Date Paste

Date paste is a natural sweetener made entirely from dates. It has a sweet, caramel-like flavor and a smooth, thick texture.

Prep Time5

Total Time5

Course: How-To

Cuisine: American

Keyword: date paste, date paste recipe

Servings: (1-Tbsp.) servings

Calories: 48kcal

Soak the dates. Add the dates to a large bowl, cover them with water, and let them soak for at least 4 hours so they soften and are easy to blend. Reserve the soaking water in case any of it is needed to thin the purée when blending.
Blend the dates. Add the soaked dates to a high-speed blender with a tamper and blend them into a smooth paste. If all you have is a standard blender or a blender with no tamper, I recommend using a food processor. Dates are dense and sticky, with very little water content, so they don't blend easily. If your blender or food processor is struggling, add a little bit of water, 1 Tbsp./15 ml of water at a time (up to 2 Tbsp./30 ml per 1 cup/170 g of dates). The date purée is ready when it's completely smooth.
Store. Leftover date paste keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. For longer-term storage, freeze in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

*Prep time does not include soaking the dates, about 4 hours.

**Nutrition information is approximate and may contain errors. Please feel free to make your own calculations.