Love dates? Me too! Then you will definitely want to learn how to make some date paste. A healthy fruit based alternative sweetener using only 2 ingredients pitted dates and some tepid water.
If you are looking for a sweetener that is healthy, wholesome and taste equally as awesome then look no further than following my step by step guide for making your own homemade date paste.
Okay, now that I have your undivided attention, let's talk about date paste. In case you are wondering what is it it'ss simply whole pitted dates which have been have pureed into a paste (the clue is in the same).
I haven't seen date paste in the supermarkets while on my travels nor have I see date sugar which is why you might benefit from How to Make Date Sugar at home.
I took the liberty of making my own just like I did when I learnt How to Make a Flax Egg. I always have dates lying around in my pantry and also like to nibble on them so why not experiment with them and make paste.
It's a great natural alternative sweetener and free from refined sugar which explains why so many people are now using it more than ever and you can use any type of date be it - medjool, deglet noor, barhi etc..
You can use this in your tea, coffee, smoothie, for baking cookies, stews or even marinades too.
Reasons to make this paste
- The taste is phenomenal - think caramel candy, but not overwhelming
- You only need TWO ingredients to make it from scratch
- It's highly addictive and incredibly versatile
- Healthy substitute for brown sugar
- It's suitable for paleo lifestyle, whole 30, gluten free and safe for vegans!!
- You can make a BIG batch of this recipe and freeze it down.
The difference between date paste and date syrup
The major difference between the two is the texture and processing. Date paste is made my pulsing pure dates with the aid of water.
On the other hand, date syrup is a lot thicker, more of a strong caramel colour and is typically made from simmering the extract of the dates.
The steps
Grab your dates and place them in a bowl to soak in water.
Drain off the soaked dates and puree in a high speed blender
Quick version vs overnight method
You can make this recipe using a blender, immersion stick or food processor. Since making this paste over and over again I have figured out that you can short cut the softening the date. I think sometimes playing the waiting game can be off putting so I have a solution
Quick method: Add the dates to a bowl with 2 cups of hot water and soak for 3o minutes then transfer to your blender/food processor and puree. You shouldn't have any issues with the dates breaking down as they should be super soft.
Over night method: Add the date to a bowl with 2 cups of lukewarm water and leave to soften overnight. Some people might want to do this method if they are concerned about destroy the nutritional value of the dates.
Baking with date paste
Date paste is isn't as sweet as regular brown sugar. If you are using to make baked goods be mindful that you will need to over compensate. For example if a recipe called for ½ a cup of sugar you will need to use double the amount.
Also, because it yield a liquid texture you may want to scale back the use of milk by ¼ so you don't eat up with batter that is quite runny.
Can you use any other fruit instead of dates?
- Prunes
- Figs
- Raisin, current or sultanas
Storage
Once you have made your date paste, be sure to store in a glass jar i.e mason jar in your fridge. The paste has a long shelf life of a few months but as a general rule of thumb I use within 4 weeks of making it.
Alternatively you can whip up a batch and place in a freezer friendly container for up to a year.
The good news is that date paste has a moderate shelf life. Store on the fridge for up to 3-4 weeks or alternatively freeze on the day it's made for up to a year.
Notes and tips
- Make sure to refrigerate (up to a month) or freeze for a year.
- Use a immersion stick, food processor or blender to puree your date.
- Any type of dates will work or use prune/figs/raisins instead.
- You can use the quick (soak in boiling water) or overnight option to make the paste.
- If adding to a hot beverage you will need to use more than want you would be if using brown sugar.
- Pitted dates are more convenient if you can't get hold of pitted simply split the dates in halve to remove the stone.
- This recipe makes about a small jar's worth of paste.
Recipes to use your paste in
These recipes either contain date paste or fresh dates, just use how the amount state with the paste instead.
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How to Make Date Paste
Ingredients
- 2 cups of pitted medjool dates
- 2 cups water see above for whether you need warm/hot water
Instructions
For the quick method
- Add the dates to a bowl with 2 cups of hot water and soak for 30 minutes.
- Drain off the water and add the dates to your blender/food processor and puree until smooth.
Overnight method
- Place the dates in a bowl with 2 cups of lukewarm water and leave to soften overnight.
- Drain the water and puree in the dates in a blender/food processor until smooth
Notes
- Make sure to refrigerate (up to a month) or freeze for a year.
- Use a immersion stick, food processor or blender to puree your date.
- Any type of dates will work or use prune/figs/raisins instead.
- You can use the quick (soak in boiling water) or overnight option to make the paste.
- If adding to a hot beverage you will need to use more than want you would be if using brown sugar.
- Pitted dates are more convenient if you can't get hold of pitted simply split the dates in halve to remove the stone.
- This recipe makes about a small jar's worth of paste.
Nutrition
How would I use this in place of sugar or maple syrup in a recipe? Is it 1:1? And, could I use this in tea?
Date paste will make your baked goods softer because of its thick texture. It's also not as sweet as maple syrup or regular granulated sugar. As a general rule of thumb you will want to use 1/4 cup more in baking i.e a recipe which calls for 1/2 cup of maple syrup will need 3/4 cup of date paste instead. The paste offers subtle sweetness, so on the flipside, if you don't want your recipe(s) to be extremely sweet then date paste will work in your favour. I hope that helps and yes, it works really well in tea and smoothies (my preferred choice).
How much does this recipe yield?
Hi Sam, it would be the equivalent to a small jar (a cups worth in total).