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Spread Date Jam on toast and use it as a healthy sweetener in recipes. This easy homemade date paste, using only Medjool dates, is the all-natural condiment you'll reach for again and again.
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.
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.
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.
- Cut a small slit on one side of the date.
- Open the slit and remove the pit.
That's it. Your fingers get a little sticky, but the process literally takes a few minutes.
Directions with Pictures
Follow this easy process to make your own jar of date jam. 1 pound of dates will yield about 2 cups.
- 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.
- 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.
- Cover and allow them to sit for 10-20 minutes.
- 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.
- 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 Rice Krispie Date Balls - It also helps hold or "glue" the ingredients together!
- Make fudgy and delicious date truffles!
- 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!
Would you like more easy, healthy, carb-conscious recipes?
📋 Recipe
Date Jam - Easy Date Paste Recipe
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
- Cut a small slit on one side of the date.
- Open the slit and remove the pit.
- 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.
Deb says
This date paste is so good. and soon easy!!Thank you!!!
Suzan Bigelow says
Such a great recipe! I used Deglet dates because that's what I had, followed the easy instructions just as written. Now the fun begins... finding all the different ways to use date jam... did someone say "thumbprint cookies"?
Marjory Pilley says
I’m so happy you made it. Enjoy the cookies - perfect way to use it! 😍
Julie Bolinger says
I loved this recipe. I used on bagels with cream cheese. I also tried with brie cheese and crackers. Yum
Marjory Pilley says
I’m so happy you enjoy it!
Tiffany says
Hello, I was wondering if I can water bath Date Jam?
Marjory Pilley says
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.
B Hill says
if your using instead of sugar how do you know how much to use? thannks for you recipe
Marjory Pilley says
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!
alyr says
How much date paste equals one date?
Marjory Pilley says
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.
Molly Kumar says
This was so easy to make and a perfect addition to so many recipes using sugar.
Marjory says
Thanks for your feedback!
Aimee Shugarman says
I put this on a bagel this morning and it was SO GOOD. Thank you for the recipe!
Marjory says
Thanks for your comment!