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Easy, Moist, Old-Fashioned Date Nut Bread

Close-up of a thick slice of moist date nut bread showing visible dates and walnuts, served on a white plate.
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Bake this classic, moist date nut bread. It is a simple quick bread recipe, perfect for breakfast, snacking, or holiday gifting.

Ingredients

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  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 1 cup packed, pitted dates, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts, plus extra for topping

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
  2. Place the chopped dates in a small bowl. Pour 1 cup of boiling water over the dates and stir in the baking soda. Let this mixture sit for 10 minutes to soften the dates.
  3. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.
  4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  5. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  6. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix the batter.
  7. Stir in the 1 cup of chopped walnuts and the date mixture (including any remaining liquid). The batter will be thick.
  8. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the top with extra chopped walnuts, if desired.
  9. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, loosely tent it with aluminum foil for the last 15 minutes of baking.
  10. Let the date nut bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

  • For an extra moist loaf, soak the dates in hot water for 15 minutes before mixing them into the batter.
  • This bread freezes well. Wrap the cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap and then foil before freezing for up to three months.
  • If you enjoy a hint of spice, add 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://savoryskies.com/easy-moist-date-nut-bread-recipe/