Old-Fashioned Date Nut Bread Recipe
This family favorite date nut bread recipe is moist, flavorful and incredibly delicious! Made with Greek yogurt and olive oil, it’s a healthier alternative to regular quick bread. This recipe can be made into mini loaves or one large loaf.
I get really excited when my aunt sends us packages of California dates. She gets fresh Medjool dates locally where they live and they are SO good. Dates are a tasty source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals and add moisture and natural sweetness to recipes.
Some of my favorite things to make with dates are this tasty kale salad with dates and almonds, protein-packed chocolate peanut energy balls, and mascarpone stuffed dates with maple drizzle for an easy dessert. I also love my Mom’s quickbread recipe for date nut bread. She made it a lot when I was growing up and now it’s become one of our own family favorites. If you are watching your sugar intake, you can always substitute the cane sugar with your favorite sugar substitute.
I usually double my recipe to make 8 loaves. I like to double batches and freeze the loaves. They freeze great, just wrap the loaves in aluminum foil and place in a Ziploc freezer bag.
How To Make Old-Fashioned Date Nut Bread
Ingredients You’ll Need:
3/4 cup boiling water
8 oz dates, pitted and chopped
1 cup natural cane sugar ( *can also use coconut sugar)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 egg
2 tsp real vanilla extract
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or use 1 cup wheat pastry flour and 1 cup unbleached white wheat flour)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 cup non-fat, plain greek yogurt
3/4 cup chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts or almonds
*Optional: butter for basting the loaves when warm
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Start by chopping your dates into small pieces.
Next, pour boiling water over dates and let sit for 15 minutes.
Beat sugar, egg and oil for 3 minutes on high speed of mixer. Blend in date mixture and vanilla.
Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder.
Add dry mixture, alternately with yogurt, to beaten mixture. Blend well. Stir in nuts.
Pour batter into 4 greased mini loaf pans (3 1/4 x 5 3/4″)
*I love baking spray for greasing pans
Use about 1 cup batter for each pan. They should look about half full.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.
I love to baste quickbreads with a little butter as soon as they come out of the oven. It makes the top SO moist and tasty. This is completely optional.
Enjoy within a few days for the best taste and texture or freeze for later. When you thaw out the loaves, place in the refrigerator overnight.
*This post was updated on October 2, 2019 from the original recipe posted January 15, 2011.
Old-Fashioned Date Nut Bread
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup boiling water
- 8 oz Medjool dates pitted and chopped
- 1 cup natural cane sugar *Can also use coconut sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp real vanilla extract
- 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour or use 1 cup wheat pastry flour and 1 cup unbleached white wheat flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans *Can also sub walnuts or almonds
Instructions
- Pour boiling water over dates and let sit for 15 minutes.
- Beat sugar, egg and oil for 3 minutes on high speed of mixer.
- Blend in date mixture and vanilla.
- Combine flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder.
- Add dry mixture, alternately with yogurt, to beaten mixture.
- Blend well.
- Stir in nuts.
- Pour batter into 4 greased mini loaf pans (3 1/4 x 5 3/4")
- Use about 1 cup batter for each pan.
- They should look about half full.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until cake taster comes out clean.
- Cool on wire rack.
Nutrition
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Hi Amy
If I wanted to make one normal size loaf, I assume I would halve the recipe?
Hi Sameera! The recipe is for one large loaf or 4 mini loaves, no need to cut it in half. You just need to adjust the time accordingly. I hope that you enjoy it!
My husband loves this bread!
Love to hear that, Ellen! Thank you for the review! 🙂