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    Home » Recipes » Sauces & Spices

    Date Jam - Easy 1 Ingredient Recipe

    UPDATED Mar 3, 2021 · PUBLISHED Mar 3, 2021 BY Marjory Pilley · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    Date jam on a spoon with a jar of the spread and Medjool dates in the background.

    Spread Date Jam on toast and use it as a healthy sweetener in recipes. This easy homemade version, using only Medjool dates, is the all-natural condiment you'll reach for again and again.

    Date jam on a spoon over an open mason jar with the spread and Medjool dates in the background.

    Smooth, creamy date spread is not just a sugar-free sweetener for Energy Balls. Slather it on a waffle, make Healthy Cream Cheese Frosting or use it in place of sugar in your favorite muffin or baked treat. We have a big, long list of ideas below.

    Go ahead and enjoy it within reason! Date paste is high in fiber and other beneficial nutrients you won't find in granulated sugar. It's also Whole 30 compliant, Paleo-friendly, and vegan.

    Once you puree Medjool dates, you're left with something magical. The finished jam is smooth and creamy with a caramel-like taste that is an excellent substitute for sugar, honey, and maple syrup.

    Jump to:
    • Best Types of Dates to Use
    • How to Pit Dates
    • Directions with Pictures
    • Storage
    • Variations
    • Sugar Conversion Ratio
    • Ways to Use Date Jam
    • 📋 Recipe

    Best Types of Dates to Use

    We are partial to Medjool dates which are thick, chewy, and very sweet. You'll find them in the produce section because they are FRESH fruit!

    We used this type of date in all of the pictures shown. However, the process is the same for Deglet Noor dates, commonly found in grocery stores and can be less expensive.

    Still not sure why Medjool Dates are so great? Check out 10 Things You Need to Know About Medjool Dates by Eating Bird Food.

    Bowl of Medjool Dates on a cloth napkin.

    How to Pit Dates

    You can purchase dates with the pits already removed, but you'll pay a premium. It's so easy to remove the pits yourself.

    1. Cut a small slit on one side of the date.
    2. Open the slit and remove the pit.

    That's it. Your fingers get a little sticky, but the process literally takes a few minutes.

    Fingers pulling open a Medjool date to expose the pit.

    Directions with Pictures

    Follow this easy process to make your own jar of date jam. 1 pound of dates will yield about 2 cups.

    Numbered Graphic with pictures of steps to make the recipe.
    1. Soak pitted dates in hot water to soften them. Heat 2 cups of water in the microwave. Place Medjool dates in a glass or ceramic bowl and pour hot water over them.
      • Note: When you bring Medjool dates home from the store they're soft, pliable, and easy to process. The dates will begin to dry out during storage. They're still delicious and processed the same way but may benefit from soaking in hot water a little longer.
    2. Cover and allow them to sit for 10-20 minutes.
    3. Remove dates from the water and place them along with a little of the reserved soaking water in a food processor.
      • Note: Use ¼ cup of water for 1 pound of dates. Use more or less water to achieve the desired consistency.
    4. Process on high for at least 3 minutes and up to about 7 minutes. The longer you process the dates, the smoother and lighter in color the jam will become. It will become a little darker once refrigerated. That's normal.
      • Note: A high-speed blender can be used instead of a food processor.

    Storage

    • Store - Place jam sweetened with dates in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
    • Freeze - Jam can also be stored in the freezer up to 6 months. We suggest storing it in small amounts, such as Tablespoon portions in an ice cube tray. Once frozen, remove the cubes and store them in a resealable bag.

    Variations

    Want to take your date spread up a notch? Stir in some of these ingredients:

    • Spices, like cinnamon or nutmeg
    • Vanilla extract
    • Fresh pureed fruit, like apples, pears, blueberries
    • Chocolate
    • Nut butters
    • Make it chunky with additions like coconut flakes

    Sugar Conversion Ratio

    Use a 1:1 ratio when substituting date paste for sugar. If using it in a baked good, take into consideration the additional moisture that will be added, just like you would when substituting with honey.

    Ways to Use Date Jam

    Don't just spread it on your toast! It's the perfect topping or sugar alternative in so many recipes. Here are some ideas to get you started:

    • In raw treats like Chocolate Date Balls, Carrot Cake Balls, and Date Balls with Rice Krispies - It also helps hold or "glue" the ingredients together!
    • In smoothies
    • Stir into oatmeal
    • As topping for pancakes and waffles
    • Spoon over ice cream or yogurt
    • Slather on toast, bagels, muffins, or scones
    • Replace sugar in salad dressing recipes
    • To make sugar-free marinades
    • In homemade condiments like ketchup and BBQ sauce
    • As an all-natural sweetener in baked goods such as bread, muffins, cakes, and cookies. We used it to make sugar-free Carrot Cake Muffins
    • To make icing. We used it to make Healthy Cream Cheese Frosting

    Did we miss one? We'd love to add it to the list!

    Jar of date jam spread with Medjool dates in the background.

    Did you make this recipe?
    Please leave a rating and tell us how you liked it!

    📋 Recipe

    Jar of homemade date jam with 2 Medjool dates and a knife next to it.

    Date Jam

    Spread Date Jam on toast and use it as a healthy sweetener in recipes. This easy homemade version is the all-natural condiment you'll reach for again and again.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Soak time included: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes
    Servings: 32 Tablespoons
    Calories: 39kcal
    Author: Marjory Pilley

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound Medjool Dates or Deglet Noor
    • ¼ cup water

    Instructions

    • Remove pits from dates if necessary by making a small slit on one side of the date. Open slit and pull out the pit.
    • To soften dates, place them in a glass or ceramic bowl and cover with hot water.  Heat 2 cups of water in the microwave for about 2 minutes.
    • Allow dates to soften for 10-20 minutes. Newly purchased dates are usually soft and supple and will not require much more than 10 minutes. 
    • Remove dates from the bowl with a slotted spoon and place in a food processor. Add ¼ cup of the water the dates soaked in. 
    • Process on high speed for 3-5 minutes, stopping and scraping the sides of the food processor as necessary. The exact amount of time depends on how smooth you would like the paste. 
    • Remove paste from the food processor to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

    Notes

    You find lots of expert tips and directions with pictures above.
    To Pit Dates
    1. Cut a small slit on one side of the date.
    2. Open the slit and remove the pit.
    Storage
    • Store - Place jam sweetened with dates in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
    • Freeze - Jam can also be stored in the freezer up to 6 months. We suggest storing it in small amounts, such as Tablespoon portions in an ice cube tray. Once frozen, remove the cubes and store them in a resealable bag.
    Grab 5 Low-Carb Saucesand get more easy, healthy recipes! JOIN HERE

    Nutrition

    Calories: 39kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Potassium: 92mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.1mg
    Nutritional and Food Safety Disclaimer

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    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Aimee Shugarman

      January 28, 2019 at 12:10 pm

      5 stars
      I put this on a bagel this morning and it was SO GOOD. Thank you for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Marjory

        January 29, 2019 at 8:00 am

        Thanks for your comment!

        Reply
    2. Molly Kumar

      January 28, 2019 at 12:15 pm

      5 stars
      This was so easy to make and a perfect addition to so many recipes using sugar.

      Reply
      • Marjory

        January 29, 2019 at 8:00 am

        Thanks for your feedback!

        Reply
    3. alyr

      August 08, 2019 at 2:43 pm

      How much date paste equals one date?

      Reply
      • Marjory Pilley

        August 09, 2019 at 7:52 am

        We estimate that 1 Medjool date equals a shade over 2 teaspoons of date paste. Our date ball recipes call for 8 Medjool dates or about 1/3 cup of date paste. The exact amount does vary though depending upon how big the dates are and how much air is whipped into the mixture during processing.

        Reply
    4. B Hill

      February 05, 2022 at 6:22 pm

      if your using instead of sugar how do you know how much to use? thannks for you recipe

      Reply
      • Marjory Pilley

        February 06, 2022 at 8:49 am

        Hi! Try a 1:1 ratio when substituting date paste for sugar or honey in things like oatmeal, a marinade. If using it in baked goods instead of sugar, take into consideration the additional moisture that will be added, just like you would when substituting with honey. I hope that helps!

        Reply
    5. Tiffany

      March 31, 2022 at 3:11 pm

      Hello, I was wondering if I can water bath Date Jam?

      Reply
      • Marjory Pilley

        April 01, 2022 at 9:55 am

        Hi Would you use the water bath to warm the cooked jam or to soften the dates? Either way, it should work. I've never used that method so I would love to know how it turns out. Thanks for the question.

        Reply
    6. Julie Bolinger

      July 27, 2022 at 3:21 pm

      I loved this recipe. I used on bagels with cream cheese. I also tried with brie cheese and crackers. Yum

      Reply
      • Marjory Pilley

        July 28, 2022 at 7:19 am

        I’m so happy you enjoy it!

        Reply

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