyed!) from the freezer, but also hold up well as a travel snack.
