Moist Date Nut Bread

This is the BEST EVER!!! I've never tasted such moist date bread. I had an overabundance of dates that my inlaws sent from my husband's native country of Tunisia so they were rough chopped. I also used hot brewed coffee instead of the boiling water to soak the dates/butter in. When I was reading the recipe, I thought there was no way a bread made with only one quarter cup butter could be moist...boy was I wrong! After cooling a bit, I immediately wrapped it in wax paper then aluminum foil and into a ziplock bag. I then refrigerated it for several hours. I couldn't resist any longer so I had to try it....I can't believe it is sooo moist and tasty! A definite keeper and will use this when I receive another 'surplus' of tunisian dates! thanks so much for this wonderful recipe.

I had some date in my closet that needed to be used so I thought why not try this recipe. What a great choice it turned out to be. While I did modify the recipe somewhat, the core stands true. I ran out of dates, and as one reader suggeted I used 1-1/2 c. dates and 1 c. chopped prunes. I also used the orange idea another reviewer suggested. I reduced the sugar to 1/3 c. and after I toasted my raw walnuts in the oven I broke them apart with my hands, instead of chopping them b/c I like to taste my walnuts. The other thing different I did was to use all whole wheat flour and add 1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten (you can purchase this at a natural foods store). In my baking class I learned that whole wheat flour has very little gluten (the protein in flour) and by adding in the vital wheat gluten (which is almost all protein) it adds lightness to baked goods. This is exactly what it did to my loaves. I will do this again b/c IMO whole wheat is better than white or unbleached flours. I also used three mini pans and baked them for only 30 minutes and they were done. I really enjoyed this recipe.

Excellent! Added 1 tsp cinnamon and completely forgot to add nuts, but it was lovely nevertheless. Only change I would make next time is to reduce the amount of sugar, maybe to 1/3 cup.

Fabulous recipie! Very sweet, though. I'll cut down the sugar next time (the dates are sweet as is!). Used chopped almonds instead of walnuts (we're not walnut fans). Also, this dough would make good muffins.

Absolutely the best! I like to grate the rind of a large navel orange and add the juice to equal 1 cup of boiling water but either way this bread has become an "old dependable" for me. alaskababa

Very, very good. I made this for my husband to take to work, and he said everyone devoured it. Thanks for a good recipe.

The reason I like this recipe is because it's mostly dates--not a ton of flour and sugar to hide their flavor. I used half whole wheat flour with nice results and found the light sweetness perfect, especially if you plan to serve with jam. It can easily stand alone with no topping, but truly is great with cream cheese or butter. I did use coffee in place of water and like the rich color and very subtle flavor it imparts to this loaf.

A delicious, moist date bread just like grandma's!

Excellent moist flavorful. I didn't steam it but I wrapped it in foil while still hot from oven. It stayed moist for 3/4 days and I could slice it quite thin with ease.

I have never made date nut bread--I could never live up to my Mom's fabulous recipe! (people would ask her for a loaf starting before Thanksgiving--it was a Holiday favorite. ) Well, I said a prayer,asked her to watch over me from above:) and made this recipe. I could not find hers. It came out fabulous! Was especially delicious after spending the night in the fridge wrapped in foil (I would highly recommend wrapping in foil as soon as possible to keep the highest possible moisture level) I chopped the dates and walnuts coarsely--will do that again. Not to sweet --just right! Was outstanding with cream cheese and cup of coffee! Will share this for sure!

I would actually give this 4.5 stars; made it exactly as the recipe read first go-round - it was too salty (and I thought 1 t salt for this amount seemed like a lot). I cut the salt in half and used 1/3 C brown sugar, and it was fabulous the 2nd time around. Also, you can double this recipe and bake in a 13x9 pan - it makes a giant coffee cake. I served it at my B&B this past weekend to rave reviews. It remains moist for 4+ days if well covered and set in a cool spot. It was a favorite of the male guests and several asked to take pieces home with them. Thanks for a great recipe!

Very good!! It WAS moist! I made muffins instead of the loaves. I added some raisins as well and it turned out great! Thanks for this one!

I just got this out of the oven and could not wait to review. Same old story, had some dates to use up. Loved store bought date nut bread spread with cream cheese as a kid, it was really dense and heavy. Not sure if this will turn out the same but figured I'd try to recreate what I loved as a kid but can't seem to buy anymore. Like one reviewer mentioned, I used a mix of white and whole wheat flour. To be on the safer side because I am usually a disaster at baking, I used only 1/2 cup whole wheat flour. True to my usual form, I afterward realized it was WW pastry flour which I'm sure will make it less dense then I was hoping for. Also, I forgot to mix the egg in so I had to mix that in last after everything was mixed (baking disaster anyone?) Still, when I cut a slice off while it was still warm, the flavor was perfect and the texture was like that of a moist zucchini bread. As one reviewer recommended, I wrapped the rest in wax paper and foil and refrigerated to see if it gets more firm and moist. Either way, I will be repeating this recipe with the correct flour proportions and hopefully not forgetting the egg. Even with my baking mess ups, I couldn't make this taste bad! That makes it a winner in my book.

DELISH! I varied it a bit...I used 1 c whole wheat flour 1/2 cup reg flour This was very sweet so next time I would use maybe 1/4c of sugar. I also toasted the walnuts first, definitely a must! I also didn't have brown sugar so I used white, still yummy! I only cooked it for 45mins on 350 b/c I like it a bit undercooked and it was PERFECT!! I topped my bread w/a mixture of milk and honey (maybe 2 TBS of honey and a tiny splash of milk) and it made the top nice and shiny and moist looking! I will definitely make this again.

This was my first try at date nut bread. I thoroughly read many many reviews. The overall consensus was cut back on the sugar which I did, but I really wish I didn't. Will follow the recipe exactly next time.

Perfect recipe. It's a keeper. The loaf came out so moist and nice. The only changes that I made were adding a cup of raisins and reducing the sugar to 1/4 cup. mmmm. Thanks a lot for posting this.

Outstanding dish and very easy to make! I will make this again many times.

Elsa's and LoriLeigh's reviews helped me to decide to cut the salt in half but to add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to replace the reported loss of flavor. I figured my family could always sprinkle with salt. Seriously, for home consumption, it's a tried and true all-purpose option. None did. They LOVED the muffins. Yes, it being summer, I cut down on oven time by making muffins. Filled the cups 2/3 full, set the timer for 20 minutes, left 'em in for 23. Ovens vary, so I recommend checking after 20 minutes. Enjoy!

great taste, adding 1 tsp of espresso powder with the hot water does wonder to the date taste! adding almonds blends well too, and I used whole wheat flour and bran to add fibers and make healthier.

I found this recipe very easy to follow and the results were very good. I topped the bread with cream cheese. A slice of date & nut bread and a cup of warm coffee is a good way to start the day. James Konitzer

This is a very good bread. Not to sweet.

I made this for my dad because he remembered having date bread as a child. It was wonderful and he loved it!

I tried this and it was great. However, from the picture I was afraid it would be too moist. I added an extra scoop of flour and also some flax seed to make it healthier. Turned out wonderful!

My mom brought me dates from a trip she was on...I have always had someone elses date nut bread and never made it myself! This was better then any date nut bread I've tasted. I made exactly as the recipe states. I will use this again!

Definitely best thing I've ever baked which my husband agrees, though I was quite shocked after devouring in 2 pieces how high calories they are. I only used half the sugar and it's sweet enough. Will bake again to impress visitors.

It was so easy to make/bake, and my date nut bread came out so delicious and moist. Not too sweet, and it feels so comforting to eat this bread. Will definitely make more in the future for self or to give to others. Thank you for sharing this recipe!

I made this for my dad, at his request. I followed the recipe exactly and he loved it. I did have to continue baking it a bit longer...about 10 minutes. I am not particularly a fan of dates but I really did enjoy this bread. It was moist and delicious, not too sweet at all.

This recipe is delish as written! It got rave reviews by company visiting us for a week. The first time I made this recipe I decided to make it according to a reviewer stated... 1/2 the salt and a 1/3 of a cup of borwn sugar. Blechhhh It had no flavor. I don't add salt to my food nor am I a big sweet eater so it sounded fine. I assure you it totally lacked flavor. The 2nd time I made it I went with another reviewer's recommendation of using an extra scoop of flour and flax seeds. That was the worst! Not a quicker I gave it another go. This time making it exactly as the recipe was written. It came out delicious. My husband who is not at all a sweet eater loves it and has asked me to make it again. What I love so much about this recipe is it doesn't have tons of flour or sugar to subtract from the date nuts and walnuts. Yum! Give it a go.

Wasn't sure if I liked dates or not, obviously I don't, and neither does anyone in my family of 8. I'm rating 3 because, I suppose, if you love dates, you could possibly like this bread. I wouldn't know because we couldn't get past the "weird" taste that the entire family kept asking about. Oh well, I smothered my slice w/strawberry jam and that made it edible enough for me, however the rest of my family wasn't too pleased, not matter what selection of jams I gave.

Very good

This was good, but not exactly the taste that I expected. Very moist and a good recipe, but not my favorite quick-bread. My husband and son loved it. Thanks for sharing!

Love it. I use either boiling coffee or very hot OJ to soak the dates just to add dimension to the loaf. I also have made it with only 2 c dates and it turns out fine :) Also have used oil instead of butter, and its worked great!!!

I had some dates to use up and ran across your recipe. It just came out of the oven and everyone seems to think it needs to be refrigerated. Taking it out of the pan a corner fell off my husband and I shared it with our morning coffee. It is delicious I followed the recipe and feel it turned out ,I find it not to sweet or salty and not to moist. I did like the suggestion of subbing the boiling water with orange juice. I will be adding this recipe to my favorites. It gets a 5 rating from me

Really good!! So close to the one my grandmother used to make...I did use whole wheat flour. This was a big hit.

Followed recipe as written except I didn't have any nuts on hand and I added some cinnamon. After cooling a bit I did wrap and put in the refrigerator as others suggested. Turned out delicious and moist but too sweet. Next time I'll cut down the sugar.

awesome it was exactly what i was looking for Thanks

when I read the preview , I should have realized when they said "figgy Pudding" refrence it was not going to be like a bread. Too dense for my family and myself personally. I like a "drier" date nut bread.

I have made this bread four times and each time it seems better. I've tried many others, but this is the best. I also added raisins to the dates.

This is a great recipe! I've made it at least five times now and always receive rave reviews. I usually omit the walnuts and replace with apricots so the baby can eat it. This recipe is also really good if you substitute the dates for prunes and apricots.

This is a very good moist coffee cake. The only thing I added was pecans instead of wal-nuts. It's a keeper!

This recipe is so delicious & very Moist, I made 2, gave one away. I sure would pass this to other friends.

I made this bread for some friends and they actually made a point to tell me how good it was after they tried it - unprompted. I left the loaf covered in foil overnight and that made it so incredibly moist, you'd swear it was gourmet! As a note of caution, really for anything you bake, make sure you don't over bake it. Great recipe!

Have been having this bread all my life but the first time I have made it. Soooo moist. I did add 1/2 tea of vanilla extract.

Perfection! Just like I remember my mom making. I took two suggestions from reviewers and used a cup of hot coffee to soak the dates instead of water. And I wrapped the loaf hot from the oven in waxed paper and tin foil and put it into my fridge. It took all of my self control to wait until the next morning to taste it. Heavenly with cream cheese slathered on top! Absolutely will be my go-to recipe.

I turned this into fruitcake, which my family loves. I made a double batch, used 1.5 cups chopped dates, rest candied fruitcake mix, used .75 cup of orange juice, reduced the sugar to 2/3 cup, and used a mixture of walnuts and pecans, adding 2 tsp cinnamon. The family LOVED it, moist, sweet enough, holds together but is tender. A real hit for the holiday, I'll make it again, and I'll be glad to do it. Delish!

I followed this recipe as written (which I always do when trying a new recipe) and sorry to say, I did not care for it. I agree with other reviews that it is very bland and it was also dry.

Nice and moist but not a lot of flavor. There are no spices in it. I think it could use some kind of spice but I'm not sure what??

I will add cinnamon and salt next time.

This was a really good bread. It was moist and perfect served warm with a little butter. My husband thought a brandy sauce might be nice to make it a fancier dessert for guests.

This bread is SO moist. I have made it over and over again!

I have been looking so long for a Date Nut bread that reminded me of one we used to buy in the store so long ago. This one is very close. I added 1 tsp of vanilla, but that really was not necessary. A very good dense bread. I eat it cold from the fridge with cream cheese. So good.

Thank you! Had some dates to use up. Put in abt 2 tsp of orange extract, sub'd 1c of flax seed meal for walnuts and added cinnamon, allspice, clove, and nutmeg. Used ww flour. Satisfying and delish!!

Wonderful and delicious, easy to make, enjoyed by all. Definately moist, but not soggy. Loved it! Will definately make again.

Deliciously moist! Had to go back and have 2 slices. Baked it for 42 min, added a tsp of cinnamon and cut the sugar to 1/3 cup.

The texture of the bread was PERFECT. I cut the amount of sugar in half and it still tasted amazing. I recommend leaving the dates chunky because when you add it with the water, it breaks it down.

This came out very dense and dry, I'm not sure if I missed something or cooked it too long. Didn't work for me.

I make this bread with vegetable shortening and egg replacer (because of allergies) and it is delicious. The trick is to use those super moist, fresh picked Medjool Dates. I also made this recipe into 12 muffins and my daughter loves them.

Tasty, moist, easy to make. We like anything with dates. I found the batter to be too wet and reduced the amount of water to 3/4 cup, only had 2 cups of dates on hand but it worked fine. I also reduced the sugar to 1/3 cup as the dates make it plenty sweet enough for my taste. Adding a half cup of crushed unsweetened cereal (ie Grape Nuts Flakes or Wheaties) gives it a nice texture. Good with either walnuts or pecans. It disappeared fast.

Tasty, moist, easy to make. We like anything with dates. I found the batter to be too wet and reduced the amount of water to 3/4 cup, only had 2 cups of dates on hand but it worked fine. I also reduced the sugar to 1/3 cup as the dates make it plenty sweet enough for my taste. Adding a half cup of crushed unsweetened cereal (ie Grape Nuts Flakes or Wheaties) gives it a nice texture. Good with either walnuts or pecans. It disappeared fast.

Excellent! Easy to make and it turned out great.

It was good, but was very dense. The flavor was great. I have been slicing it and toasting , then adding a thin icing and serving it as a breakfast bread. It is perfect with the morning coffee.

Very moist and delicious, made as written. Rating there recipe not mine.

This bread was pretty good, but I found it to be dry despite the fact that I added applesauce to make it extra moist. I followed reviewers' advice and soaked the dates in coffee and decreased the amount of sugar. Not bad, but not as great as I thought it would be.

This date nut bread was very good! I did cut down on the sugar a bit, but that was the only thing I changed. It's a keeper!

I made the bread on Christmas Eve and mistakenly added 1 lb butter because the advertisements were included IN the list of ingredients. I take full responsibility for the error. But now I know not to use recipes where ingredients are advertised.

Delicious! I have tried for many years to find a recipe and/or prepare a date nut bread to equal Thomas' Date Nut Bread found in New York City and on the east coast. This is it. Deleted my other recipes. Truly moist and delicious. Try with cream cheese. Thank you so very much for sharing this. I prepared this as listed, except I used all of two 8 oz. packages of dates rather than save the little bit of leftover. It probably added, perhaps, 1/4 cup of dates to the total called for in the recipe. Try to prepare this the day before using so it can age a bit before serving. Not necessary but nice. I think it makes the bread easier to slice. Thank you once more. Grace

Good in muffin form (decrease baking time) with a dash of cinnamon added and sprinkled with coarse sugar. Better the day after baking.

Yummy!

My first attempt at date bread and I love it. I substituted the sugar for a 1/2 tsp of stevia liquid and 1/4 cup of mini-chocolate chips. It is excellent!