Grant Avenue Chews

Grant Avenue chews are old-school date and walnut bars named after the famous street running through San Francisco’s Chinatown. These chewy squares pack brown sugar, chopped dates, and walnuts into a simple batter, bake it in a 9-inch pan, then get rolled in powdered sugar while still slightly warm.

The dates and brown sugar together create an intensely chewy, almost toffee-like texture with a deep caramel sweetness. There’s very little flour in the batter, so the bars are dense and fudgy rather than cakey.

Cut them while still warm (but not hot) for clean edges, then roll each square generously in powdered sugar.

Kitchen Tips

• Chop the dates into small, even pieces so they distribute through the batter. Large chunks clump together and create uneven bars.
• Don’t overmix the batter. Just fold in the dates and walnuts until combined.
• Cool for exactly 10 minutes before cutting. Too warm and they crumble; too cool and they stick and tear.
• Roll in powdered sugar while the bars are still slightly tacky. The sugar clings better to a warm surface.

Variations

• Use pecans or almonds instead of walnuts for a different nut flavor.
• Add a pinch of cinnamon or ginger to the batter for warm spice notes.
• Drizzle with melted chocolate instead of rolling in powdered sugar for a richer finish.