Description
Date Nut Bread is a moist and flavorful quick bread packed with sweet Medjool dates and crunchy toasted walnuts, offering a perfect balance of natural sweetness and texture. This wholesome loaf is ideal for breakfast, a snack, or a light dessert, made with simple pantry ingredients and easy-to-follow steps.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients and Mix-Ins
- ¾ cup boiling water
- 1 ½ cups Medjool dates, pitted and diced
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup light or dark brown sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped walnuts (toasted)
Instructions
- Preheat and Toast Walnuts: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C), or 160°C if using a fan oven. Spread the raw walnuts evenly on a sheet pan and toast them for 7 minutes to bring out their nutty flavor. Remove from the oven, allow to cool, and chop them into smaller pieces.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set this dry mixture aside.
- Soak Dates: Place the diced Medjool dates in a separate bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Let the mixture soak until it cools to room temperature. Once cooled, stir in the baking soda, which helps to soften the dates and balance pH.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: To the cooled date mixture, add the extra virgin olive oil, brown sugar, eggs, and pure vanilla extract. Whisk everything thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring carefully until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the bread tender.
- Add Walnuts: Gently fold the toasted, chopped walnuts into the batter, evenly distributing the crunchy texture throughout.
- Prepare Pan and Bake: Grease and line a 9×5-inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan with parchment paper. Pour in the batter and smooth the surface with a spatula for an even bake. Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the internal temperature reaches 200°F (93°C).
- Cool and Serve: Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps the bread set and makes slicing easier.
Notes
- Date Nut Bread offers a delightful combination of gooey sweetness from the dates and crunch from toasted walnuts, making it a comforting treat for breakfast or any time snack.
- Ensure dates are soaked until cooled to room temperature before adding baking soda to activate the softening effect properly.
- Use room temperature eggs to help the batter mix more evenly and achieve better texture in the bread.
- Store leftovers wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze slices for longer storage.
- Feel free to substitute walnuts with pecans or other nuts according to preference.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (75 g)
- Calories: 281 kcal
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 196 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.01 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 56 mg
