Learn how to make date paste with this easy, 2-ingredient recipe for the best natural sweetener and a delicious alternative to white sugar and other refined sugars.
Making date paste is super easy. I'll walk you through the steps, plus tips I've learned. No blending device? I'll show you how to make a date paste without a food processor or blender.
Dates are one of my favorite ways to add sweetness and natural thickness to vegan recipes like hoisin sauce and lemongrass dressing.
What's great about date paste is that you have already done the blending, so it's just a spoonful away. That's one reason date paste is at the top of my vegan agave syrup substitutes list.
Table of Contents
⭐ Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Simple ingredients. Date and water - that's all you need!
- Freezer-friendly. Pop date paste in ice cube tray slots, and it's ready in a flash.
- Vegan. Unlike some refined white sugar, dates are naturally vegan.
📋 About Dates
Use organic dates when possible. Check that they have no additives, including (and especially) added sugar.
Most recipes call for Medjool dates, but you can make date paste using different varieties of dates depending on preference, grocery store availability, cost, and the flavor profile you desire.
Types of Dates
- Medjool dates, also known as California-style dates, are big, sweet, and have a subtle caramel-like taste.
- Barhi is a fragile, soft date that is somewhat syrupy. Because it is quite delicate, you probably won’t need to soak Barhi dates before processing them.
- Dayri are distinctively long dates with a heavy, sweet flavor. A little Dayri paste goes a long way in terms of sugary sweetness.
- Deglet Noor is considered a 'dry' date with a sweet, delicate flavor. It is great if you want a date paste that isn’t too sugary.
- Halawy is another super-sweet, honey-flavored date. These are really nice right out of the bag.
- Khadrawy are rich but not overly sweet-flavored dates. These dates are a good option if you want something less sugary.
- Thoory are sweet with a nutty flavor. They are often called 'baking dates' because they are great in bread recipes.
- Zahidi are semi-dry, sugary, sweet dates that resemble large, golden raisins. They are great for baking and meaty, so they are worthy candidates for date paste.
📖 Recipe Variations
Try adding a little vanilla if you are using date paste for baking. It adds a subtle caramel flavor.
⏲️ Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cover pitted dates with boiling water and soak for 15 minutes.
Step 2: Drain the dates and reserve 1 cup of soaking water. Add the dates to a blender or food processor.
Step 3: Blend, adding water a little at a time. Scrape the sides of the blender or food processor periodically.
Step 4: Finish blending, then transfer dates to a bowl, airtight container, or glass jar.
🔪 Pro Tips
- 1 cup of pitted dates yields 1 cup of date paste. The amount of date paste is impacted by the amount of water and the consistency of the date puree.
- You can skip the soaking using a high-speed blender and fresh dates. Add water as you blend.
How to Make Date Paste Without a Food Processor or Blender
You don’t have to miss out on the caramel-sweet flavor of date paste even if you don’t have a food processor or blender. The key is ensuring that the dates are very soft and warm. Here's an easy method:
- Place pitted dates in a small saucepan and cover them with water.
- Heat the ingredients so the dates are simmering, and cover the pot.
- Simmer the dates until they are soft and falling apart.
- Transfer the dates to a bowl and mash them with a fork or use a pestle and mortar.
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🍯 Substituting Date Paste For Other Sweeteners
The ratio of date paste to other sweeteners requires a bit of adjustment, but in general:
Liquid Sweeteners. Substitute ½ a cup of maple syrup or another liquid sweetener with ⅔ cup of date paste.
Granulated sugars. For every 1 cup of sugar, use ⅔ cup of date paste. Use this as a guide for table sugar, cane sugar, date sugar, and coconut sugar.
Denise's Tip: Use this easy date paste recipe to make other whole fruit pastes, such as mango, apricot, or fig paste.
🍴 Serving Suggestions
Many delicious ways exist to use date paste, and I am always discovering more!
- It's great for mixing with oats, nuts, and dried fruit to make sweet treats like energy balls.
- Replace brown sugar with date paste in your favorite homemade barbecue sauce or delicious Huli Huli Hawaiian BBQ sauce.
- Make cinnamon toast by spreading date paste over whole wheat toasted bread with a sprinkle of cinnamon.
- Mix date paste and vanilla, and smother ice creams with mock caramel topping.
- Use date paste as a fruit dip for sweet fresh fruits or crackers.
- Peanut butter, banana, date paste sandwich - need I say more?
💭 Frequently Asked Questions
Date syrup is a thinner and pourable version of date paste with a smooth peanut butter consistency. If you buy either date syrup or date paste, even if the label says natural sweetener, be sure to check the labels. Some brands contain refined sugar or other additives.
Date paste can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a month. You can also store portions in ice cube trays for several months. Cover the ice cube tray to prevent freezer burn.
🧾 Related Recipes
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👩🏻🍳 Recipe
How to Make Date Paste
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Ingredients
- 1 cup dates - pitted, see notes
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Place pitted dates in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak for 15 minutes. Alternatively, heat them in a saucepan or in the microwave for a super-quick soak. Cover and store them in the refrigerator if you are soaking them overnight.
- Drain the dates, reserving 1 cup of the soaking liquid. Place the dates in a blender or food processor. Start slowly, add 2 tablespoons of water, and process the dates. Add more water, increase the speed, and process until you have the desired consistency.
- Makes 1 cup.
- Store or freeze. Place date paste in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to a month. Freeze in small containers, freezer bags, or ice cube trays fors everal months (up to a year if covered).
Notes
- Many recipes call for Medjool dates; however, you can use any type of dates or other dried fruits.
- 1 cup of dates will yield approximately 1 cup of date paste. Nutritional information is based on 1 tablespoon of date paste.
- To make a date paste without a blender or food processor, soften and warm the dates by heating them with water in a saucepan or microwave. Drain the dates and immediately use a large fork, pastry cutter, or a pestle and mortar to puree them.
- Substitute ⅔ of a cup of date paste for every 1 cup of granulated sugar or every ½ cup of maple syrup.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
Carolyn Hampson
When you soak the dates in boiling or hot water for at least an hour, should the water be simmering for the entire hour that the dates are soaking?
Denise
Hi, just cover the dates with boiling water and let the water cool as the dates soak. The hot water speeds up the softening process. Let me know if you have further questions.
Alexandra
Date paste made simple. I'd never thought about freezing date paste. I order dates in bulk, and when they arrive, I spend 30 minutes pitting them and listening to an audiobook. I then freeze the dates.
Denise Perrault
Freezing bulks dates is a great idea too. I buy in bulk as well, so it's a great option. And you sound like me - chores in the kitchen, audio book engaged 🙂