my valentine date

Here’s my sweet treat for you on Valentine’s Day. I’m waxing nostalgic again with a recipe that was one of my Grandma Bea’s favorites. These delectable date and nut squares must have been a popular goodie at her weekly bridge games. The first time I recreated them years ago, back when baking was still new to me, it was a revelation–I couldn’t believe how easy they were to make. And yet they are a melt-in-your-mouth marvel: light and crispy, dense and chewy all at the same time. One bite and you can taste the love.

Chewy Date & Walnut Squares

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This recipe is magic. The simple batter is really just a vehicle for delivering the crunch of toasted walnuts and the caramel sweetness of dates. But not just any date will do. Try to find Medjool dates if you can–they’re rich, plump and creamier than other varieties. Imported from Israel, I usually buy them at Costco for a great price.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Liberally butter the bottom and sides of a 9 inch square pan. Here’s a great baking trick that I learned in cooking school: cut a square of parchment paper to fit in the bottom of the pan, press it down onto the buttered surface. Flip the paper over and now it’s buttered on both sides!

Whisk together the dry ingredients in a small bowl–flour, baking powder and kosher salt.

In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to beat eggs until bubbly. Slowly add sugar and beat until light and fluffy; mix in vanilla.


Stir melted, cooled butter into egg mixture and fold in dry ingredients.


Combine chopped dates and nuts in another bowl and toss with 1 1/2 tablespoons flour; this will help keep them suspended in the batter.


Add the dates and nuts to the batter and stir until just combined. Pour into the prepped pan.


Place the pan in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, rotating once midway, until golden brown. A cake tester should come out clean.


Let the pan cool slightly, then invert the cake on a rack and peel the parchment paper from bottom. Let cool completely.


Cut the cake into squares. Place confectioner’s sugar in a medium bowl and roll the squares in the powdered sugar. Happy Valentine’s Day!


Makes 20 to 24 Squares:

1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 extra large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 cups (about 1 pound) pitted Medjool dates, chopped
1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup confectioner’s sugar

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