Date Nut Bread

Date nut bread is a deliciously moist quick bread that tastes like a loaf of sticky toffee pudding cake! This easy date nut bread makes a tasty breakfast, snack, or dessert.

A partially buttered slice of date nut bread next to the loaf of date bread.

Date nut bread is a delicious bread that tastes similar to sticky toffee pudding. The bread is moist and dense and full of crunchy chopped pecans.

It’s a lovely quick bread that’s perfect for breakfast, as a snack, or for dessert. It also makes a great homemade gift around the holidays!

Ingredient notes and substitutions

Dates: I’ve used pitted Medjool dates and Deglet Noor dates to make this bread. I prefer Medjool dates because they are sweeter and integrate better into the bread.
Salted butter: If you would prefer to use unsalted butter, add 1/4 salt along with the baking soda.
Brown sugar: Light or dark brown sugar will work. Dark brown sugar will give you slightly more toffee flavor in the bread.
Cinnamon: The cinnamon is a background note in the bread. This isn’t a spice forward bread.

How to make date nut bread

Here you’ll find step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including instructions, is given below.

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9X5-inch loaf pan. Set aside.

Dates in boiling water in a glass mixing bowl.

Step 2: Add the chopped dates to a medium, heatproof bowl, and pour the boiling water over the chopped dates.

Step 3: Let the date mixture stand for 15 minutes. Do not drain.

Creamed butter and sugar in a glass mixing bowl.

Step 4: In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl as needed.

Eggs beaten into creamed butter and sugar mixture.

Step 5: Beat in the eggs.

Step 6: Add the flour, baking soda, and cinnamon and mix in until almost combined.

Dates and water mixed into dry ingredients for date nut bread.

Step 7: Stir in the dates and liquid, and mix in until just combined.

Chopped pecans mixed into date nut bread batter.

Step 8: Add the chopped pecans, and mix in until just combined.

Step 9: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Step 10: Bake for about 50-60 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Step 11: Let the bread cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes.

Step 12: Remove to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.

Two slices of date nut bread next to the loaf with a butter knife next to it.

Recipe Tips!

Nuts: Feel free to omit the nuts if you have an allergy or prefer to leave them out.
Boiling water: It’s important that the water is boiling and not just hot. The boiling water helps to soften the dates and helps them to better incorporate into the bread.
Greasing the pan: I’ve never had a loaf of date nut bread stick. However, if your loaf pan tends to stick, grease and flour the pan before using.

A partially buttered slice of date nut bread on a wooden cutting board.

How to freeze

The bread freezes well. You can freeze the entire loaf or slices of the bread.

To freeze, wrap well in plastic wrap and place in a freezer safe container. Freeze for up to 1 month.

To reheat, I wrap slices in a paper towel and reheat in the microwave for about 30 seconds or until heated through.

Two cut slices of date nut bread on a wire cooling rack.

Storage

Store any leftover date nut bread in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

More quick bread recipes!

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9X5-inch loaf pan. Set aside.
Add the chopped dates to a medium, heatproof bowl, and pour the boiling water over the chopped dates.
Let the date mixture stand for 15 minutes. Do not drain.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl as needed.
Beat in the eggs.
Add the flour, baking soda, and cinnamon and mix in until almost combined.
Stir in the dates and liquid, and mix in until just combined.
Add the chopped pecans, and mix in until just combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
Bake for about 50-60 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let the bread cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes.
Remove to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.