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You may have already tried my viral date-sweetened brownies and birthday cake, but you can also use this date paste as a sugar substitute in other recipes that don’t already call for dates.
I’ve tested it in cookies and muffins so far, and while it’s not exactly like white sugar, it’s certainly a delicious alternative. (Try the tips in this post for using it!)
If you have more dates to use up, don’t forget to try my Chocolate Protein Balls or Date Energy Balls, too.
“I tried this date paste in oatmeal cookies. It replaces the white and brown sugar. Absolutely delicious! It’s so good, my husband even likes them.“
Table of Contents
Date Paste Ingredients
- Medjool Dates. These are my favorite variety to use, since they are large, squishy, and have a subtle, caramel-like sweetness. Shop for these in the fresh produce section of the grocery store. They should look soft and squishy and split easily to remove the pits.
- Water. You’ll need water to blend the dates into a paste.
How to Make Date Paste
Step 1:
You’ll need a food processor fitted with an S-blade to get started. Add 2 cups of pitted Medjool dates and 1/2 cup of water to the food processor, then secure the lid.
Process until the dates are pulverized, which should take about two minutes. Stop and scrape down the sides as needed to ensure everything is blended smoothly.
Step 2:
Transfer the date paste to a storage jar with an airtight lid. It can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It’s ready to use right away in your favorite recipes. (See tips below.)
You’ll get approximately 2 cups of date paste from 1 pound of pitted Medjool dates.
How to Use Date Paste
Date paste can be used as a sugar substitute, but adjust your expectations when using it. White sugar makes baked goods spread and crisp up around the edges. Date paste does neither.
- As a swap for white sugar. If a recipe calls for 3/4 cup granulated sugar, I’ll use 1 cup of date paste. This still doesn’t provide quite as much sweetness, and it’s essential to note that it won’t make your baked goods spread. So, if you use it in cookies, you’ll need to flatten the dough before baking, and they will be more muffin-like in texture, rather than flat and crispy around the edges.
- As a swap for maple syrup. If a recipe calls for 1 cup of maple syrup, use 2 cups of date paste. You’ll need twice as much to reach the required sweetness level. Date paste could make the muffins feel denser and heavier, but they’re still delicious.
If you can see the cookie photo above, you’ll notice the baked cookies don’t spread. (I used the Toll House cookie recipe, if you’re curious, and swapped 1 cup of date paste for the brown and white sugar.) Instead of spreading with crispy edges, they puffed up and have a muffin-like texture. This is the sort of result you can expect when using date paste as an alternative to white sugar.
Since baked goods involve many variables, such as the type of flour used and the amount of oil called for, I’ll keep updating this post as I experiment further with this healthy sweetener.
More Date-Sweetened Recipes
If you try this date paste recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below to tell me how it works for you. Thanks for visiting!
How to Make Date Paste (Healthy Sugar Substitute)
Ingredients
- 1 pound Medjool dates , pitted
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- In the bowl of a large food processor fitted with an "S" blade, combine the pitted dates and water. Secure the lid and process until the mixture is very smooth, scraping down the bowl to ensure all the dates are incorporated. It may take 2-3 minutes to achieve a smooth result. You can add another ¼ cup of water, if needed, too.
- Store the date paste in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks, and use it in your favorite healthy recipes.
Notes
Nutrition
More Recipes to Try
- Date Energy Balls
- Banana Snack Cake
- Date Snickers
- Chocolate Turtles with Dates
- Date Smoothie (like a chocolate frosty!)
If you try this date paste recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below, letting me know how you like it.
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What is the ratio of your date recipe for honey? Thanks.
May I ask a reverse question if a recipe calls for date paste how can we sub a sugar sweetener? Thank you!
I want recipe for raw mango Panna ( Indian traditional drink) using dates instead of sugar
How much do you use to substitute for 1 medjool date?