This sweet and nutritious 3-Ingredient Date Paste recipe has many uses, especially in baking and as a sugar or honey substitute. Date paste is sweet, nutty, and creamy. I mainly use it in my Kileche (Assyrian holiday cookies) and to make date shakes!
I usually purchase date paste twice a year, which is how often I make Kileche. Traditionally, we make these cookies for Christmas and Easter.
Kileche are prepared with a few different fillings: Walnut, coconut, and dates. I usually have walnuts and coconut at home, but not so with date paste. Luckily, I always have dates in the pantry or freezer.
As the saying goes, "necessity breeds invention." This recipe was a lifesaver for me, and I'm hoping it helps you out of a baking jam too!
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😍 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Date Paste is easy to prepare and only requires a couple of ingredients.
- The paste can be blended using a high-speed blender to get a super-smooth texture.
- It can also be left with a slightly chunkier texture. It just depends on how you will be using the Date Paste or in what recipe.
🔖 Ingredients and Substitutions
- Dates — My favorite dates to make date paste are Medjool dates. They are large, meaty, and soft. However, you can also use them if they're stale. Soaking in water for a few minutes will do the trick!
- Cardamom — If you don't have cardamom on hand, you can easily substitute cinnamon instead.
- Oil — Although I use plain vegetable oil, coconut oil would be another great option!
- Vanilla Extract (optional) — Vanilla extract also works well in this date paste recipe. Add ½ teaspoon to 1 teaspoon at the same time that you add water.
🌴 How to Make Date Paste From Scratch
Step 1: Remove the pits from the dates and weigh the dates to get approximately 13 ounces. Optional: Chop the dates for easier processing.
Step 2: Place dates in a small saucepan, cover with ¼ cup of water, and soak for a few minutes, especially if using stale dates.
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Step 3: Sprinkle the dates with cardamom powder and simmer over low heat for approximately 5 minutes or until the dates are tender.
Step 4: Pour the date mixture into a food processor and blend until the desired consistency is reached, or mash with a spatula for a chunkier consistency.
Step 5: Add oil to a pan and toast date paste until the dates take on a darker color. This should take approximately 5 minutes.
Pro Tip: Taste the paste to adjust the flavor if necessary. You might want to add more cardamom; I always do!
🤷🏻♀️ Recipe FAQs
Date paste can last for months when stored in the refrigerator. Simply store in an airtight container and refrigerate until needed.
Yes, freezing this paste is a great way to store it until you're ready to use it. Simply store it in a Ziploc bag and allow it to come to room temperature before using it.
If I had to choose between Medjool dates and Deglet Noor dates, I would choose Medjool dates every time.
Medjool dates are larger and juicier than Deglet Noor dates, which also makes them the best option for making stuffed dates and date syrup.
Since a picture is worth a thousand words, check out the visual difference between the two. Medjool Dates on the left, and Deglet Noor on the right.
Dates are not only sweet and delicious, but they are also full of nutrition! They are loaded with magnesium, copper, potassium, calcium, other minerals, and vitamins. According to healthline.com, dates have the following additional health benefits:
• high in fiber
• high in antioxidants
• promote brain health
• their caramel-like taste makes them an excellent, natural sweetener
• surprisingly, dates are also low on the glycemic index
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- Toasting the dates in the last step of the recipe is necessary to bring out the flavor of the dates and to get rid of the extra moisture in the dates.
- Use date paste to make tasty date energy balls or use it as a spread to make peanut butter and date sandwiches.
- Date paste can be used as a natural sweetener in place of refined sugar to sweeten protein shakes, smoothies, oatmeal, pancakes, waffles, muffins, and more!
- A pinch of sea salt may also be added while simmering the dates.
- Dates can also be used in various baked goods including date brownies, they're also a great substitute for maple syrup!
- For a quick, healthy snack, swirl some date paste into plain or homemade yogurt.
🥮 More Date Recipes
📖 Recipe
3-Ingredient Cardamom Date Paste
Equipment
Ingredients
- 13 ounces dates
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon cardamom (or cinnamon)
- 2 teaspoon vegetable oil
Instructions
- Remove the pits from the dates and weigh dates to get approximately 13 ounces. Optional, chop the dates for easier processing.
- Place dates in a small saucepan, cover with ¼ cup water, and soak for a few minutes, especially if using stale dates.
- Sprinkle the dates with cardamom powder and simmer over low heat for approximately 5 minutes or until the dates are tender.
- Pour the date mixture into a food processor and blend until the desired consistency is reached, or mash with a spatula for a chunkier consistency.
- Add oil to a pan and toast date paste until the dates take on a darker color. This should take approximately 5 minutes.
- Taste the paste to adjust the flavor if necessary. You might want to add more cardamom; I always do! 😬
Notes
- Toasting the dates in the last step of the recipe is necessary to bring out the flavor of the dates and to get rid of the extra moisture in the dates.
- Use date paste to make tasty date energy balls or use it as a spread to make peanut butter and date sandwiches.
- Date paste can be used as a natural sweetener in the place of refined sugar to sweeten protein shakes, smoothies, oatmeal, pancakes, waffles, muffins, and more!
- A pinch of sea salt may also be added while simmering the dates.
- Dates can also be used in various baked goods including date brownies, they're also a great substitute for maple syrup!
- For a quick, healthy snack, swirl some date paste into plain or homemade yogurt.
Ibraheem says
nevermind it seems I missed the other part with the pictures lol
Ibraheem says
Is there a step missing? when does the food processor come in?
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Ibraheem,
Thanks for your comment and for catching the error. It's listed in the body of the post (with step by step photos) but somehow didn't make it into the recipe card. I'll fix that now!
Ibraheem says
thank you so much, working on this recipe now, pretty excited!
Ibraheem says
I finished making it, it's so delicious! I'm looking for a new exotic flavor to accompany my granola and this is perfect. I went with your suggestion of increasing the amount of cardamom.
Question: where and for how long to store this?
Much appreciated!
Hilda Sterner says
You can refrigerate it for up to a week or so, or freeze it for much longer.