Brown Sugar Date Nut Bread
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Dates soaked in boiling water give this loaf its dark, moist crumb, and toasted walnuts and a little cinnamon fill out the rest. Let it cool before you slice, which is the hardest part of the recipe.
The short version
Soak chopped dates in boiling water with baking soda until lukewarm, stir that into an oil-and-brown-sugar batter, fold in toasted walnuts, and bake at 350°F for 55 to 65 minutes. It slices best once cool.
What makes ours better
why ours wins the argument at dinner
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Soak the dates in boiling water and baking soda. The soak softens the dates into a jammy mash, and the soda darkens the loaf and tenderizes the crumb. It's what makes the bread moist.
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Toast the walnuts first. Ten minutes in the oven turns raw, slightly bitter walnuts into something sweet and crunchy that holds up inside a moist crumb.
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Use drier dates, and add a little cinnamon and ginger. Firm dates such as Deglet Noor chop cleanly and keep their flavor. Soft Medjools turn the batter gummy. The spices bring out the caramel.
What you need
the stars of the show
- Walnuts1½ cups
- All-purpose flour1⅔ cups
- Ground cinnamon½ teaspoon
- Ground ginger¼ teaspoon
- Eggs2 large
- Packed light brown sugar1 cup
- Vanilla extract1 teaspoon
read it twice. buy it once.
Steps
go slow. the good part can’t be rushed.
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Soak the dates
Put the quartered dates in a medium bowl. Stir the baking soda into the boiling water, pour it over the dates, and let the mixture stand until lukewarm, about 20 minutes. It will foam and look like a thick brown mash.
About 20 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Toast the nuts, heat the oven
Set a rack in the lower third and heat the oven to 350°F. Spread the walnuts on a sheet pan and toast 8 to 10 minutes until they smell nutty, then cool. Butter a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with a strip of parchment that hangs over the long sides.
About 8 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Whisk the dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and ginger.
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Make the batter
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, brown sugar, oil and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the cooled date mixture, liquid and all. Add the flour mixture and stir just until blended, then fold in the walnuts.
The batter is loose and wet. That's right. Don't add flour.
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Pan it
Scrape the batter into the pan and spread it level.
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Bake
Bake until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes. If the top is browning too quickly at 40 minutes, lay a piece of foil over it.
A date can leave a smear on the skewer. Look for wet batter, not sticky fruit.
About 55 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Cool completely
Let the loaf rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift it out by the parchment onto a rack. Cool fully before slicing, at least an hour. It's moist and fragile while warm.
About 10 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
Good to know
read this before somebody asks for seconds
- Medjool dates work if that's what you have. Use 1¼ cups, chopped, and skip the extra soaking time. The loaf will be softer and a little sweeter.
- Pecans are a fine swap for the walnuts.
- For four mini loaves (5½ × 3-inch), bake 35 to 40 minutes.
- It's better on day two. Wrap it once it's cool and slice it the next day.
- Storage. Wrapped, at room temperature 4 days. Frozen, 3 months. Serve with butter or cream cheese.
Questions, answered
asked and answered at the kitchen counter
Why does date nut bread have baking soda in the soaking water?
The baking soda helps the dates break down into a soft, jammy mash and tenderizes the crumb. It also deepens the color of the loaf.
Can I use chopped dates from a bag?
Yes, if they are soft and moist. If they are sugar-coated or very dry, soak them a little longer, up to 30 minutes.
Why is my date bread gummy in the middle?
The loaf probably came out early, or the dates were extra soft. Bake until the skewer comes out clean in the center, and let the loaf cool fully before slicing.
Can I make it without nuts?
Yes. Leave them out and the bread is just as good, a bit softer and a little more cake-like.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes, and you should. Bake it a day ahead, wrap it tightly once cool, and the flavor gets deeper and the slices get cleaner.
From the table
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Published October 29, 2026.