Date Paste is a natural, fruit based sweetener made from dates and water. It’s easy to make and is incredibly nutritious!
Date paste (also known as date honey) is a natural fruit sweetener that you can use in place of honey or maple syrup in recipes. I use date paste to make coconut milk kefir and for treats like these coconut cookie dough bites! Dates are extremely nutritious and make for a healthy alternative to sugar. Dates are also “legal” on the GAPS™ diet, Whole 30, and other healing diets many of my readers follow.
How To Make Date Paste
Before you get started you’ll need dates (I use this brand) and filtered water. I like to soak my dates in warm water for at least 30 minutes and up to 8 hours before I make date paste. This allows the skin of the dates to soften and results in a smooth paste. You will also need a high power blender of food processor.
Soak 2 cups of dates in 1 1/2 cups of warm water for at least 30 minutes. Remove the dates from the water and set the water aside (don’t toss it!). Blend the dates on high speed in a blender or food processor. Add a few tablespoons of soaking water to the date puree and continue to blend until the date paste is smooth and creamy. Add more soaking water if needed. Store in air tight container.
This recipe will keep for up to two weeks in the refrigerator or several months in the freezer.
How To Use
You can replace honey, maple syrup with date paste in almost any recipe.
PrintDate Paste
Ingredients
- 2 cups organic dates, pitted
- 1 1/2 cups water
Instructions
- Soak 2 cups of dates in 1 1/2 cups of water for 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.
- Remove dates from water and set the water aside.
- Puree dates in food processor or blender.
- Add a few tablespoons of soaking water to the date puree and continue to blend. Blend until the date paste is creamy.
- Add more soaking water if needed. Store in air tight container.
Dean
March 20, 2019 at 1:49 amCam i use honey instead of dates paste for coconut kefir?
The Coconut Mama
March 20, 2019 at 8:30 amYes, honey works in this recipe.
Wendy
November 8, 2017 at 7:41 pmthis sounds great and I can’t wait to use the paste, but how much paste to a cup of sugar please?
Michelle
April 13, 2015 at 7:45 amFor the 8-hour/overnight soak, should they be in the refrigerator or is the counter fine? Our house is usually 77 degrees.
Karin
January 5, 2015 at 5:27 pmStill need help with the conversion, how much date paste to sub for sugar in my recipes and does it cause the liquid to be off?
Ellen
January 25, 2014 at 11:32 amI just made this date paste. What would you do with the liquid left over? I hate to throw it out since it has so much of the flavor and nutrients in it.
Daniela
January 31, 2014 at 1:26 pm@Ellen I used the date paste for soaking chia seeds-it tastes delicious and sweet as they soak up all the flavor 🙂
Tamara
August 27, 2013 at 2:45 pmCan this be used to bind ingredients ie whole nuts to make nut/fruit bars (similar to those we find in the “healthy” section of the shopping centres)?
Dawn Shelton Connelly
August 27, 2013 at 4:27 amso using my dried dates would be OK? should the soaking be longer?
Tiffany @ The Coconut Mama
August 27, 2013 at 4:31 amYes. That is what I used. 🙂
Julia Skinner
July 30, 2013 at 4:41 pmI bought some quite dry dates a while back, this would be the perfect way to use them.
Linda
July 27, 2013 at 5:12 pmThis is awesome! I love date sugar but it’s too expensive. One question, could I substitute it straight across for sugar in baking? I know it would add moisture and I’d need to reduce that component but for sweetness, would it be similar? Thanks!
American expat in Europe
August 8, 2013 at 11:54 amYou can use it for baking. I’ve been using dates for my cookies for years. I also use Teff flour as I am gluten-free. Good luck!
daynateachespiano
July 25, 2013 at 12:48 amThank you so much! Missy B’s slowly transitioning off GAPS diet but still hasn’t added back in sugar so this is GREAT. Nice alternative to honey!
PATRICIA
July 23, 2013 at 8:03 amYummy! Thanks!
Michele
July 23, 2013 at 5:35 amwhat are some of the other healing diets followed you know of? I’ve heard of gaps.
Elisa
July 23, 2013 at 11:14 amI know of and follow the Paleo Diet myself which it’s main purpose is to avoid and reverse illness.
Julia Skinner
July 30, 2013 at 4:40 pmDepends what you are healing 🙂 I would go paleo/primal/perfect health diet (all very similar) minus the dairy for 2 months, trial dairy see if it effects you. If your issues don’t go away try gaps, gaps is very hard core and may be a bit much to start with, I know it scares me and I have been primal for over a year. But then if you are hard core do gaps first for a few months and add stuff back slowly and see how it effects you. It is all experimentation and seeing how your body reacts. Good luck.