Classic Date Nut Bread

This moist date nut bread makes a great breakfast, lunch or brunch. I use walnuts but you can use pecans just as easily. Since it's a quick bread, no yeast or kneading is required and it's ready to eat in just over an hour.

8 servings

1 loaf

Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)

408 Calories, 15g Fat, 62g Carbs, 8g Protein

Not only is this bread delicious, but it also freezes well, too. Freeze the whole loaf or spread cream cheese between two thin slices and freeze the "sandwiches" to enjoy later. It's also delicious with orange cream cheese or orange-flavored butter.

Ingredients
1 cup water (boiling)
8 ounces dates (chopped)
2 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup sugar (white granulated)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg (large)
2 1/4 cups flour (all-purpose)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup walnuts (chopped)

How to make the bread:
Gather the ingredients. Heat the oven to 350 F.
Grease a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan I use olive oil spray
In a medium bowl, pour the boiling water over the chopped dates. Add the butter and set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the sugar, brown sugar, and egg with a mixer until light.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture, alternating with the date and water mixture.
Stir in the chopped nuts with a spoon.
Pour into the loaf pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Tip

Use butter, shortening, or cooking oil to grease the loaf pan. Using a paper towel helps ensure an even coating so your bread doesn't stick.

As with any quick bread, you do not want to overmix the batter. The final mixing should be just long enough to ensure the ingredients are incorporated.

Don't delay after mixing the batter. The liquids will activate the baking powder's first round of leavening—most baking powder is double-acting, and the second round takes place in the oven. Work efficiently to get the batter into the oven as quickly as possible.

Recipe Variations

Make an easy cream cheese spread to complement the date bread: In a mixing bowl, beat 4 ounces of softened cream cheese with 1 1/2 teaspoons of finely grated orange zest, 3 tablespoons of confectioners' sugar, and a few drops of vanilla.

Instead of walnuts, use chopped pecans.

If you're concerned about tree nut allergies among your guests, skip the nuts entirely. You can also bake a second nut-free loaf.

Sprinkle the quick bread batter with a cinnamon-sugar blend just before it goes into the oven.