Date squares
On this page, we're sharing our most beloved French-Canadian, Acadian and Québécois dishes : classics from grand-maman. Here is a childhood classic, the date square.
A stack of date squares (Copyright 2020 Kim Kujawski)
A childhood classic for which every family has its own recipe. In western Canada, they are called “matrimonial bars”.
Did you know that there are more than 100 varieties of dates? In Canada, there are three main types in our supermarkets: Deglet Nour, Rotab and Medjool. Most come from the Middle East or North Africa.
Combine dates, water, sugar and vanilla in a saucepan. Cook until thick (about 10 minutes).
Mix the remaining ingredients; place half of this mixture in a large baking dish; spread the date mixture on top, and cover with the other half of the flour mixture.
Bake at 350°F for 30 to 45 minutes.
2 cups of pitted dates, chopped
1 cup of water
½ cup of sugar
1 tsp of vanilla
2 cups of oatmeal
1 ½ cups of flour
¾ cup of brown sugar
¾ cup of vegetable oil