Easy Date Loaf with Walnuts
Easy recipes using dates are the best and this Easy Date Loaf with Walnuts is simple, moist, and is created with juicy Medjool dates. Bakes in 40 minutes and is delicious with a spread of butter!
🍞 Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Easy date loaf bread.
- Made with juicy Medjool dates.
- With added walnuts or your nuts of choice.
- Under 10 ingredients.
- School and work lunch box friendly.
- Serve with a spread of butter or cream cheese.
- Perfect for morning tea.
Easy Date Loaf With Walnuts Recipe
An easy date loaf recipe that has chopped walnuts folded through the batter and sprinkled on top. Substitute or omit the walnuts if you don’t have any on hand or if you would like to use another variety of nuts such as almonds, pecans, or cashews.
Medjool dates are juicy, sweet, and full of flavor. They’re a great alternative to dried pitted dates in this easy date bread recipe. Medjool dates create a moist texture and offer a natural sweetness.
The method to make this date loaf recipe is made simple. Cream together the butter and sugar and beat through the eggs and dry ingredients. The soaked dates are then mixed through the batter along with the chopped walnuts.
To serve your date bread loaf, spread your choice of butter or cream cheese onto a slice and enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee. Make this easy date bread at the start of the week for snacks for the family as this loaf is school and work lunch box friendly!
If you’re interested in more easy loaf recipes, try my Lemon Poppy Seed Bread, Easy Chocolate Chip Coconut Loaf, Lemon Drizzle Loaf, and this Carrot Cake Loaf with Cream Cheese Frosting.
Ingredients To Make Easy Date Loaf
Here is what you need to make this delicious date and walnut bread recipe:
- Medjool dates – Cut your Medjool dates into smaller pieces using scissors or a knife. This recipe has not been tested using dried pitted dates.
- Baking soda – helps to break down the dates in the boiling water. Make sure your baking soda has not expired, use my handy guide here to find out how to test it.
- Boiling water – poured over the dates to soften and break them down. Use boiling water from your kettle.
- Unsalted butter – must be soft at room temperature before starting your loaf.
- Brown sugar – use light/regular brown sugar, not dark brown sugar. Measure your sugar by lightly packing it into the measuring cup or use kitchen scales to measure the weight.
- Eggs – must be at room temperature before starting your date loaf.
- Plain flour – is also known as all-purpose flour in the US.
- Baking powder – helps the bread to rise in the oven. Make sure your baking powder has not expired, use my handy guide here to find out how to test it.
- Walnuts – omit for nut allergies or substitute with chopped almonds, pecans, or cashews.
How To Make Easy Date Loaf With Walnuts
Make this easy date loaf recipe with walnuts in 8 easy steps!
A full and detailed recipe card is at the bottom of this post.
1) Place the dates in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle over the baking soda. Pour over the boiling water and give it a mix. Set aside for 20 minutes until softened.
2) In a large mixing, cream together the butter and sugar for 1 minute.
3) Add eggs one at a time, beating for 10 seconds after each addition.
4) Add the mashed date mixture and beat until well combined.
5) Add the flour and baking powder, and beat until just incorporated, ensuring not to over-mix.
6) Fold through 3/4 cup of the chopped walnuts. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing out the top.
7) Sprinkle the remaining chopped nuts on top of the batter. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
8) Serve slices with a spread of butter or cream cheese. Enjoy!
💭 Tips For Recipe Success
- Use big and juicy Medjool dates and open up to remove the pits.
- Use scissors to quickly cut the dates into smaller pieces.
- Make sure your butter is soft at room temperature before creaming with the sugar.
- The eggs must be at room temperature.
- To substitute the walnuts, use chopped almonds, pecans, or cashews. Or omit for nut allergies.
⏲️ Storage Instructions
Store in an airtight container, at room temperature, for 3-4 days.
Freeze whole date loaf, not sliced, by wrapping it tightly in cling film, foil, or a freezer-friendly container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Freeze individual slices by wrapping each in cling film or foil, or freezer-friendly zip lock bags, or place them in a freezer-friendly container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw the whole loaf or slices by leaving it at room temperature until defrosted and soft. To serve, warm it up in the oven or microwave.
💬 Recipe FAQ’s
I have not tested this recipe using dried dates. If you would like to, I recommend using the same quantity, 200g of dried dates, and following the same method of soaking and mashing the dates.
If you don’t have walnuts on hand or you would prefer to use another variety of nuts, easily swap the walnuts for the same quantity of either almonds, pecans, or cashews.
Yes. Simply omit the walnuts from this recipe. There is no need to replace them with another ingredient.
Over-baking the date loaf in the oven will cause it to dry out faster. Remove it from the oven as soon as a toothpick or skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
If you enjoy this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️ star rating and a comment review below. I love to hear what you think and it’s much appreciated. Thank you! Your email address will not be published. Sam x
Easy Date Loaf with Walnuts
Ingredients
- 200 g Medjool dates, approx. 10 dates
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup boiling water
- 100 g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature, (approx. 55g-60g each in shell)
- 1 1/2 cups (225g) plain all purpose flour, scoop & leveled
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped, or nuts of choice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC (356ºC). Line a 9-inch x 5-inch loaf baking pan with parchment paper, and set aside. NOTE: Alternatively, if you have a non-stick pan, liberally grease it with melted butter and dust it with a light layer of flour. This will leave your finished loaf with smooth edges.
- Make sure your butter has softened to room temperature before starting.
- Remove the pits from the dates and cut them into small pieces using scissors or a knife.
- Place the dates in a medium-sized heat-proof mixing bowl. Sprinkle over the baking soda.
- Pour over the boiling water and give it a mix. Set aside for 20 minutes until dates have completely softened and the water comes back to room temperature.
- In a large mixing, add softened butter. Using electric beaters, beat butter on low-medium speed until it turns creamy, only for a few seconds.
- Add sugar and beat on medium-high speed for 1 minute, until pale and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating for 10 seconds after each addition.
- Now the dates have softened, take a fork and mash the dates to break them up, until mushy. Do not remove the water.
- Add mashed date mixture to the loaf batter and beat until well combined, about 10 seconds.
- Add the flour and baking powder, and beat until just incorporated, ensuring not to over-mix.
- Fold through only 3/4 cup of the chopped walnuts, or the chopped nuts you’re choosing to use.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing out the top.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of chopped nuts on top of the batter.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. The middle should be set and not wobbly.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Carefully remove the loaf from the pan and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve slices with a spread of butter or cream cheese. Enjoy!
- Store in an airtight container, at room temperature, for 3-4 days.
Notes
Nutrition
If you enjoy this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️ star rating and a comment review below. I love to hear what you think and it’s much appreciated. Thank you! Your email address will not be published. Sam x