Easy New Zealand Squares
Easy New Zealand Squares are chewy, date-sweetened bar cookies with toasty coconut and a hint of golden syrup for caramel warmth. They press together quickly and bake into tender slices with lightly crisp edges—perfect for afternoon tea, bake sales, or a simple dessert to share.
- Prep20 mins
- Cook30 mins
- Serves9
- DifficultyEasy
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Easy New Zealand Squares, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactPoor
- 38 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 15 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityPoor
- 18 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
- 2 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 63
- Heart Health
- 80
- Metabolic
- 53
- Digestive
- 24
- Inflammatory
- 12
- Performance
- 23
- General Wellness
- 1
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9-inch square pan.
- 2
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, 1 cup coconut, dates, sugar, and baking powder. In a saucepan, melt the butter with the golden syrup and vanilla. Pour the melted mixture over the bowl ingredients. Stir until crumbly, then press the mixture into the prepared pan.
- 3
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle 1/8 cup coconut over the top.
- Calories 314.32 kcal Moderate 16%
- Protein 3.11 g Low Source 6%
- Carbohydrate 49.28 g 18%
- Total Fat 12.33 g Moderate 16%
- Saturated Fat 9.51 g High 48%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 13.03 mg Low Source 4%
- Sodium 14.33 mg Low Source 1%
- Dietary Fiber 8.25 g Good Source 29%
- Total Sugars 30.44 g --
- Added Sugars 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Calcium 14.56 mg Low Source 1%
- Iron 1.85 mg Moderate 10%
- Potassium 257.02 mg Low Source 5%
- Vitamin A 41.54 mcg Low Source 5%
- Vitamin C 0.01 mg Low Source 0%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Milk 🥛
- Wheat 🌾
- Gluten
About This Recipe
Easy New Zealand Squares is made with 9 ingredients and serves 9. It takes about 50 mins and is rated easy. Key ingredients include All Purpose Flour, Baking Powder, Chopped Dates, and Golden Syrup. Each serving provides about 314.32 kcal, and is a good source of fiber.
Recipe Questions
- What is Easy New Zealand Squares made of?
- The main ingredients are All-Purpose Flour, Baking Powder, Chopped Dates, Golden Syrup, Sugar. The full list of 9 is above.
- How long does it take to make Easy New Zealand Squares?
- About 50 mins in total: 20 mins to prepare and 30 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 314.32 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Easy New Zealand Squares easy to make?
- This recipe is rated easy, with 9 ingredients and 3 steps.
- Is Easy New Zealand Squares healthy?
- Easy New Zealand Squares has an easyChef Pro health score of 29/100. Per serving, it provides 314.32 calories and 3.11 g of protein, or 6% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of dietary fiber. Worth noting per serving: saturated fat at 9.51 g (48% of the Daily Value). It contains Milk, Wheat and Gluten, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products
easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.
The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.
Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.
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