The Best Date Bar Recipe Ever

My dad loves date bars, but the last time he remembers having one was years ago from a little corner store near a cottage he was staying at on Mount Desert Island in Maine.   He would stop there nearly everyday.   You may be wondering why it took him so long to come up with this recipe.  He did and it is awesome

Lola's Date Bars
Ingredients

• 2-1/2 cups pitted dates, cut up
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, optional
• 1-1/4 cups flour (we used white whole wheat flour)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1-1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon water 

Directions

• In a saucepan, combine dates, sugar and water. Cook, stirring frequently, until very thick. Stir in walnuts; cool.
• Sift the flour, salt and baking soda together in a large bowl; add oats and brown sugar. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle water over mixture; stir lightly. Pat half into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Spread with date mixture; cover with remaining oat mixture and pat lightly.
• Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Yield: 40 bars.