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!!

Slices of homemade Date Nut Bread

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:

  1. Simply place the dates in a bowl.
  2. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of baking soda over the dates.
  3. Pour 1 cup of boiling water over the dates.
  4. 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.

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Mixing the ingredients:

  1. 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.
  2. 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:

  1. Transfer batter to a greased loaf pan and bake at 325 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes until a toothpick test comes out clean.
  2. 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.
A sliced loaf of Date Nut Bread on a cloth napkin.
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Slices of Date Nut Bread.

Date Nut Bread

★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Cindy @mycountrytable
  • 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
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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

Units Scale
  • 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

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Grease one 4 x 8″  loaf pan generously with butter or spray with cooking spray.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Baking: Transfer batter to the greased loaf pan and bake for 55 to 60 minutes until a toothpick test comes out clean.
  6. 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.
  7. Store bread in an airtight container for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
  8. 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,

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