Date Nut Bread
Updated
Updated
Sweet and moist with a subtle caramel-like nutty flavor, this Date Nut Bread is a quick and easy fall or year-round treat. I like to serve it for breakfast, brunch, or even dessert. A nice warm slice with a cup of coffee or tea hits the spot!
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Easy Date Nut Bread Recipe
I took notes from my favorite honey cake and made this wonderful Date Nut Bread! It’s moist and tender, with the perfect amount of chopped sweet dates and nutty pecans in every bite.
A slice warm from the oven or room temperature is delicious on its own, but a swipe of cinnamon butter takes it up a level. Whether you serve this with coffee or tea, for breakfast, brunch, or dessert, consider making a second loaf because it’ll go fast!
If you’ve got extra dates on hand, don’t miss these Almond Joy stuffed dates or bacon-wrapped dates.
Date Nut Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup Medjool dates, very finely chopped
- 1 cup boiling water
- 2 tbsp butter
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp coarse salt
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- ½ cup finely chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×5 standard loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang on the two longer sides for easier removal.
- Add the chopped dates to a medium-sized bowl and pour the boiling water over the top. Add the butter and set aside.
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and egg until incorporated and light.
- In a another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
- Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, alternating with the date and water mixture.
- Fold in the chopped nuts with a spatula. Mix just enough to incorporate all the ingredients.
- Pour into the prepared loaf pan and transfer to the oven right away.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean (the time will depend on the thickness of the loaf.)
- Remove loaf from pan onto a cooling rack. Let rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- I always bake this bread in a 9×5 loaf pan, but if you have an 8x4x2 pan, it will still work. Since there’s less surface area, the loaf may be a bit taller and take a few extra minutes to bake.
- If the loaf is browning too quickly, you can loosely tent with foil halfway through baking time.
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.
Did you make this? Leave a rating below!How To Make Date Nut Bread Step by Step
Prepare the pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×5 standard loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang on the two longer sides.
Soften the dates: Add 1 cup chopped dates to a bowl and pour 1 cup boiling water over the top. Add 2 tbsp butter and set aside.
Beat sugar: In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, and 1 egg until incorporated and light.
Combine dry ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, ½ tsp coarse salt, and ¼ tsp cinnamon.
Combine wet and dry: Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, alternating with the date and water mixture.
Add the nuts: Fold ½ cup chopped nuts with a spatula.
Transfer: Pour into the prepared loaf pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean (the time will depend on the thickness of the loaf.)
Cool: Remove loaf from pan onto a cooling rack. Let rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing and enjoy!
Substitutions and Variations
- Replace the water with coffee. Soak the chopped dates in hot brewed coffee for another layer of flavor.
- Swap the butter for oil. You could substitute the butter with vegetable oil. Avoid oils with a strong flavor, like olive oil.
- Try a different nut or omit. Instead of pecans, use chopped walnuts, or simply leave them out entirely.
- Stir in chocolate chips. Replace the nuts with chocolate chips or just add the chips in addition.
- Add spices to the batter. Mix in a pinch of nutmeg, cardamom, or ground ginger for additional spicy warmth along with the cinnamon.
- Include orange zest. A teaspoon or so of orange zest mixed into the batter goes well with dates and adds a lovely citrus flavor.
- Blend the dates. Blending the date mixture before adding it to the batter ensures even more date flavor in every bite.
- Coat loaf pan in cinnamon-sugar. Instead of parchment paper, grease the pan with butter or shortening, then coat with a mixture of cinnamon-sugar before pouring in the batter. This creates the most amazing crust on the baked bread. Alternatively, you can sprinkle a bit of cinnamon-sugar on top of the batter before popping it in the oven.
How to Store
Baked and cooled, this date bread can sit (tightly wrapped) on the countertop for 2-3 days. After that, you’ll want to refrigerate it, which will extend its life a few days longer.
You can also freeze it. Wrap the loaf in plastic, then in foil, and transfer to a freezer-safe plastic bag for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve this quick bread with a cream cheese spread, which complements the dates well. In a mixing bowl, beat 4 oz. of softened cream cheese with 1½ tsp of finely grated orange zest, 3 tbsp of powdered sugar, and a few drops of vanilla extract. Or, this strawberry cream cheese will also add another layer of flavor.
