date squares | A little Swiss, a little Canadian

These date squares are absolutely scrumptious! I love the simple but so delicious date filling, the crumbles are made with lots of healthy oats and is sweetened with maple syrup. While these squares were baking, it filled the kitchen with comforting smells of vanilla and cinnamon!

Date Crumble Squares

For the filling:

30 Medjool dates, pitted and cut into small pieces
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup orange juice

For the Crumbles:

3 cups oats
1/4 spelt flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 olive oil or coconut oil
1 egg

-Line a 9 x 9-inch baking form with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350 F.

-For the filling, combine dates, orange juice and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer on low heat, stir and simmer for about 5 minutes, then remove from heat to cool down a bit while preparing crumbles.

-For the crumbles whisk together the egg, oil and maple syrup. Add the oats, flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and vanilla extract and stir until well combined.

-Press half of the crumbles into the bottom of the prepared baking form. Spread date filling evenly over base and top with remaining crumbles.

-Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. The top crumbles will be golden brown.

-Let cool before cutting into squares.