This easy egg-free no-bake date slice comes together in 30 minutes. This delightfully sweet treat is flavoured with dates, biscuits and coconut.
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A no-bake date slice is ubiquitous with the South African soap 7de Laan, in which one of the characters Tannie Hilda seems to always be making Dadelvingers. So I knew I needed to add a dadelvinger recipe to Salty Ginge. But I also knew that I was looking for a smaller egg-free recipe.
This no-bake date slice or date squares or dadelvingers (date fingers) is a shoutout to my South African heritage and culture, in which food plays a large role. However, I feel that I also need to acknowledge the number of South African shows I watched growing up that showcase certain parts of our Heritage such as Egoli, 7de Laan, and perhaps my favourite as a teen - Isidingo.
Why You Will Love This No-Bake Date Slice
- This is a super easy no-bake recipe that comes together in 30 minutes.
- You are only 7 ingredients away from a delicious dessert or afternoon snack.
- Dates are delicious! Even more so in this tasty date slice!
- Dates are high in fibre and full of antioxidants.
Ingredients
Here are some notes on the ingredients used in this recipe. Please see the recipe card for quantities.
Butter adds flavour, softness, and moisture. I use New Zealand butter in my recipes, which has approximately 82% butterfat and can be very yellow (similar to European or Irish butter). Butter cannot be substituted with butter or margarine spreads, but it can be replaced with baking margarine.
Salt is a crucial ingredient in all baked goods. I use table salt in all my recipes. One teaspoon of table salt equals 1.5 teaspoons of Morton Kosher Salt equals 2 teaspoons of Diamond Crystal. Salt adds a nice contrast to the sweetness of the slice.
Pitted and finely sliced dates give this date slice its flavour, stickiness and oh-so-good gooeyness. Fresh dates or packaged dates can be used in this recipe. Regular or Medjool dates can be used in this recipe.
Marie biscuits are traditionally used in this recipe. Great alternatives include plain vanilla wine biscuits (my go-to plain biscuit in New Zealand is the Vanilla Wine), Krispie, or Tennis biscuits. A plain, sweet, preferably vanilla-flavoured biscuit. Alternatively, the Marie biscuits can be replaced with rice Krispies, approximately 2 cups of rice Krispies (add more if you feel that the slice can take more rice Krispies).
Desiccated Coconut - this is a finely shredded or flaked dried coconut that is usually not sweetened. And may also be known as unsweetened desiccated or macaroon coconut.
Vanilla extract or essence in order to add a nice dimension to the flavour.
Many date slice or dadelvinger recipes also add in Glacé Cherries (candied cherries), I'm not a fan so left them out. If adding candied cherries, I would add about half to a third of a cup.
This recipe can easily be doubled and placed in a 9"x9" cake tin.
How to Make the No-Bake Date Slice or Dadelvingers
Step 1 - Grease and line a loaf tin with baking paper, using the sling method, in which two sides of the parchment are allowed to hang over the edges of the tin.
Step 2 - Finely chop the pitted dates and set them aside. Take note that dates can be very sticky, I find a sharp paring knife the best way to chop the dates. Break or crush the biscuits into chunks, and set them aside.
Step 3 - In a small to medium saucepan, melt the butter and sugar over low heat, stirring until all the sugar has dissolved. Once the sugar has dissolved the butter will have a bit of a thicker texture. Then add the chopped dates, stir and slowly bring to a boil and cook for about 3 minutes.
Step 4 - Remove the date mixture from the heat, toss in the vanilla and salt, mixing through. Then add in the biscuit chunks and stir through until the biscuits are covered with the date mixture. Cover every biscuit chunk with the date mixture.
Step 5 - Press the warm mixture into the loaf pan, and flatten it out using the back of a spoon or offset spatula. Keep in mind that the mixture is still hot and will transfer heat through any metal.
Step 6 - Sprinkle the coconut over the top, and press the coconut into the top of the mixture. Allow the slice to cool on the kitchen counter for about 30 minutes before placing it in the fridge to set for 3 to 4 hours.
Step 7 - Allow the slice (date fingers or Dadelvingers) to come to room temperature for about 20 minutes before slicing and serving. This recipe makes about 20 date fingers.
Storage
These date slices should be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to a week (if it lasts that long)
Date Slice (Dadelvingers) FAQ
Yes. This recipe is an egg-free date slice recipe. Most recipes will require one or two eggs, but I did not find that the recipe was lacking when made without eggs.
A common variation on the date slice or Dadelvingers is to use rice Krispies instead of biscuits.
It is directly translated to mean Date Finger. Because they are usually served when sliced into fingers or rectangular shapes.
This date slice has a sweet, date-flavoured
Yes, to make this date slice vegan replace the butter with a vegan baking butter or margarine, and choose vegan biscuits.
Yes! Simply choose gluten-free biscuits for the filling.
Rate & Review!
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Recipe Card
No-Bake Date Slice (Dadelvingers)
Equipment
- 1 Loaf Pan (9x5 Inch - 23x13cm)
- 1 saucepan
Ingredients
- 125 grams butter
- 110 grams white granulated sugar (caster/granulated)
- 150 grams dates
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 150 gram Marie biscuits (vanilla wine biscuits)
- ⅓ cup desiccated coconut
Instructions
- Grease and line a loaf tin with baking paper, using the sling method, in which two sides of the parchment are allowed to hang over the edges of the tin.
- Finely chop the pitted dates and set them aside. Break or crush the biscuits into chunks, and set them aside.150 grams dates, 150 gram Marie biscuits
- In a medium to a small saucepan, melt the butter and sugar over low heat, stirring until all the sugar has dissolved. Then add the chopped dates, stir and slowly bring to a boil and cook for about 3 minutes.125 grams butter, 110 grams white granulated sugar
- Remove the date mixture from the heat, add in the vanilla and salt, mix through. Add in the biscuit chunks and stir until the biscuits are covered with the date mixture.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon table salt
- Press the warm mixture into the loaf pan, flatten out using the back of a spoon or offset spatula.⅓ cup desiccated coconut
- Sprinkle the coconut over the top, and press the coconut into the top of the mixture. Allow cooling on the kitchen counter for about 30 minutes before placing in the fridge to set for 3 to 4 hours.
- Allow the slice (Date Fingers or Dadelvingers) to come to room temperature for about 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate. If scaling the recipe remember to scale your cook and bakeware accordingly. All temperatures stated are conventional, unless otherwise stated. Recipes tested in grams and at sea level.
Lauren says
Absolutely delicious
Mary-Lou says
Thank you so much!
Ruth says
I've made these once and they came out perfect! However when I made them today, after cooling they were extremely hard - I could barely cut into them. Do you know where I could have gone wrong? The butter, sugar and Date mixture looked as if it had separated.
Mary-Lou says
Hi, the only thing I can think is that the mixture was cooked a touch too long which created a sort-of caramel that split when cooling down.
Mehjabeen says
Hi I was wondering if u have more simple recipes anything biscuits or anything
Mary-Lou says
Hi,
I would say most of my recipes are fairly simple. You can browse through my recipe index to see what catches your eye.
Mehjabeen says
Hi thanx i must say its tooooo yum , i did use recipe as is 125g butter with 110g sugar and i never used salt an i used the 150 g dates however i only had tennis on hand so thats what i used its 200g tenis an another thing, can i keep in the fridge after its firm/ set ? I could not make out if you kept your in the fridge just to get firm or it needs the fridge
Mary-Lou says
Glad you like them!
These date slices should be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Mehjabeen says
Hi did you get my messages
Mary-Lou says
Hi, I did. But I do live in New Zealand, and only check on my comments, etc after 9am NZT.
Mehjabeen says
Thanx soooo much for letting me know, I love dates so il definitely make an I got dates which I need to use up , so therefore I wanted to know do I double each ingredient, I mean I got 434g dates so would I double each item or is it possible to just use my full dates and your quantities as is
Mary-Lou says
Hi,
434 grams according to my recipe card is almost a 3x batch if you want to use all the dates at once. However, I would try out a single batch first, make sure you like it before committing the whole quantity.
From there I would decide if I wanted to then make a double batch with the rest of the dates or start experimenting with the date quantity. I do not know how the slice will turn out if you just do a double batch with the 434g of dates, or if you use a single batch with the 434g dates. Good luck!
Dusty Ricketts says
Hi Mary Lou,
I have used your recipe as my grand children just relish eating the finished product.
So, I can also confirm that I'm not one for making the same thing over and over again. Therefore I have adjusted your recipe to make enough dadelvingers that will last a few weeks depending again on whose eating them.
All that I've done is increased the ingredients all the way through by taking the amount of dates I use say 1.2kg which is 8 times the amount of your recipe and apply this number (8) to all the ingredients. So butter for example that I need would be 1kg and Biscuits would also be 1.2kg etc.
The only ingredient I change is the sugar from white to dark brown sugar and the amount (which would be 880gms) I reduce this to about 500/600gms. I don't believe it makes any difference to the outcome as this is dependent on one's lifestyle and intake of sugar products. Of course one does need a bigger dish to accommodate the increased ingredients. The date slices are very delicious and thank you once again for a simple and easy recipe. 😁
Mary-Lou Watkins says
Hi Dusty,
Thank you for the kind comment! I'm so glad your family is enjoying the recipe.
I'm also impressed at 8X batch you have made. With regards to the decrease in sugar, I'm definitely going to test that out and add to the recipe notes for a reduced sugar batch. I'm also going to test out brown sugar. Thank you so much for letting me know.
ML
Mehjabeen says
Hi I'm not a fan of coconut so wat would b a substitute?
Mary-Lou says
You can just leave it out.
Amelia Naidoo says
I have made these a few times already and it turns out amazing! I have even shared this recipe with colleagues who have tried a date finger.
Mary-Lou says
Hi Amelia,
Thank you so much for your kind words, it means the world to me! I'm so happy they came out amazing. And thank-you for taking the time to leave a comment! 🙂
Best regards,
Mary-Lou