As a mom to underweight and picky eating child, I’m constantly scratching my head about what to serve for my baby. Barely 15 pounds at 9 months, Baby Chunbao would only eat a handful of “safe foods”. I’m constantly on a mission to find something nutritious and high-calorie that he’ll accept.
Enter date paste and it was a game-changer! It’s extremely versatile (you can use it as a sugar substitute) and super sweet (who doesn’t like sweets). Best of all, it is loaded with nutrients and my picky-eater loves it!
What is date paste?
Blended dates. It’s that simple.
Dates are the fruit of the date palm tree, which is grown in many tropical regions of the world. Dates are easily accessible in Western markets and are sold as dried. The most popular kinds are Delglet Noor and Medjool dates.
When blended with some water, date paste is smooth with a peanut-butter like consistency. Since dates are very sweet, date paste is usually used as a condiment or sugar substitute.
PIN to your Pinterest so you can come back to this recipe later!Dates health benefits
These chewy super-sweet fruits offer incredible health benefits. Since they’re dried, their calorie content is higher than most fresh fruit. Their nutrition profile is similar to raisins and dried figs.
Here are a few of the many health benefits.
- High in Fiber – with almost 7 grams of fiber in a 3.5-ounce serving, including dates in your diet may improve constipation.
- High in Disease Fighting Antioxidants – dates contain several types of antioxidants that may help prevent the development of certain chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s and diabetes.
- Promote brain health – dates may be helpful for lowering inflammation and preventing plaques from forming in the brain, which is important for preventing Alzheimer’s disease.
- Blood sugar control – dates have a low glycemic index (GI), which measures how quickly your blood sugar rises after eating a certain food.
- Promote natural labor – dates may promote and ease natural labor for pregnant women when consumed during the last few weeks of pregnancy.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure here.
Ingredients to make date paste
- 16 oz pitted dates (Delglet Noor or Medjool dates). If using whole dates, you can easily remove the pits by sliding them out from the fruits with a chopstick.
- 1 cup room temperature water.
Note: Jujube dates, also known as red or Chinese dates aren’t ideal to make date paste as these kinds of dates are very dry and lack the moisture or stickiness to make a good date paste.
How to make date paste
- In a food processor or Vitamix blender, throw in the pitted dates and water.
2. Blend on high speed. If blending with your Vitamix blender, you can use the tamper to scrap the date pieces from the sides of the container.
3. Add a tablespoon of hot water to the mixture if it’s not blending well. Be cautious not to add too much water or else the paste will be too runny!
4. Blended date paste should be smooth with a peanut butter-like consistency.
5. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
Ingredients
- 16 oz pitted dates (Delglet Noor or Medjool dates)
- 1 cup room temperature water
Instructions
- In a food processor or Vitamix blender, throw in the pitted dates and water.
- Blend on high speed. If blending with your Vitamix blender, you can use the tamper to scrap the date pieces from the sides of the container.
- Add a tablespoon of hot water to the mixture if it's not blending well. Be cautious not to add too much water or else the paste will be too runny!
- Blended date paste should be smooth with peanut butter-like consistency.
- Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
Notes
If using whole dates, you can easily remove the pits by sliding them out from the fruits with a chopstick. Differences in blender or food processor used may result in different date paste consistency. Adjust the water as needed.
How to use date paste
A teaspoon of date paste is just as sweet as a teaspoon of table sugar.
The jar of homemade date paste is probably the most used condiment in my fridge. I often add a teaspoon or so of the paste to easy snacks like:
- Plain Greek yogurt
- Chia pudding (chia seeds with unsweetened almond milk)
- Oatmeals
- Smoothie
My picky-eater also loves baby protein bites when I add date paste to it.
Date paste can also be used to make macaroons, cookies, pies, sauces for lamb chops, wings, sandwiches… the list goes on.
You may find tons of creative ways to use date paste here.
Can I substitute date paste with table sugar?
Generally, table sugar can be substituted with date paste in most recipes. The ratio is 1 teaspoon sugar to 1 teaspoon date paste. Keep in mind that date paste is a “wet” ingredient. When used in recipes, it will make the food wetter. For example, replacing sugar with date paste in cookie recipes will result in a chewier texture.
I have found that replacing sugar with date paste in sauces is the best way to utilize this versatile condiment!
How do you use your homemade date paste?
Loving this recipe? Make sure to click like below and share.