Date-paste recipe, best natural sweetener.

You surely want to reduce your sugar intake since you found this post. Dates are sweet and high in sugar, but they behave differently in our bodies than pure sugar or syrups; this makes dates perfect sweetener if you want to bake something. I always have dates in my pantry. Dates also have a long shelf life.

I usually use Deglet noor or other variety of semi soft dates to make date paste, since those are the cheaper varieties. Medjool dates I save for snacking.

What is date paste?

Date paste serves as a wholesome and natural sweetener, comprising only two ingredients. This nutritious alternative, rich in fiber, can replace traditional sugars and sweeteners. Crafted by blending whole dates with water in a food processor or blender, it attains a smooth and creamy consistency.

Date paste is a perfect sweetener for those following a plant-based-, the Starch Solution-, vegan-, whole 30 or paleo diet.

Do note that date paste is not the same thing as date syrup. Date syrup is thinner and more concentrated with sugar. Date syrup does not contain the pulp of the date. Date paste is made with the whole dried date.

Is date paste healthier than sugar?

Date paste not only provides sweetness but also offers additional nutritional benefits. It is rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The fiber content in date paste can help regulate blood sugar levels and promote digestive health. In contrast, refined sugar lacks these essential nutrients, containing only 99.9 percent carbohydrates with no other nutritional value, offering empty calories.

How to use date paste?

• Instead of sugar in savory dishes
• In baked goods instead of sugar
• Nice cream sweetening
• Salad dressings
• Drinks
• On cereal
• Smoothies
• Top your porridge with
• Raw ketchup
• Coffee smoothie
• Granola instead of oil
• Toast spread with some chia jam.
• Sweetening to plant milk

My favorite way to use date paste is in baked goods; plant-based cookies, brownies, and pancakes. Date paste is also great to top your breakfast porridge with. In a raw porridge that I take along with some unflavored protein powder, date paste acts as a nice natural sweetener.

-as a sugar substitute

Sweet twist in savory recipes: Date paste offers a great twist to savory dishes, especially those traditionally containing sugar. Take Thai recipes, for example, often featuring brown sugar. Date paste serves as an excellent substitute in these. I particularly enjoy incorporating it into Thai recipes, where sweet and savory sauces typically include sugar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and various spices.

In baking: Follow a 1:1 ratio or even up to 1,5:1 ratio, adding it in at least the same quantity as sugar in your recipes. Keep in mind that date paste has a higher moisture content than dry sugar, so adjustments to your original recipe are necessary. Slightly reduce the liquid amount when incorporating date paste to maintain the right consistency.

If you use this 1:1 ratio instead of sugar, remember that dates are still not as sweet, so the taste will be a bit different than the original recipe.

In many baked goods, date paste does not act the same way as sugar, so you may end up having a different end result.For example, in cookies sugar, and butter make a really chewy consistency. If you use date paste instead, the consistency will not be the same. But I think you will still be surprized on how good it is.

As a maple syrup substitute: Maple syrup is sweeter than date paste, so use 1,3 times more date paste than maple syrup.

When not to use as substitute: There are of course many occasions when you cannot use date paste as a sugar substitute. To name some:

• In recipes where sugar crystallization is crucial for the desired outcome (like in certain frostings or glazes)
• In recipes where sugar is a key component in fermentation processes (like in some bread recipes or drinks), substituting with date paste may not provide the same interaction with yeast or other fermenting agents.
• In recipes where the dryness of sugar is essential (such as in certain types of pastry crusts), using date paste might introduce too much moisture, altering the texture negatively.

Equipment

You can make date paste using various appliances, depending on what you have at home. Every machine might need some minor adjustments to the recipe, especially regarding to the amount.

1. Food processor: A food processor is my best recommendation. It is such a versatile kitchen appliance that uses blades to chop, blend, and puree.. It's well-suited for making date paste as it can handle both the blending and breaking down of dates into a smooth consistency. Depending on the size of your food processor you can make a larger or smaller batch. Negatives: Some food processors may struggle with smaller quantities, and cleaning can be just a bit more involved compared to a blender.
2. Blender: Blenders use high-speed rotating blades to liquify ingredients. They are effective for creating smooth textures and are great for making date paste. Positive is that blenders are easy to clean. Negative: You might need to stop and scrape down the sides to ensure even blending. I recommend using a high-speed blender to get a smooth consistency. Vitamix, Blendtech, and Ninja are good brands. I have my Nordic Wilfa brand that I am super happy with.
3. Immersion Blender: An immersion blender is a handheld device with a blending blade at the end. It's immersed directly into the ingredients. This is the best for smaller batches and easy to clean. This doesn´t take much storage space in your kitchen.
4. Onion chopper: As you see in pictures below, I used a small onion chopper to make date paste. It is great for smaller quantities, but does require some scraping of the sides when making the paste.

Using different types of dates for date paste

Using soft dates, such as Medjool

Soft, chewy, caramelly, sweet Medjools are the sort I recommend for date paste. These are the sweetest dates and are the easiest to make date paste with. With Medjool you get a sweet caramelly paste.

Usually, Medjool dates are big and weigh around 20 grams each. About 25-30 Medjools, pitted are 500 grams of dates in weight. This makes 1,5 cups of paste.

To make a paste of soft Medjool dates, you don't need to add water. Use a high-speed blender and scrape the sides a couple of times. If the mass does not move, then add a little boiled water.

Using dried dates

You can buy dried dates in different types; soft dried dates and hard packaged dried dates in a cube. You need to soak both of these before using.

As a rule of thumb for date paste, you need to use a ratio of 1:4 of water and dry dates to get the right consistency to the paste.

Cubed dried dates. These you need to soak in boiling water for a bit longer. Up to 30 minutes for them to soften up. Usually one cube weighs 250 grams. Save ½ cup of the soaking water. Blend the drained dates in a food processor or high-speed blender with ¼ cup of water, add some more soaking water if needed.

Soft dried dates

Boil some water in a saucepan. Add 1,5 cups of dates (3,5dl) to the boiling water. Turn off the heat, and let the dates sit in the water for 10-15 minutes.

Remove 1 cup of the soaking water and save it for later. Drain then the dates. Add the dates to a high-speed blender or a food processor and mix long enough, so it forms into a paste. Add some soaking water if necessary. You might need to scrape the sides 1-2 times. If you use a blender, it can be good to double the amount, so your blender has enough mass to make it into a paste.

Instructions

Tips and storing

Soaking: Soak your dried dates. Medjool dates or semi dry do not need soaking, unless they have dried in your cupboard.

The stones are very hard, and I have actually broken one immersion blender because one date pit got forgotten to be

Pitting: It is important to check the pitted dates so they don't have any small stone pieces left. The stones are very hard, and I have actually broken one immersion blender because one date pit was left unremoved. If you have bought unpitted Medjool dates, remove the pits by slicing the date open with a knife or using your fingers and removing the pit.

Storing your paste: You can store your date paste for up to 3 months in the refrigerator, but I recommend using it in a month.

Freezing: You can also freeze the date paste. Ice cube trays can be handy for you, so you can thaw just a piece when you need it. Remember that the freezer's tastes and odors can stick to the date paste, keeping it covered and separate from meat, onions, and other foods. If you freeze it airtight, it stores for up to 6 months.

📖 Recipe