Classic Date Nut Bread with Rosemary
A classic quickbread, this moist date nut bread recipe is loaded with naturally sweet Medjool dates, chopped walnuts and fragrant rosemary. This old fashioned recipe is great served with a cup of coffee or tea, with a knob of butter, cream cheese or your favourite preserves.
This vegan friendly date nut bread produces a not-too sweet loaf, with a moist, fragrant crumb and crunchy walnuts. The use of rosemary is optional, however, rosemary, dates and chopped walnuts are a surprisingly good combination!
Make sure to read the entire post because each step matters and there are many helpful and important points below.
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Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
For the full ingredients list with amounts, please see the recipe card below. To make my date-nut bread with rosemary, you will need the following ingredients:
Chopped dates: I like to use Medjool dates for this recipe because they are larger, softer and easier for removing the pits and stems. However, you can use other types of dates. There is some special care needed for this recipe, so please see the section below on how to prepare dates.
Hot water: the temperature of the water should be hot enough that it is steaming; however, you do not need to use boiling water to soften the dates.
Extra virgin olive oil: extra virgin olive oil can be replaced with melted coconut oil or any neutral flavoured vegetable oil in a 1:1 ratio.
Flax meal: the mixture of flax meal and water is essentially an egg substitute which helps bind the cake ingredients together. I recommend using flax meal from brown flax seeds rather than golden flax, the latter of which tends not to gel as rapidly.
Vanilla extract: for flavour and aroma.
Whole wheat flour: I like to use whole wheat flour for my date-nut bread because it's slightly nutty flavour pairs nicely with the other key flavours. You can also use spelt flour or all purpose flour in equal measure.
Coconut sugar: I like to use coconut sugar because it's not as sweet as other sugars. Because dates are naturally very sweet, coconut sugar doesn't make this recipe overly sweet. However, you can also use granulated sugar, unpacked brown sugar or light brown sugar in equal measure if you prefer.
Baking powder & Baking soda: Like all quick breads, baking soda or baking powder are used to leaven the crumb as opposed to yeast.
Salt: this is necessary to both balance and enhance the sweetness of this recipe.
Fresh rosemary: If you only have dried rosemary, use half the amount as called for in the recipe; dried herbs are much more potent that fresh. Again, rosemary is an optional ingredient.
Chopped walnuts: walnuts are a soft, oily nut and give this recipe flavour and texture. You can use different nuts if you prefer, however, I would suggest sticking to other soft nuts—pecans are an excellent replacement.
How to make this recipe
Like most quick breads, this recipe is rather simple to make and doesn't require much work. The most time consuming part is preparing the dates, rosemary, and walnuts. For for the full detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
STEP 1: Line a 9x5" baking tin with parchment paper and set aside. The dates need to have their pits removed and then they need to be chopped.
STEP 2: Add the dates to a large bowl (make sure it's heatproof) and then carefully pour hot water over the dates to allow them to soften and absorb water.
STEP 3: Olive oil and vanilla are added to the hot water mixture. The mixture is left to stand for 10 minutes.
STEP 4: In the meantime, mix the flax meal and water together in a small bowl and let that sit for 5 minutes to thicken.
STEP 5: Sift together the flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and chopped rosemary in a large mixing bowl.
STEP 6: Carefully, add the date mixture and the flax mixture (the wet ingredients) to the flour mixture (the dry ingredients) and stir just until combined. Add in the chopped walnuts and stir until evenly distributed.
STEP 7: Spoon the batter into a prepared pan and bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Carefully remove from the oven allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing it from the pan and placing it on a wire rack. Allow it to cool to room temperature before slicing and serving.
Important Notes on Preparing Dates
It's important when using Medjool dates, or any dates for that matter, that the pits and little stems/tops are removed—these are very hard and should never make their way into the recipe. Inspect all the dates and make sure there are no pits, stems or fragments of either.
Moreover, dates can dry out over time even when properly stored. For this recipe, because the dates are being hydrated with hot water, it's not a big issue if they are slightly dry. However, I recommend using the freshest dates you can find; it's also easier to removed the pits and stems if the dates are fresh.
Serving Suggestions
I love to make this date nut bread during the winter or for the holiday or Christmas season; the scent of rosemary and sweet dates in so lovely during the cooler months. This recipe can be served alongside a cup of tea or coffee, as a side with soup, with butter, cream cheese, a slice of cheese or your favourite preserves.
Storage
Storage: this recipe is beast enjoyed the day it's baked, however, leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
Freezer: to freeze this recipe, I suggest wrapping it tightly in tinfoil and then placing it in a freezer safe bag. It should keep this way for 1-2 months. To defrost the recipe, remove it from the freezer and place it in the fridge to thaw overnight or for up to 24 hours. Make sure it is fully thawed before slicing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Rosemary is a beautiful perennial herb. It's quite hardy perennial in most climates and produces very fragrant stalks of what look like fir needles. Rosemary in a common ingredient in Italian cooking and winter recipes.
Yes, however, you will need to reduce the amount by half; dried herbs contain no water and are therefore much more potent in smaller quantities.
Because I haven't tested this recipe with mini loaf pan, I can't give you an guarantee that it will work. That being said, I do not see an issue in using one. Just make sure the tin is greased and or the cavity lined with parchment paper to prevent any sticking. You will also need to reduce the baking time to prevent burning or over browning.
More recipes like this
If you enjoyed my date nut loaf recipe, you may also enjoy my Harvest Apple Crunch Loaf or try my Vegan Double Chocolate Banana Bread.
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I would so appreciate you giving it a star rating below or leaving me a comment. Share it with me on Instagram using the tag @the_simple_green. For more recipes and content, be sure to follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube.
Classic Date Nut Bread with Rosemary
Ingredients
- 16 fresh medjool dates, pitted, stems removed, and roughly chopped
- 1 ¼ cups hot water
- 4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon flax meal + 3 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups whole wheat flour, or spelt flour
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar, or unpacked brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon Fresh rosemary, chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1 ¼ cups chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F and lightly grease a 9x5” loaf pan. Set aside.
- In a heatproof bowl, add the chopped dates and carefully pour in the hot water. Then add the vanilla extract and olive oil and gently stir to combine, then allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine the flax meal and 3 tablespoon water and let sit for 5 minutes to thicken.
- Combine the flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and chopped rosemary in a medium bowl. Carefully, add the hot date and water mixture and flax mixture to the flour mixture and stir until combined. Add in the chopped walnuts and stir until combined.
- Spoon the batter into a prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Carefully remove from the oven allow to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving.
Notes
Nutrition
This is an approximation of the nutrition offered in this recipe, and is created using a nutrition calculator. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your preferred calculator.
Disclaimer
all recipes on The Simple Green are developed and tested in a Canadian kitchen, at normal elevation, using electric appliances and ingredients available in Canada. Results may vary.
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