This date & nut bread recipe is hearty, packed with naturally sweet, chopped dates and buttery walnuts. This bread makes for the perfect breakfast on a snowy day.
This is a family recipe that has been passed down to me from my MIL, and I am so excited to share it with you guys! My MIL would bake this Date and Nut bread for her grandfather, Ed, on every Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday. Legend has it, that he would eat 2 loaves all by himself, and I can understand why. Between my husband and I, one loaf lasted less than 24 hours. Must run in the family. 😉
The first time I ever tasted this amazing date and nut bread, I think my eyes rolled back. It’s not your usual, super sweet, banana bread-type of bread. This bread is hearty; it bakes up with a craggy crust on the outside but is omg, so moist. It’s a little more dense than your average quick bread, which allows it to be cut into thick slices.
It is packed with chopped dates and walnuts.
The ingredient list is simple and it is easy to make.
The toasted nuttiness from the walnuts, the sweet, chewy date pieces. This bread has a beautiful balance of texture…it is, absolutely delicious.
Dates are a wonderful ingredient. I’m actually not a huge fan of eating them alone, but I use them in recipes a lot. The natural, caramel-y sweetness of dates make them a fantastic ingredient for baking. Given the addition of the dried fruit, this recipe is lower in sugar than most quick breads.
The other thing I like about this recipe is the color of the bread. It’s dark and golden, it’s caramelized and rich.
This bread is best served slathered with an extremely generous layer of European butter or Cultured Butter (butter’s sweet, tangy cousin- my new obsession!). It makes the perfect breakfast on a cold winter’s day.
Date and Nut Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup pitted dates diced
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar packed
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour sifted
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour one loaf pan.
- In a medium bowl, combine the dates, baking soda, butter and hot water. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the egg until frothy. Then, add in the sugars and beat until fluffy.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt until well mixed.
- Add a small amount of the dry mixture to the egg/sugar mixture, stir, and then add about 1/3 of the hot water mixture, gently stir. Keep alternating between the flour and water mixtures until everything is added. Do not overmix.
- Lastly, fold in the chopped walnuts.
- Pour into the loaf pan and smooth out the top using a spatula; the batter will be very thick.
- Bake for about 50 minutes to 1 hour. The bread will be very dark and golden in color and is done when a toothpick comes out clean.
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