Retro Date Nut Bread

This is one of those recipes that just keeps coming back to my baking rotation. It’s probably because there are childhood memories attached. Good ones. Growing up in New York City, there was always date nut bread, or as we called it, “date nut loaf.” It was a menu staple at the Chock Full o’ Nuts coffee shops in Manhattan and was usually served sandwich style with a generous shmear of cream cheese in the middle! Speaking of which, have you tried my homemade cultured cashew cream cheese yet? Get the recipe here.

Sadly, date nut bread is very difficult to find outside of New York. So… why not just make your own? AND, make it plant-based and oil-free. Yes! This loaf is super moist and dense, like a good date nut bread should be. Chock full of plump datey goodness, it will keep you coming back for more.

So sorry for the length of time it is taking me to get my recipes up onto this new platform. This recipe in particular sort of disappeared, so I had to recreate it. I think the new version is even better than the old one! I do hope you will, too. 💜

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups chopped dates (see notes)

• 1/2 cup raisins

• 1/2 cups coconut sugar (or brown sugar or any minimally processed granulated sweetener)

• 3 TBS blackstrap molasses

• 1 cup hot water (not quite boiling but pretty hot)

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 flax egg (1 TBS ground flax seeds + 3 TBS water)

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1/3 cup applesauce

• 1 TBS brandy (optional—see notes)

• 1 cup chopped walnuts

• 1¾ cups flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-free 1:1)

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.

2. Make flax egg by combining 1 TBS of ground flax seed with 3 TBS water. Set aside.

3. Place chopped dates, raisins, sugar, molasses, salt and baking soda in a large mixing bowl. Add hot water and stir. Let sit to cool for 20 min. 

4. While your mixture is cooling, prepare a loaf pan using spray oil, vegan butter and flour or just line with parchment paper if you’re totally oil-free. 

5. Add all remaining ingredients to the mixing bowl and stir to combine. 

6. Scoop batter into prepared loaf pan. 

7. Add love 💗

8. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until a tooth pick comes out clean. 

9. Cool and serve. 

Makes one delicious, nostalgic loaf. Enjoy!

Notes
It can be challenging to chop dates. They’re just so darn sticky! Just take your time with it. They don’t have to be chopped very fine. I actually prefer nice big chunks in there. If your dates are very soft and moist, you can dust them with a little flour to help the process along. I prefer Medjool dates.

What's up with the brandy? Alcohol is a flavor enhancer, serving to disperse flavor molecules throughout the bread; leave it out if you like.