Date Bread
Updated Nov 27, 2025
Moist date bread with chopped Medjool dates steeped in hot water, Greek yogurt, and walnuts. No mixer needed and bakes up in a 9ร5 pan.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Jump to Section
Try my viral date bread!
Making date bread was a bit of an experiment at first, but it turned out so well that it went viral, racking up nearly 8 million views on Instagram! This date bread is just a simple mix of Medjool dates and walnuts, and it is so amazingly good! (Seriously… like, so good. When I was recipe testing, my assistant and I were shocked at how it turned out!)
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Date Bread Ingredients
- Medjool Dates: You can use a different type of date if you want, but I always recommend using Medjool dates.
- Dry Ingredients: You’ll need baking powder, baking soda, salt, brown sugar, and all-purpose flour for this date bread. Feel free to swap in 1:1 gluten-free flour.
- Egg: Room temperature eggs are best.
- Greek Yogurt: I always go for full-fat, plain Greek yogurt.
- Vanilla Extract: Use whatever you have on hand!
- Chopped Walnuts: I like to use chopped walnuts in this recipe, but you can omit the nuts, or replace them with seeds like pumpkin or sunflower. Toast the walnuts for a deeper flavor.
How to Make Date Bread
Making date bread is similar to making any other quick bread! You’ll only need one bowl and a loaf pan and into the oven it goes!
Date Bread Recipe
Easy date bread made with Medjool dates, Greek yogurt, and walnuts for a soft, moist texture without excess oil.
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups Medjool dates pitted, chopped
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup boiling water
- Cooking spray
- 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder aluminium free
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Add chopped dates, baking soda, brown sugar, and hot water to a bowl or large measuring cup. Set aside and allow the dates to steep for about 15 minutes or until cooled.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9×5 loaf pan with cooking spray
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- After soaking the dates, whisk in the egg, yogurt, and vanilla extract, separating any date pieces that may have stuck together.
- Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until everything is just combined with no streaks of flour remaining. Finally, gently fold in the chopped walnuts.
- Transfer the batter to your prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the bread is browning too quickly, tent it with foil during the last 10 minutes or so.
- Remove from oven and cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, remove the bread from the pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
- If you don’t plan to eat the date bread immediately after cooling, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it at room temperature.
Notes
- My Top Tip: Watch the oven. If your bread is browning too quickly in the oven, tent it with aluminum foil to prevent burning while still allowing it to bake through.
- Storage: First, let your date bread cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to keep the air out and maintain moisture. Your bread will keep at room temperature for up to 4 days (so long as you store it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight or heat sources), or up to a week in the fridge.
- Freezing: Once your bread is cool, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then in a layer of aluminum foil. It should keep in the freezer for up to 3 months! When you’re ready to eat, thaw the wrapped bread at room temperature. You can gently reheat it in the oven to restore its fresh-baked taste and texture!
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice, Calories: 297kcal, Carbohydrates: 52g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.003g, Cholesterol: 19mg, Sodium: 285mg, Potassium: 323mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 31g, Vitamin A: 74IU, Vitamin C: 0.2mg, Calcium: 86mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Recipe Tips
- Watch the oven: If your bread is browning too quickly in the oven, tent it with aluminum foil to prevent burning while still allowing it to bake through.
- Don’t over-mix: When combining your wet and dry ingredients, mix just until everything is incorporated!
- Measure carefully: Be sure to accurately measure your ingredients, especially flour, to prevent a dry or dense loaf. I like to use the spoon and level method!
- Use parchment paper for easy loaf removal. I like to line my loaf pan with parchment tucked in both length and widthwise before adding my batter to help my bread release easily and prevent sticking.
Serving Ideas
- Make streusel: Before baking, I like to sprinkle the top of my batter with a streusel topping made from oats, flour, butter, and sugar.
- Use a spread. This date bread would be delicious topped with tahini and honey, cream cheese, or a homemade jam.
- Add cream. I love warming up my date bread with some fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
FAQs
Can I skip the sugar?
Yes, you can skip the sugar, but it helps to to round out the flavor of the date bread, improve the crumb texture, and keep the bread moist. For the best texture and flavor, I would bake the recipe as written.
Why does my bread taste bitter?
Make sure you’re using aluminium-free baking powder! Regular baking powder with aluminium can cause baked goods to taste bitter.
Comments
Hi, can you use Brazil nuts instead
Yes, I think that sounds so good! Enjoy!!
So good!!! I followed it to a T. Now I can make my own date bread.
Yay, so happy you loved it!! Thanks, Raisa!
I used pecans as I ran out of walnuts and my family loved this and asked me to make it again. Which is, I guess, the best feedback. Trying it with cranberries next as they are not fond of dates and still loved the cake.
Love that! So happy your family enjoyed it. Thanks, Simon!
This looks delicious! However, my daughter is allergic to nuts. Is there anything I can substitute the walnuts with?
You can leave the walnuts out or replace them with pumpkin or sunflower seeds for added crunch. Enjoy!
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I just made it today. Very easy to prepare and the loaf rose nicely and crumbs are nice and moist.
Yay!! So glad you liked it, Linna! Thank you!
Can I use oat flour instead of all purpose flour?
So sorry, I haven’t tried making this date bread with oat flour yet. Please let me know how it turns out if you end up trying it!
Excellent breakfast cake, not too sweet…just perfect.
Thank you!! So happy you liked it!
I made this today and really enjoyed it. I didnโt have any Greek yogurt, so just replaced with a normal yogurt. Next time I will modify the recipe into a healthier one with wheat flour and fresh jaggery.
Yum, those tweaks sound so good!! So glad you liked the recipe and were able to make it work with the yogurt you had on hand. Thanks, Sakshi!
It looks delicious.
Thanks, Linda! I hope you’ll try it and let me know how it turns out!
See All Comments