And easy date paste recipe using only 4 simple ingredients to make this all natural sweetener! Plus a bonus option for all your baking needs.
Date paste can be used in so many ways. From putting into desserts as a healthier sweetener option, to eating it on it's own as a dip. It's amazing!
This post was originally published on 2/1/2014
Sugar has been painted out to be the devil, but it's important to know the right information about sugar because you make any rash decisions.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
After some waffling on my part, I decided that sugar is not the devil it's positioned to be. While it shouldn't be your main source of nutrition, it's still ok to eat. But sometimes I still want a more natural way to sweeten things.
I make date paste in two main ways, for recipes and to eat on it's own. If you're going to be adding the date paste to a recipe, all you need are dates and water.
However, if you're enjoying it raw, like as a spread, you'll need the following ingredients:
- Pitted Medjool dates
- Dairy free milk
- Sea salt
- Vanilla extract
How to Make Date Paste
Making date paste is really the only way to do it, do they even sell it? If they do, I can guarantee that it's price marked disgustingly high because they can. All you need to do is:
- Pit your dates if they're not already seedless.
- Dump everything into a blender or food processor and blend on high until smooth.
If you don't have a blender or food processor, you can use a fork in a pinch.
- Soak the pitted dates in hot water overnight.
- Then add the soaked dates with the other ingredients into a bowl and use a fork to mash and mix.
- Continue to do this until you get a smoothish consistency. It won't be as creamy and smooth as pureed dates from a blender, but you will eventually get some date paste you can use.
How to Pit Dates
If for some reason you cannot find pitted dates, it's easy enough to remove the pit yourself.
- If the dates are dried make sure to soak them first until they are softened.
- Use a sharp knife to carefully slice one side of the date open from top to bottom.
- Pry the cut open and use the knife or your fingers to pull out the pit.
Preparation Tips
Here are some helpful suggestions when making your own homemade date paste:
- Medjool dates are best as they are soft, sweet, and easy to find. Another good soft and sweet variety are the Barhi dates.
- If you use something other than Medjool in this recipe you may make a different amount of date paste depending on the size of the dates. It may also turn out less sweet depending on the kind you use.
- Make it easy on yourself by using dates that have already been pitted.
- If you are not using a high speed blender (and using a food processor or regular blender) then you may want to soak your dates in hot water for about 30 minutes to soften them before you make it.
- I use water in the paste I make for recipes, but milk to create a date spread that I use raw. I like the creaminess the milk adds when I eat it raw but prefer the water for my recipes as it is more neutral.
How Long Does Date Paste Last?
Date paste will last safely up to 3 months in the refrigerator, however after 1 month it may start to dry out.
Keep the paste sealed in an airtight container in the fridge to use as needed.
You can also freeze date paste for up to 1 year! Simply put it in a freezer-safe airtight container or bag. If you know you'll only be using a little at a time, freeze smaller portions in an ice cube tray before transferring it to the container.
Date Paste Uses
Use this natural sweetener all day long!
- Stir it into coffee or tea instead of sugar.
- Blend it into your favorite smoothies.
- Spread it over toast, bagels, or crackers.
- Mix in into overnight oats or oatmeal.
- Make a parfait with yogurt, fruit, and granola.
- Add a touch of sweetness to your favorite salad dressings.
- Enhance savory dishes like pasta sauces, stews, or chili.
Recipes with Date Paste
A better option, is to just make a recipe that uses date paste intentionally. I have some recipes already that use date paste (or have a date paste option) or just dates. Give them a try and let me know what you think!
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Oatmeal Raisin Pecan Cookies
- Chunky Monkey Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Raisin Macadamia Nut Oat Cookies
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls
- Date Sweetened Brownies
- Apple Cinnamon Scuffins
- Yogurt Date Dip
- Dark Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes
- Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Pretzel Frosting
- Pumpkin Molasses Cupcakes
- Frothy Hot Chocolate with Pistachio Milk
- Raw Superfood Balls
- Raw Strawberry Margarita Cheesecake Cups
- Peanut Butter Cup Parfait
- Sriracha Tahini Fudge
How Do You Substitute Date Paste for Sugar in Baking?
There is a lot of info out there on this, but my humble opinion is that it really depends on the recipe. Baking is a science and when you alter one thing, you often have to play with others.
Date paste acts as both a sweetener and a thickener, so your baked goods can come out super dry if you don't add more liquid. Also, the texture will change, especially when using it for dry sugar. Expect your baked goods to be softer.
So if you are good at experimenting, I'd start with a 1:1 ratio when subbing for a dry sugar. Make half a batch and adjust as needed. If you're substituting for a wet sweetener like maple syrup or honey, you will probably need more date paste or an addition of water because the date paste is a thickener as well and will produce a drier result.
Natural Sweeteners
Ultimately, there are only two natural sweeteners: lactose (milk) and fructose (fruits, like these dates!). So when we talk about natural sugars, date paste can be called a natural sweetener without the truth being stretched. Everything else is an added sugar.
But added sugars don't have to be evil. A very broad way to look at how sugars affect us, is using the glycemic index (GI) value is the best bet. The lower the value, the less your blood sugar spikes, which is the goal.
Keep in mind that it's not as simple as this because other foods can affect the way sugar is metabolized in your body. But this is a general way to look at different types of sugar.
Everyone has an opinion (we are online aren't we?) but here is my personal list of fave sugars starting with the ones I use most:
- Date paste- this recipe, duh. Dates are a fruit and legit pure nature. It has a GI index of 38-46 depending on the variety.
- Maple syrup- this comes from the maple tree and goes through a small process before getting to your kitchen, but overall it's amazing. Probably in my top few sweeteners I use on a daily basis. It's GI index is 54.
- Honey- yeah I know, not vegan. But as you may have read in my about me page, we eat plant based for health reasons and have no problem with honey. I like the flavor of maple better, so I don't use honey as often, but it does have a spot in my pantry for its healthy nature. GI index is 58.
- Coconut sugar- this browner colored sugar has some of it's nutrients still in it. While sugars are not a nutrient dense food, you will get trace amounts here. When I need a dry sugar with a more brown sugar like flavor this is my go to. You can actually mix this with a bit of molasses and get a brown sugar texture too! Brandi from The Vegan 8 shows you how. The GI index is 54.
- Cane sugar- This is basically sugar with very trace amounts of it's nutrients left. You'll notice that it's tan in color and not as dark as coconut sugar. I also love the look of this one so this is what I use when I need something sprinkled on top. The GI index of this one is 65.
Common Questions
Use as a spread, or as a sweetener. Mix into coffee, yogurt, or any recipe as a sugar substitute.
Yes, although it does still contain sugar. The amount of sugar is less, and there are more nutrients and fiber, making it a healthier option.
While both are natural sweeteners, dates have less calories and sugar than honey, plus more nutrients.
This recipe can be as easy as dates and water! However, to make date spread I like to use milk, salt, and vanilla extract.
Medjool dates are the most widely used dates in recipes for a reason, they are easy to find, super soft and really sweet. But there are many other date varieties out there. The other two varieties that I see in stores are Deglet Noor and Barhi.
More Vegan Alternatives
Having healthier substitutes is great, especially when they're plant based! Not to mention, when you make homemade recipes, you know exactly what you're eating!
Easy Date Paste Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
For date paste on its own:
- 24 pitted Medjool dates , about 2 cups packed (a little over a pound, see notes)
- ¾- 1 ¼ cup almond/cashew/etc milk , start with ¾ and add more to get the consistency you want
- dash sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For date paste to use recipes:
- 24 pitted Medjool dates , about 2 cups packed (a little over a pound, see notes)
- ¾- 1 ¼ cup water , start with ¾ and add more to get the consistency you want
Instructions
For blender method:
- If using a regular blender, make sure to soak your dates in hot water for about 30 minutes before you make it so that they soften enough to get a smooth result.
- If using a high speed blender, put all ingredients inside and blend on high until smooth. You may need to stop and shake a little to get things moving but they will if you keep going.
For food processor method:
- Make sure your dates are soaked as mentioned above in order to get the smoothest results, then add everything into the food processor and blend until smooth. It will take longer with this method, but keep stopping and scraping down the sides.
For fork method:
- If you don't have either a blender or a food processor, soak your dates in hot water overnight. This will ensure they are as soft as possible.
- Add the soaked dates with the other ingredients into a bowl and use a fork to mash and mix. Continue to do this until you get a smoothish consistency. It won't be as creamy and smooth as using a blender but you will eventually get some date paste you can use.
Notes
- I usually use Medjool dates as they are soft and sweet and I can find them easily. Another good soft and sweet variety are the Barhi dates.
- If you use something other than Medjool in this recipe you may make a different amount of date paste depending on date size. It may also turn out less sweet depending on the kind you use.
- Make sure to take the pits out before using them.
- If you are not using a high speed blender (and using a food processor or regular blender) then you may want to soak your dates in hot water for about 30 minutes to soften them before you make it.
- Check out this great resource on the different types of dates. I use water in the paste I make for recipes but milk in the kind I use raw. I like the creaminess the milk adds when I eat it raw but prefer the water for my recipes as it is more neutral.
- This recipe makes just under 2 cups, serving size for the nutrition facts is ¼ cup.
- Nutrition facts are for the water option.
Recipe by Veggies Don’t Bite, visit our site for more great plant-based recipes.
Nutrition
Nutrition and metric information should be considered an estimate.
Illana
Hey, just wondering how long does the paste last? If it’s in a glass jar with lid in fridge? And how much would you use per recipe? Like 1 tsp auger equivalent to 1tsp paste?
Thank you 🙂
Sophia DeSantis
Hi! I cover this info in the post, how to store, etc. Around 3 months in the fridge but you can freeze it for about a year! Make sure to read that section for details. As for how much to use, I also have a whole section on this in the post itself. Ultimately it really is up to you. You need to try and see what level of sweetness and flavor you prefer. You can sub 1 to 1 but if you are used to eating regular white granulated sugar you won't find that date paste has the same level of sweetness. It's a little different in flavor. So give it a try and see!
VeenessFLyTrip
THis looks deeeeee-lish! How can it be stored to give it the most longevity?
Sophia DeSantis
Hi! Thanks so much! You should store it in an air tight container. If you go to the post you can see a Table of Contents and there is a section on how long it lasts that talks a little more in detail. Let me know if you try it!
Haroon Rehman
Why did you add Sea salt. Don't you think that it can make the paste taste little saltish?
Will the paste going to taste bad if we did not put Sea Salt in it ?
Sophia DeSantis
Salt is great to add to things when you are trying to enhance the flavor! It doesn't necessarily make it taste "saltier" but more gives it a better flavor overall. Of course, it depends on how much of the salt you add. You can definitely skip it but it does give it a great flavor!
Shelley
I store sludge like consistency in a glass bottle in rhe fridge and use in my coffee to sweeten. Works well for me
Sophia DeSantis
Glad to hear!
Tim
If I use almond milk in the recipe, will it still last 30 days in the fridge?
veggiesdontbite
Hi Tim! It should last a while, but I would continue to check on it and use your best judgement. I usually keep what I need for 10-14 days and freeze the rest.
Angela
What is the shelf life making this? I read a comment where someone suggested freezing it but if I wanted to add to cereal or oatmeal, how would that work. Thanks in advance.
veggiesdontbite
Hi Angela! I say in the post to store date paste in an airtight container in the refrigerator for one month. You can technically store it longer but it will begin to dry out. You can definitely freeze it, using ice cube trays works great. If you want to use it daily, then this may not be the best bet, or you could drop an ice cube of it in the oatmeal when cooking.
Betsy
Thank you so much for this recipe as I am interested in baking again, but not with sugar. I look forward to trying it out very soon. I do use soaked dates to sweeten my raw cacao and frozen fruit smoothies. They are delicious!😘
veggiesdontbite
Happy to help Betsy! Let me know how it goes!
Andrea Garber
Hi Sophia, I am new to your website and this is the first recipe I have tried. It is sweet and delicious! A tip for you and your readers, I used a small cookie scoop and place on parchment lined cookie sheet, place in freezer until frozen (they will still be soft but firm) and store in freezer safe container in freezer for use as needed. Thanks for the great recipe and I look forward to others! Take good care and stay safe! Andrea
veggiesdontbite
I love that tip Andrea!! Thanks so much for sharing. I am thrilled you like it!
Heather
So, I’m new to the world of dates for a sweetner and I am curious if you’ve ever sweetened your coffee with the date paste?
veggiesdontbite
Hi Heather! You definitely can do that! I would make it on the thinner side so it mixes in easier.
Nancy
Hi, You listed cane sugar as being that tan stuff...
Did you know that all white refined sugar is either beet sugar or cane sugar? They aren't required to put the plant source on the sugar package. So when something has "sugar" in the ingredients, or you buy a pack of regular white sugar, it's often cane sugar. Not saying it's bad, just saying your label of cane sugar is a bit inaccurate. So cane sugar isn't really special or more natural than your cheapest white sugar. Also the tan color often doesn't mean it's less refined. It means some of the molasses sugar part has been added back in which makes it look more natural and high class.
veggiesdontbite
Hi Nancy! Actually there is a range of cane sugars and how they are made. While the source of sugar is the same, the way they are processed us actually different. Some is striped of it's nutrients completely (the pure white), some has some nutrients added back in (like you said) but some actually does have some of it's nutrients retained. You just need to look at what you are buying and ask the store to make sure you understand what it is correctly. While sugar is sugar and metabolized by the body the same, the true darker sugars do have some nutrients in them so my point of this was to give people an idea of that range. I am all for white sugar from time to time and any sweetener really, but in general for my every day things, if I am using dry sugar I use the darker sugars because hey, it may not be spinach but a little bit of nutrients versus none at all seems like a win especially since we love the flavor of the darker sugars as well.
Barbara
After soaking the dates, what should I do with my date water? Do you save it for making lemonade, for example? Or smoothies?
Thanks!
veggiesdontbite
Hi Barbara! You can use the date water to thin this out to your desired consistency and then the extra you can throw out or use as you wish! Lemonade and smoothies are a great idea!
Angie
Is the nutrition label meant to cover the entire recipe or are the nutrition facts per serving? If so, what is a serving size?
veggiesdontbite
Hi Angie, all of this information is in the notes of the recipe. It says "This recipe makes just under 2 cups, serving size for the nutrition facts is 1/4 cup."
Akosua
Wow am yet to try the dates paste
Thanks a lot
veggiesdontbite
You're welcome!
Dz
Lovely... Weldone
veggiesdontbite
Thank you!
Linda St Angelo
Somehow, I am not seeing the recipe for date paste. Is it just dates and water?
veggiesdontbite
It's all fixed now!!