I always look for simple yet satisfying desserts, and these eggless date squares or date slices never disappoint. They count as one of the easiest recipes I make, and they require only about five minutes of preparation before baking. I often say they are the perfect balance between convenience and flavor. The soft, sweet date filling provides natural energy, while the crumbly dough layers melt in your mouth. Sometimes I experiment with jam fillings, but I always come back to dates because they taste wholesome and keep me full of energy.
How to Make Date Paste
Many people ask me how I prepare the date filling, and the process is much easier than it seems. You can make date paste in two simple ways. If your dates feel soft, just remove the seeds and knead them with your hands until they form a smooth paste. If your dates feel firm or a bit dry, place them over a water bath until they soften. Add a splash of water and a small knob of butter, then mash everything with a fork. The result becomes a smooth, rich paste that works perfectly as a filling.
Although I prefer dates, you can fill these squares with many other options. Fig paste gives a rich, earthy sweetness, while strawberry jam creates a bright, fruity contrast. Apricot or cherry jam also pair wonderfully with the buttery dough. The recipe feels versatile, so you can easily adjust it based on your cravings or the ingredients you already have at home.
Why Freeze the Dough?
One of the unique steps in this recipe involves freezing a portion of the dough before grating it over the filling. This trick creates the beautiful crumbly topping that makes date squares so special. Freezing firms up the dough and makes it easy to grate evenly with a simple kitchen grater. If you find grating unusual, you can also crumble the frozen dough gently with your hands and sprinkle it over the filling. Both methods work beautifully and give you that golden, crumbly finish.
Eggless Date squares or Date slices prove that homemade baking doesn’t need to be complicated. With just a few steps, you can enjoy a classic treat that’s naturally sweet, energy-boosting, and incredibly delicious.
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Eggless Date squares or Date slices
Ingredients
- For dough:
- 180 g soft butter
- 1/2 Cup sugar
- 1/2 Tsp vanilla powder or 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup water
- For filling:
- 250 g date paste
- 1 tablespoon soft butter
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom optional
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon optional
Instructions
- Prepare square pan by paint with butter and cover with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl place butter with sugar and vanilla. Whisk until sugar dissolve and well combined with butter.
- Add flour with baking powder. Whisk until flour combined with butter. Add water and knead *( add water gradually it may takes more or less than 1/2 cup depends on flour type).
- Preparing the filling: In another bowl, add butter, ground cinnamon to the date paste. Knead until you have a soft date paste.
- Take out two thirds of the dough. Cover the remain third with plastic wrap and freeze for 20 minutes.
- Spread the two thirds of dough in the prepared pan. Add the date paste over the crust.
- With food grater, grate the chilled dough as crumbles at the top of the date filling until the layer covered.
- Bake at preheated oven 180°C for 35 minutes or until golden top.
- Cut as squares.Cool down on a wire rack before serving.
- Enjoy!
