Date Nut Bread
This homemade Date Nut Bread is moist, slightly dense, and simply packed with dates, pecans, and flavor! It’s a great breakfast or dessert bread, and it freezes beautifully!!

Happy National Date Nut Bread day!! Dates add the most wonderful flavor to recipes, and they also contain potassium, protein, and fiber! They are combined with nuts in this delicious bread and it’s super easy to make!
There are so many delicious recipes that contain dates. One of my favorites is this recipe for Ultimate Date Bars. These bars were offered by Betty Crocker back in the day in the form of a box mix. I begged my mom to let me make them each week. Years later, Betty Crocker discontinued the mix and I was so disappointed. A few years ago I was delighted to find a homemade recipe for date bars in a Betty Crocker cookbook, and they are just as delicious as I remember!
One of the most popular cookie recipes on my blog during the holidays is my Pecan Date Cookies recipe. There’s a pecan stuffed date in the center of each soft cookie and they’re glazed with a browned butter glaze. Delicious!
Okay, now let’s talk about this delicious Date Nut Bread recipe. This bread is super easy to make and it makes one loaf. You can double the recipe, and freeze one loaf for later if you like. I just placed one in my freezer for the holidays this coming week. I’ll show you how easy it is to make. First, let’s start with the ingredients.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup chopped dates
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup boiling water
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
Prepping the dates:
- Simply place the dates in a bowl.
- Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of baking soda over the dates.
- Pour 1 cup of boiling water over the dates.
- Allow the dates to soak while you finish the rest of the recipe.
Note: Do not discard the water after soaking the dates. You will use it.

If you’re using fresh dates you will obviously chop them. However, if you choose to use packaged dates, as I did, purchase the ones already chopped.

Mixing the ingredients:
- With a mixer, cream the butter, and sugar together on medium-high speed. Add the egg and mix on medium speed until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Using a strainer, strain the water from the dates into the mixing bowl and mix it in.
- Add the flour and mix just long enough to almost incorporate all the flour. Add the dates and nuts and mix on low speed just to incorporate. Don’t over mix.

Baking the bread:
- Transfer batter to a greased loaf pan and bake at 325 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes until a toothpick test comes out clean.
- Run a sharp knife around the edges of the pan, and allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Invert the bread onto a wire rack to finish cooling.



Date Nut Bread
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf 1x
- Category: breads/desserts/Christmas
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Date Nut Bread is moist, slightly dense, and studded with chopped dates and pecans or walnuts. The water from the soaked dates adds even more flavor to this delicious bread.
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped dates
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup boiling water
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease one 4 x 8″ loaf pan generously with butter or spray with cooking spray.
- Prepping dates: Add the dates to a bowl or 2-cup measuring cup. Sprinkle the baking soda over the dates. Pour the boiling water over the dates and allow them to cool. Do not discard the water.
- Mixing: With a mixer, cream the butter, and sugar together on medium-high speed. Add the egg and mix on medium speed until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Using a strainer, strain the water from the dates into the mixing bowl and mix it in.
- Add the flour and mix just long enough to almost incorporate all the flour. Add the dates and nuts and mix on low speed just to incorporate. Don’t over mix.
- Baking: Transfer batter to the greased loaf pan and bake for 55 to 60 minutes until a toothpick test comes out clean.
- Run a sharp knife around the edges of the pan, and allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Gently shake the pan up and down to loosen the bread from the bottom of the pan. Invert the bread onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Store bread in an airtight container for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Bread can be wrapped and frozen for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Wrap the baked & cooled loaf securely in plastic wrap, then wrap in heavy foil. Freeze the bread for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
- Dates: Chopped dates come in 8-ounce packages. If you prefer to use the whole package versus 1 cup of dates you can. The bread will have a stronger date flavor.
- Mini Loaves: You can make mini loaves by following the recipe above. Divide the batter equally between your mini loaf pans. The bake time and yield will depend on the size of your mini loaf pans. Check with a toothpick for doneness.
Keywords: date bread, bread, date nut bread, dates, date recipes,
Recommended for this recipe,
Hi,
I am so anxious to make this. Can I use self rising flour?
Hi Sandra, I have not tried making this recipe with self-rising flour. The recipe doesn’t call for much leavening, just 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda. I would think the self-rising would be fine. It might cause the bread to rise a little more. I hope this helps. Please let me know how it turns out with the self-rising flour. Happy baking!
Hi Cindy, I made this last week and I LOVED it! Decided to make a loaf for my mother, but this time I forgot to add the baking soda to the dates. Can I simply add it to the flour mixture?
Hi Keri, Yes that should be fine.
Sandwich with whipped cream cheese and crushed pineapple. Delish!!
Do you have a reccomendation on the type of dates? I think medjools would probably be good.
I look forward to making this. Can I sub some of the all purpose flour for whole wheat?
Hi Betty, Yes you can.
Making this today in honor of my Nana. She made the best date nut bread. Dark and sweet for cream cheese sandwiches❤
Hi Cindy,
I’m trying to figure how the three different amounts of ingredients on the 1x, 2x, 3x doesn’t change the size of the loaf pan and cook time. They are all the same. Can you shed light on how they differ? I’m confused and would loved to make either the 2x or 3x, but I’m hesitant without clarity first. Thank you so very much! My mother use to buy the Van de Kamp’s Date Nut Loaf and would spread cream cheese on each slice. What a treat those times were. It’s been at least 45 years since I’ve had this wonder treat.
Michelle
Hi Michelle, Aren’t those wonderful memories. I loved making the box mix back then. If you double the recipe, use 2 loaf pans. If you triple it, use 3. I hope you enjoy it just like when you were a kid. 🙂
Awesome recipe! I made four (4) loaves this morning and froze them. They turned out beautifully and the house smelled wonderful. We haven’t cut into a loaf yet but if the batter is any indication the bread will be delicious. I’m always making sweet quick breads and looking for new recipes. Thanks for a great one!
★★★★★
Excellent date bread. Moist
Will definitely make again.
★★★★★