Zahidi Date Bars and Bread: Baking With Chopped Zahidi

For date bars and quick breads, chop Zahidi. It’s firm and semi-dry, so it dices cleanly and keeps its shape in the oven. Here is how to bake with it, plus a simple date-bar recipe to start from. Every date comes from our farm in Sky Valley, California.

Why Zahidi for bars and bread

• It holds its shape. Chopped Zahidi stays as pieces you can bite, instead of melting away.
• It chops cleanly. A firm date doesn’t stick to the knife the way Medjool does.
• The sweetness is gentler. The flavor reads as butterscotch and roasted nut, so the date complements the other ingredients. Read more about dates less sweet than Medjool.

Prep: pit, then chop

Our dates are whole fruit with the pit in, which keeps them fresher and less bruised. Run a knife tip down the seam and the pit lifts out. Zahidi chops cleanly, and a wet knife helps if it gets tacky. If a date has gone stiff, soak it in hot water for ten minutes and pat it dry. More on that choice in pitted vs unpitted dates.

A simple Zahidi date bar

This is a classic oat-crumble date bar, a starting point you can adjust to taste. Makes a 9×9 pan.

Date filling

• 12 oz pitted Zahidi dates, chopped (about 2 cups)
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Pinch of salt

Oat crust and topping

• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, melted

1. Cook the filling. Simmer the dates with the water, lemon and salt for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, until thick and jammy. Stir in the vanilla and let it cool a little.
2. Mix the crust. Stir the oats, flour, sugar, baking soda and salt together, then mix in the melted butter until crumbly.
3. Assemble. Press about two-thirds of the crumble into a lined 9×9 pan. Spread the filling over it, then scatter the rest on top.
4. Bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden.
5. Cool completely before cutting, or the bars will crumble.

Variations: add a handful of chopped walnuts or pecans to the topping, swap some of the brown sugar for a little date sugar, or blend a couple of Medjool dates into the filling for a softer, more caramel center. You can also use date paste in place of the cooked filling.

Zahidi in bread, cookies and more

Dice Zahidi and fold it in at the end, the way you would walnuts or chocolate chips. These recipes from our kitchen are a good fit:

• Moist Date Nut Bread: chopped Zahidi gives you distinct bites of date in every slice.
• Date Oatmeal Cookies: use chopped Zahidi where you want pieces you can see.
• Baking With Dates Instead of Sugar: the conversion guide.
• Date Syrup: for drizzling over the finished bars.
• All our date recipes.

Use Medjool when you want the dates to melt in, as in sticky toffee pudding or date-sweetened pumpkin pie.

Baking for the holidays

Dates keep for months when stored properly, so holiday bakers often buy now and bake through the season. Our storage guide covers the fridge and freezer methods, and Medjool or Zahidi both freeze well. Bakeries and cafés baking at volume can look at our bulk cases. Giving a baker a gift? See our gift boxes.

Quick answers

Can I use Medjool in date bars?

Yes, but it will melt into a softer, sweeter filling. For bars with a bit of chew and visible pieces, use Zahidi.

How many dates make a cup?

Roughly 12 oz of pitted dates chops to about 2 cups. Weigh them if you can, since date size varies.

Where do the dates come from?

Our own palms in Sky Valley, California. Read about the Zahidi palm and our FAQ for shipping and returns.

Bake with the farm’s dates. Shop Golden Zahidi → · Baker’s Bundle: 4 lb Medjool + 2 lb Zahidi, $73 · Medjool. Shipping included.