Redditors Teamed Up to Help Track Down a Beloved Retro Dessert, So Of Course I Had to Try It

“KEEP YOUR SECRETS THEN, KATH,” says Reddit user nnnyeahheygorgeous, who was bummed that her neighbor, Kath, wouldn’t spill the secrets about how to make her signature dessert. So this Redditor took to the social media site with a photo and a request: Help me track down the recipe.

The bar cookies “had a consistency and flavor similar to sticky date pudding,” nnnyeahheygorgeous explained. A "date slice" and "date bar" isn’t quite it, as these one-inch tall bars have an internal texture that’s “early raw, in a good way,” with a crunchy rim on the edge pieces. “This was my favorite from a box of holiday baked goods, but I'm not even sure what to call it. If anyone else has feedback, I would really appreciate it!”

The recipe quest quickly went viral, as fellow community members from around the world tossed around ideas, tested various recipes, and eventually landed on the answer: Chinese Chews. 

How to Make Chinese Chews

In what is now known playfully as the “Kath saga,” Redditors determined that the sweet, chewy, date-infused recipe was a classic Southern dessert known as “Chinese Chews” or Date Chews. According to veteran Southern food blogger Lana Stuart of Lana’s Cooking, whose version of this easy dessert recipe was pegged as the most classic rendition, Chinese Chews originally appeared in a 1917 issue of Good Housekeeping, courtesy of reader Mrs. L. G. Platt of North Bend, Oregon. 

Although we now know the recipe behind Kath’s holiday creation, food historians seem to still be on the hunt for the meaning behind the name.

Variations abound (including over on our sister site Allrecipes!). Some of these bars feature vanilla extract, others call for brown sugar instead of granulated, many include melted butter, and a few remixes ask for shredded coconut. As for Lana’s recipe, which is now making the rounds on Reddit, it’s the “version passed down from my grandmother, [which] is the same as Mrs. Platt’s and uses only dates and nuts.”

Here’s how to make Chinese Chews:

1. Make the batter. In a large bowl, combine all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, chopped dates, chopped pecans or walnuts, and salt. Once evenly mixed, add eggs. Stir until the ingredients are just combined.
2. Bake. To a greased 8- x 8-inch pan, pour the batter. Bake in a 325° F oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the center passes the toothpick test.
3. Slice and serve. Allow the bars to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the bars from the pan, dust with powdered sugar, and slice into small squares. 

Tips For Making Chinese Chews

If you’d like to join the global party and recreate these gooey, chewy bar cookies at home, here are a few tricks from Lana, my trial, and our Test Kitchen.

• Ditch the dates. Dates are naturally sweet, chewy, caramel-flavored, and nutrient-dense, and they work beautifully as the star of this recipe. If you can’t find or don’t dig dates, swap in dried figs or prunes.
• Coat the fruit. To encourage the fruit to stud the batter evenly—rather than sinking to the bottom—toss the chopped dried fruit in a bit of the granulated sugar called for in the recipe. The sugar also acts as a thin barrier around the pieces, which helps prevent them from sticking together.
• Trust the texture. Even after adding the eggs, the batter will be stiff. That’s normal! There’s no need to add anything additional, as the moisture from the dried fruit will permeate the bars and lead to a pleasant dense, chewy consistency.
• Try a drizzle. If you prefer your bars frosted rather than dusted, skip the confectioner’s sugar shower. Use that same ingredient as the base for Powdered Sugar Icing to swirl or spread across the top.
• Store wisely. The texture is best on the day Chinese Chews are baked, but you can certainly save extras for another day—if you’re lucky enough to have them. Only top the pieces you plan to eat with powdered sugar or icing. Transfer unadorned squares to an airtight food storage container and store at room temperature for 3 to 5 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

The Verdict on This Chinese Chews Recipe

After following along with Kath-gate and whipping up the recipe at home, one Reddit user joked, “I get why Kath was holding out.” 

I have to admit, I went into this recipe with some skepticism. And while these bar cookies won’t win any beauty contests, I understand why Kath’s neighbor went on a mission to learn how to make them. These bars are chewy, sweet, delightfully dense, and surprisingly satisfying, especially given their budget-friendly, six-ingredient cast. Plus, the contrast between the fudgy center, the buttery nuts speckled throughout, and the crunchy edge bites had me reaching for seconds. 

Another Reddit user chimed in to add, “I absolutely adore that one gatekeeper lady has been thwarted unbeknownst to her, and now people all over the world are enjoying her squares.” Cheers to you, Kath, and thanks for the recipe.