Easy Date Paste Recipe

4.50 from 2 votes

I keep a jar of date paste in my fridge year-round, and this simple blend of Medjool dates, vanilla, and a pinch of salt is one of my favorite ways to sweeten food naturally. It is thick, caramel-like, and ready in just 5 minutes. I use it in everything from smoothies, oatmeal, cookies, and desserts. There is also a creamier version that can be used for spreading straight onto toast.

Prep Time5

Total Time5

Course: 30 Minutes or Less, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 199kcal

Author: Anjali Shah

Equipment

Ingredients

For date paste on its own:

24 pitted Medjool dates , about 2 cups packed (a little over a pound, see notes)
¾- 1 1/4 cup almond/cashew/etc milk , start with 3/4 and add more to get the consistency you want
dash sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For date paste to use recipes:

24 pitted Medjool dates , about 2 cups packed (a little over a pound, see notes)
¾- 1 1/4 cup water , start with 3/4 and add more to get the consistency you want

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For blender method:

If using a regular blender, make sure to soak your dates in hot water for about 30 minutes before you make it so that they soften enough to get a smooth result.
If using a high speed blender, put all ingredients inside and blend on high until smooth. You may need to stop and shake a little to get things moving but they will if you keep going.

For food processor method:

Make sure your dates are soaked as mentioned above in order to get the smoothest results, then add everything into the food processor and blend until smooth. It will take longer with this method, but keep stopping and scraping down the sides.

For fork method:

If you don't have either a blender or a food processor, soak your dates in hot water overnight. This will ensure they are as soft as possible.
Add the soaked dates with the other ingredients into a bowl and use a fork to mash and mix. Continue to do this until you get a smoothish consistency. It won't be as creamy and smooth as using a blender but you will eventually get some date paste you can use.

Notes

My #1 Secret Tip for this easy date paste recipe is to start with a smaller amount of liquid and only add more as needed. Dates can vary a lot in size, softness, and moisture, so the exact amount of water or plant milk you need may change from batch to batch. Starting thicker gives me more control over my desired consistency.
Soak if needed: If my dates are a little dry or I am using a regular blender or food processor, I soak them in hot water first. Softer dates blend faster and give me a smoother paste.
Scrape the sides: Date paste loves clinging to the bowl of the processor or blender. I stop a few times to scrape everything down so there are so few chunks in my paste.
Use soft dates: Medjool dates are my first choice as they are naturally sweet, sticky, and tender. Other varieties can work, but they likely need to be soaked, blended with a bit more liquid, and may yield a less sweet paste.
Blend long enough: Even when the paste looks smooth at first glance, I let it run a little longer. That extra bit of time turned it from slightly textured into a silky spread that mixes much more easily into recipes.

Nutrition