Date Nut Bread Recipe
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The perfect date nut bread recipe made with two full cups of medjool dates, 70 % whole wheat flour and brain healthy toasty walnuts. Forget muffins, a toasted slice of this easy walnut bread is the perfect good for you breakfast to go alongside a cup of coffee or tea.
Date Nut Bread
Packed with whole grains, dates and walnuts, perfectly dense yet moist and comforting brimming with a nutty and caramel like flavor throughout, this is the date nut bread of your dreams. Naturally vegan, dairy free and egg free, I love it best the next day sliced thick and toasted until the walnuts get a little charred around the edges.
The Dates
Although you can technically use any date variety here I am partial to medjool. Their texture and caramel like flavor profile is like no other. Remember to pit them first before chopping then soak in hot water to get the texture perfectly soft and juicy. If you wanted to experiment here you can use hot coffee instead of water for soaking.
About the Flour
I used a mixture of 70% whole grain flour and a little all purpose for fluff. I’m really into baking with spelt as I fancy that earthy nutty flavor in baked goods, but whatever you keep in the freezer / pantry will work just fine.
The Walnuts
Start by toasting the raw walnuts to get them extra nutty and crunchy before baking. You want to do this in a dry skillet on medium high heat and don’t walk away. Toasting happens fast so take care not to let them burn. Cool and roughly chop them before adding them into the batter. If you are partial to pecans you can certainly make that swap here.
Ingredient Notes + Tips
- The Binder – Since this is an eggless loaf I use either apple sauce or mashed roasted sweet potato I happen to always have in the fridge. Mashed banana and avocado work perfectly well too so use whatever you have handy.
- Swaps – You can riff on this loaf with other dried fruit like figs, plums, apricots, even chocolate chips or an eclectic mixture of the above. Go wild -I don’t judge!
- Sugars – Although the dates are the main sweetening ingredient I also added a touch of brown sugar (1/3 cup) for depth of flavor. It’s not a very sweet loaf overall, it’s just right!
- Vanilla – the exquisite presence of vanilla in baked goods is just divine. However, It’s not a major flavoring agent in this recipe so If you don’t happen to have any it’s ok to skip it.
- Olive Oil – Because there’s nothing better than baking with olive oil, you don’t need much just 4 tablespoon for the whole loaf works magic. All things considered any neutral vegetable oil will do the job so use what you got.
On Storage
Store the loaf at room temperature for the first day uncovered. Wrap any leftovers in parchment paper and store at room temperature in the bread box or a lidded container for a couple of days. I like to make individual 1 inch slices and toast them for breakfast in the toaster oven, the nuts get incredibly toasty and nutty and comforting. The loaf freezes beautifully as well if you happen to have any leftovers. Best to slice and individually wrap in parchment paper or freezer proof bags before popping them in the freezer.
You’ll Also Love
- Black Bean Brownies
- Vegan Coffee Cake
- Chocolate Sweet Potato Bread
- Whole Wheat Banana Bread
- Vegan Poppyseed Lemon Loaf
- Vegan Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake
- Fudgy Vegan Brownies
- Vegan Ricotta Apple Pie
- Nutty Cookies
- Vegan Christmas Cookies
- Pumpkin Crunch Cake
- Vegan Lemon Olive Oil Cake.
How to Make Date Nut Bread Recipe
Date Nut Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups medjool dates pitted + roughly chopped
- 1 cup hot boiling water (or hot coffee)
- 1 cup walnuts toasted + roughly chopped
- 1.5 cups whole wheat pastry flour or spelt
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2/3 cup cashew milk
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup apple sauce or sweet potato (mashed banana or avocado)
- 1/3 cup brown sugar lightly packed
- 2 tsp vanilla extract optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350”F.
- In a batter bowl combine the cashew milk with the apple cider and set aside to curdle while you prep the rest of the ingredients.2/3 cup cashew milk, 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- Place the pitted and chopped dates in a medium size bowl and cover with the hot water. Set aside.2 cups medjool dates, 1 cup hot boiling water
- Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet then roughly chop. Set aside.1 cup walnuts
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flours, salt, baking powder and soda.1.5 cups whole wheat pastry flour, 1/2 cup all purpose flour, 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder
- To the bowl with the milk add the olive oil, vanilla, sugar and apple sauce (or any of the alternatives). Whisk until combined. Add the soaked dates with all their soaking liquid and mix.1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup apple sauce or sweet potato, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 2 cups medjool dates
- Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and using a spatula fold everything together until combined and a thick dough is formed.
- Add the toasted walnuts and fold into the batter.1 cup walnuts
- Prepare an 8x4 inch loaf pan (or a similar size) lined with parchment paper leaving a couple of inches of overhang on each side. Brush the ends of the pan with olive oil.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top pf the batter. Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with only a few crumbs clinging to it.
- Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and allow the loaf to cool inside the pan for 10 minutes. Using the parchment paper handles remove bread from the pan and allow to cool another 10 minutes or so before slicing it with a sharp serrated knife.
Video
Notes
- On Storage - Store the loaf at room temperature for the first day uncovered. Wrap any leftovers in parchment paper and store at room temperature in the bread box or a lidded container for a couple of days. I like to make individual 1 inch slices and toast them for breakfast in the toaster oven, the nuts get incredibly toasty and nutty and comforting.
This bread is absolutely amazing, not only is it delicious but also 70% whole grain yet moist and so satisfying. This is my new date bread recipe replacing the all purpose flour I used to make. Fantastic recipe, thanks for sharing with us!
We’d love to make this. Is it possible to swap oat milk for cashew milk? We always have oat milk on hand, but not cashews or cashew milk. Thanks!
Hi Susan, oat milk should work just fine here! I make my own whole cashew milk in the blender and it’s my default milk which is why I use it in so many recipes. Most of the times a store bough plant milk will work just fine. Report back ~ Florentina Xo’s
We used applesauce and Oatmilk, and it’s DELICIOUS! I topped my first slice with vanilla gelato for dessert. We’ll be making this to take for Thanksgiving.
Can I use regular 2% milk in this recipe?
Hi Kathy, if necessary you can use any plant milk you prefer.