This healthy date and oat slice recipe makes a delicious, slightly sticky, slightly chewy oat bar with a naturally sweet date filling. Made with just 4 ingredients, these easy date slices are sweetened with dates and a little honey, with no refined sugar. They are flourless and can be made gluten-free, and are ideal with a cuppa or as a lunchbox snack.
AT A GLANCE
Recipe Summary: Healthy Date and Oat Slice
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Servings: 8
Key ingredients: Dates, oats, butter, honey
Nutritional highlights: Naturally sweetened with no refined sugar
Allergy info: Gluten-free (with certified oats), nut free, easy to make dairy-free and vegan
Convenience: Quick and easy to make, great for meal prep and freezing
This date and oat slice recipe is perfect for date lovers (like me!) and very moreish. A thick layer of rich, sticky dates is sandwiched between chewy oat layers. There's no pastry base, and no flour in the recipe. And although both dates and honey contain natural sugars, there's no refined sugar, and these healthy date bars are much less sweet than a conventional recipe.
Why this recipe works
- Easy to make. These date oat bars are ready in 35 minutes and have just 4 everyday ingredients.
- Satisfying. Both oats and dates are high in fibre, which means these healthy date slices will keep you feeling fuller for longer.
- Healthy. Date and oat slice is low in refined sugar. Dates are naturally sweet, and just a little honey is needed to make these delicious but healthy sweet treats.
- Gluten-free. Date and oat slices are flourless, so if you use certified oats, they'll be gluten-free. They can also be made vegan and dairy-free
You could also try these healthy apple crumble slices, which are similar, with a layer of cooked apple in place of the dates.
Ingredients
Dates. I used dried dates which are readily available in the baking section of supermarkets and health food stores. They are less than half the price of medjool dates, and work perfectly in date oat bars.
I have been using dates regularly in my baking for many years and am a huge fan. If you are too, you might also like to try this homemade date paste recipe.
Or try these healthy date flapjacks. Rather than having a layer of dates through the middle, the dates are blitzed and used to sweeten the mixture in place of sugar or honey.
Truffles made with dates are also delicious:)
Oats. Porridge, or rolled oats are best. Jumbo oats won't hold together so well, and the texture of your date and oat slices could be too crumbly. If you've only got jumbo oats you could very lightly process them to make them a little finer.
Instant oats are not ideal, as they are ground too fine and won't have the right oat-y texture.
For gluten-free oat bars, it's important to buy certified oats that have been processed separately from other grains.
Butter, salted or unsalted. If you want dairy-free oat slices, you can substitute coconut oil or vegan butter.
Honey. Set or runny honey are both fine as the honey will be melted. If you prefer, or want a vegan date oat bar, use maple syrup.
How to make healthy date and oat slices
Roughly chop the dates and add to a jug or small bowl. Cover with boiling water and leave to one side.
Preheat the oven to 160 degrees (140 degrees fan).
Melt the butter and honey in a pan over a low heat. Remove from the heat as soon as the butter is nearly melted - you don't want to end up accidentally making toffee!
Stir in the oats and mix thoroughly until they are well-coated with the honey and butter mixture and are starting to clump together.
Line the base of a 20 x 10 cm loaf tin with greaseproof paper. Even if your tin is non-stick, it'll be much easier to remove the date bars from a lined tin.
If you want to make double the quantity of the recipe, use a 20 cm square tin.
Drain the excess water from the dates, and blitz with a hand blender. They'll easily turn into a fairly soft, smooth purée.
If you don't have a hand blender, mash them roughly with a fork. It doesn't matter if there are a few lumps.
Spread half of the oat bar mixture into the prepared tin. Firm it down with the back of a spoon.
Top with a layer of date purée. I find it best to put the date mixture along the centre of the tin, then gently spread it to the edges of the tin so that the bottom layer of oats stays in place.
Top with the remaining oat mixture and carefully spread over the top. Firm down gently to ensure that the bars hold together. Either use the back of a spoon or your fingers. One reader also suggested using another loaf tin, which is a good idea.
Bake for 20 minutes until golden.
Leave to cool in the tin. Date and oat slices will firm up as they cool, making them easier to handle.
Cut into 8 squares (or 6 for a more substantial snack - I did have a comment that they are rather small, but as they are quite rich, I find them quite satisfying).
Cinnamon and Kale recipe tips
- A couple of readers have mentioned that their bars were more crumbly than mine, so I have amended the recipe to measure the honey in grams to make it more accurate.
- Oats can vary a little in texture and size which will affect how much butter and honey they absorb. If the mixture seems very dry when it's in the pan, you can add a small amount of extra butter and honey.
- Leave the oat/butter/honey mixture to rest for a few minutes whilst you purée the dates and line the tin. This will help the mixture to stick together as the butter soaks into the oats.
- Firm down the mixture in the baking tin, which will also help the bars to hold together well.
- The recipe can easily be doubled (you can x2 in the recipe card, and it will calculate the ingredients automatically). Bake the double quantity in a lined 20cm x 20cm tray as per the recipe.
Serving and storage
Date and oat slices are portable, which makes them ideal for lunchboxes and on-the-go snacks. I usually eat them as a mid-morning snack, as they are satisfying and energising.
This healthy date recipe is ideal to make ahead and can be stored for up to a week in an airtight container in a cool place.
Frequently asked questions
Dates are high in fibre which is good for your gut. They are also a good source of antioxidants, plus a number of important minerals including potassium, calcium and magnesium. Although dates are sweet, they have a lower GI than many other forms of sugar and are less likely to spike your blood sugar. Why not try this healthy date cake?
Yes, these date oat bars freeze well. I like to layer them with greaseproof paper in an airtight container so that it's easier to defrost as many portions as I need.
Other healthy oat bars you might also like
You might also like to try these other healthy snacks made from oats. They are all flourless and can be made gluten-free if needed.
The recipes are all naturally sweetened. Apple flapjacks have applesauce, and this healthy pear flapjack recipe uses grated pear. Maple flapjacks are rich and syrupy, and these rhubarb bars have a thick layer of cooked rhubarb through the middle. You can also browse the category of all healthy flapjack and oat bar recipes.
If you are looking for other healthy gluten-free options, check out this post with 27 gluten-free afternoon tea recipes.
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Recipe
Healthy Date and Oat Slice
Equipment
- immersion blender or use a fork
- saucepan
- 20 x 10 cm loaf tin 1lb loaf tin
- baking paper
Ingredients
- 100 g dried dates
- boiling water
- 50 g butter or use coconut oil
- 50 g honey or use maple syrup
- 120 g porridge oats
Instructions
- Roughly chop the dates and place in a small bowl or jug. Cover with boiling water and set to one side.100 g dried dates, boiling water
- Preheat the oven to 160 degrees (140 fan)
- Melt the butter and honey in a pan. Remove from the heat as soon as the butter has melted. Add the oats and stir well to mix.50 g butter, 50 g honey, 120 g porridge oats
- Line the base of a 20 x 10 cm (1lb) loaf tin with baking paper.
- Drain the water from the dates, and blitz to a paste with a hand blender. If you prefer, mash them with a fork.
- Spread half of the oat mixture in the base of the baking tin. Firm down with the back of a spoon.
- Add the date paste and carefully spread it across the mixture. Top with the remaining oat mixture and firm down gently.
- Bake for 20 minutes until golden and set.
- Leave to cool in the tin. The oat slices will firm up as they cool. Remove from the tin and cut into 8 pieces (or 6 for a more substantial snack!).
Notes
Nutrition
Please note nutritional information is for guidance only
paul says
You have not described the amount or quantity of honey or oats used, and the size of the try you'vve used. only the date quantity to make the puree.
Wendy Faulkner says
Hi, have you scrolled down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post - all of the measurements are be included there.
Chrissie says
Delicious and easy to make. I added walnuts.
Wendy Faulkner says
Thank you. Walnuts sound a great addition:)
Rosie May says
Hi, I’m really looking forward to making these - I have been hunting for a good healthy recipe without having to add in sugar! Are you able to tell me the équivalant weight of using medjool dates please, as the recipe calls for 100g dried. Thank you so much
Wendy Faulkner says
Hi, I think you'd want to use slightly more fresh Medjool dates as the water content is higher. So around 150g pitted weight. I hope you enjoy them:)
Cherry says
Tried this today but after seeing the comments about it being crumbly I made a couple of modifications. I did try with the recipe but when I put it in the tin it wasn't keeping together, so I added a scoop of oat flour (just oats blitzed in the blender) to give the oats something to cling to. I found that pressing another loaf tin onto the mixture rather than a spoon or my hand was a good way to compact everything evenly but firmly to stop it falling apart. It was still a little crumbly in the end but held together enough to pick it up as a slice. Use a serrated knife to gently slice back and forth rather than a kitchen knife to press into it or it will fall apart.
Just some personal modifications to my own taste that people may want to try: I added chopped nuts to the date filling and spices to the oat mixture. I also added a tbsp of puffed rice to the half of the oat mixture for the topping; it gave it a crispy texture that really elevated it.
Thank you for the recipe. It's nice to finally find one that isn't loaded with added sugar. The dates are more than sweet enough, even with only a tablespoon of honey.
Rose says
Hey I just need to knaw if we double your recipe for the oat and date slice then shouldn't we use a bigger in size baking tin? Please can you reply soon. Thankyou so much dear.
Wendy Faulkner says
Hi, yes, if you double the recipe, use a 20cm (8 inch) square tin.
Kat says
Absolutely delicious but not sure what i did wrong with how crumbly it is, i have to eat it with a spoon it doesnt stay together whatsoever. So yummy tho
Wendy Faulkner says
Thanks for your comment Kat. Oats can vary a little bit, so maybe yours were drier in texture or larger in size than the ones I used. If needed you can add a tiny bit more butter and honey, you'll be able to tell when the mixture is in the pan if it's sticking together well. You can also firm down the mixture in the baking tin to help hold it together. I'm going to make a note on the recipe in case anyone else has the same problem, so thanks for letting me know.
Jeff says
Hi, is the nutritional info per slice?
Wendy Faulkner says
Hi, yes nutritional information is per date and oat slice.
Gavin says
These were brilliant and really easy to make. If your baking tin is a little bigger than 20x10 then you will find the mixture a bit thin.
Next up for me is the crispy cavelo Nero 😁
Wendy Faulkner says
Thank you. I'm glad you liked them. Yes, if you only have a bigger tin, it might be worth scaling up the recipe.
Trevor Yates says
Tried these today and found the mix a bit dry and crumbly after adding the oats. They tasted okay but the quantities only allow for quite small thin
portions. I shall try again but add a bit more butter and honey to the oats and increase the quantities overall
Wendy Faulkner says
Thank you for your comment. I've never had that problem when making these, but oats can vary a little so maybe yours had a slightly different texture. I hope you enjoy the next batch!
Carolyn | The Organic Gypsy says
These look amazing and so easy to make. I dont have an oven at the moment. I wonder if i could leave them as is without baking?
Wendy Faulkner says
Hi Carolyn. Yes, I think you could, they'll just be slightly softer. I often make no bake flapjacks, which are similar. I'd suggest you pop the date slices in the fridge to help them firm up.
Philippa Clarke says
Thanks for this recipe, and so few ingredients! I thought I'd messed up and used too much water to hydrate the dates; the blended result was more of a puree than a paste, but it actually helped the oat layers stick together without the need for additional butter or honey.
Absolutely delicious and just the right size as a relatively healthy snack for a child or adult.
Wendy Faulkner says
Thank you Philippa, I'm glad you enjoyed your date slices!
Gill says
So simple to make healthy but so delicious made it a few times never disappoints
Gill says
It is lovely .Easy to make and very addictive I have made date slices befor where you had to cream butter and sugar ,this is so easy less mess and less guilt !
Wendy Faulkner says
Hi, thank you for your lovely comment. I'm glad you like them, they are one of my favourites!
tony says
looks and smells nice, simple, but the measurements are tiny, need to double for whatever you're making because I don't understand how it can make decent sized slices in a loaf ting.
Wendy Faulkner says
Hi, thanks for your comment. Yes, feel free to double the quantity for larger slices - enjoy!
Helen says
These are soooo yummy and moreish, and really quick and easy to make. Thank you for the recipe.
Wendy says
My pleasure:)