This Mediterranean diet friendly Date Nut Bread recipe is richly spiced and super moist thanks to lots of chopped dates. Toasted walnuts add crunch to this easy, quick bread recipe.
Date nut bread is a throwback quick bread that, lately, seems overshadowed by other comforting loaves, like banana bread and pumpkin bread. Sweet chewy dates, toasted walnuts, and plenty of warm baking spices make it just as cozy. With a few healthy updates and upgrades, it deserves a place in your baking rotation.
This recipe is loaded with chopped dates and, instead of butter, a splash of fruity olive oil. It doesn’t need much because the dates and honey already keep this bread super moist.
Why You’ll Love This Date Nut Bread Recipe
- Naturally Sweet: It offers the ultimate nostalgic, sweet flavor you crave, but uses just a little brown sugar and honey. Most of the sweetness comes from the dates, a low glycemic fruit that’s a good source of natural sweetness and fiber, making it a treat you can feel good about.
- Super Simple to Bake: This recipe is easy to follow, requires no expert baking skills, and guarantees a wonderfully moist loaf every time.
- Perfect for Meal Prep: It freezes beautifully, meaning you can bake one loaf and enjoy it for quick, easy breakfasts or snacks all week long!
How to Make Date Nut Bread
Soaking the dates in hot coffee before mixing the batter softens them, creating pockets of caramel sweetness in the bread. The sugars in dates and honey can speed up the bread’s browning in the oven. If it gets too dark, tent it with foil. Here’s how to make it:
- Get ready. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush a standard (8 1/2-inch x 4 1/2-inch) loaf pan with olive oil or spray it with baking spray.
- Soak the dates. Add 2 cups (300g) chopped pitted dates (preferably Medjool) and 1 teaspoon baking soda to a large mixing bowl. Pour 1 cup (240ml) hot coffee, black tea, or water over the dates and allow them to soak for 15 minutes.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 3/4 cup (200g) white whole wheat flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves.
- Mix the wet ingredients. To the date mixture, add 1/4 cup (53g) brown sugar, 1/4 cup (85g) honey, 1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil, and 1 large egg, and whisk to combine.
- Make the batter. Add the flour mixture to the date mixture. Mix gently with a silicone spatula until just combined. Stir in 1 cup (113g) chopped toasted walnuts.
- Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. If the top of the loaf is browning too quickly, tent it with foil.
- Cool and serve. Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and place on a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and serve.
Best Flour for Date and Nut Bread
In many of my bread recipes, I use a combination of whole wheat flour and either bread or all-purpose flour because breads made entirely from whole wheat flour can end up heavy.
But because of the dates, honey, and olive oil, this cake is so tender that I don’t hesitate to use white whole wheat flour for its nutty flavor (and health benefits) without any fear of a dry cake.
Milled from hard white spring or winter wheat, (or golden, depending on the brand) white whole wheat flour has a milder flavor and paler color than traditional whole wheat flour, but the same nutritional value. You can substitute whole wheat pastry flour or a fifty-fifty blend of regular whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour.
Need to keep it gluten-free? Use your favorite 1:1 gluten-free flour in place of the white whole wheat flour.
Ways to Make It Your Own
This date nut bread is versatile and can handle all sorts of substitutions and flavor tweaks. Here are a few of my favorite swaps you can try:
- Swap the spices: Adjust the amounts to your taste, or swap them altogether. Try ground cardamom, ground ginger, ras el hanout, pumpkin pie spice, or apple pie spice.
- Orange zest: Add the freshly grated zest from one orange to the batter.
- Pecans: Swap the walnuts for chopped toasted pecans.
- Other dried fruits: Try chopped dried figs, raisins, or other dried fruits in addition to or instead of the dates.
- Medjool dates, my favorite for this and many other date recipes, have a flavor and texture reminiscent of soft caramels, but you can also use Deglet Noor dates, which are nutty and retain a firmer bite. Taking time to soften them in hot coffee or tea is an enticing opportunity to infuse them with extra flavor. Adding a little baking soda neutralizes the acidity of both.
What to Serve with Date Nut Bread
On its own, this date nut bread is already sweet, spicy, and nutty. I can’t think of a better start to a cold weekend morning than a thick slice of this bread with a hot cup of coffee or black tea.
My grandmother always spread slices of date-nut bread with cream cheese. For a tangy, creamy spread with a Mediterranean spin, try labneh, farmer’s cheese, or a dollop of Greek yogurt, and a drizzle of extra honey.
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Date Nut Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups chopped pitted dates (preferably Medjool) (300g)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup hot coffee, black tea, or water (240ml)
- 1 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour (200g)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (53g)
- 1/4 cup honey (85g)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for pan (60ml)
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts (113g)
Instructions
- Get ready. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush a standard (8 1/2-inch x 4 1/2-inch x 2 1/2-inch) loaf pan with olive oil or spray it with baking spray.
- Soak the dates. Add the chopped dates and baking soda to a large mixing bowl. Pour the hot coffee, black tea, or water over the dates and allow them to soak for 15 minutes.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Mix the wet ingredients. To the date mixture, add the brown sugar, honey, olive oil, and egg, and whisk to combine.
- Make the batter. Add the flour mixture to the date mixture. Mix gently with a silicone spatula until just combined. Stir in the walnuts.
- Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. If the top of the loaf is browning too quickly, tent it with foil.
- Cool and serve. Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and place on a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and serve.
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil and honey used in this recipe.
- To toast walnuts: Spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes at 350°F.
- To substitute flours: Milled from hard white spring or winter wheat, white (or golden, depending on the brand) whole wheat flour has a milder flavor and paler color than traditional whole wheat flour, but the same nutritional value. You can substitute whole wheat pastry flour or a fifty-fifty blend of regular whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour.
- Storage: Date nut bread will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container at room temperature. Freeze for longer storage.
Nutrition
Honey from The Mediterranean!
Indulge in the delicate sweetness of Italian Organic Acacia Honey, sourced from the lush acacia woods of the Pre-Alps and other regions of the Italian peninsula.
