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This perfectly sweet, rich, tender and moist Vegan Date Bread with chopped pecans is the perfect holiday sweet treat! It is incredibly delicious and so easy to make. Gluten-free and oil-free.
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Ever since I met my husband, date nut bread has been a part of our holiday tradition. My mother-in-law makes it every year and I always swoon over it. One slice quickly leads to another and another. I just can’t stop myself – it’s so good!!
I knew I had to make a vegan version of this tasty quick bread. It’s loaded with sweet, chewy dates and crunchy pecans. It happens to be gluten-free, too, and it’s just as good as the original!
When I set out to make my vegan version of date bread, I wanted to make sure I captured the texture, as close to possible, to my mother-in-law’s bread.
Hers is dense, but not in a heavy way, just in a gooey delicious date way…it’s very soft and moist.
There is very little crust because she bakes hers in cans. I looked this up and it’s actually quite a popular thing. Who knew?
So, while my version does form a crust on top, it’s still quite soft. And I put in a hefty dose of chopped pecans just as she does.
I also found that a lot of date bread recipes soak their dates in coffee. My mother-in-law’s recipe didn’t call for that, so I didn’t do it either.
Through my numerous trials, however, I did find that just a hint of molasses really deepens the flavor of the dates, but without the caffeine kick and with an added boost of iron.
Ingredients you need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
Flour ~ The flour I found worked best for the texture I was aiming for is Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1:1 Baking Flour. This gluten free flour is made from a combination of brown rice, sweet white rice, whole grain sorghum, potato starch, tapioca flour, and a touch of xantham gum. Bob’s Red Mill says, “just enough xantham gum to create chewy cookies and springy muffins.”
That “springy” texture is just what I wanted and it worked out perfectly!
Not all gluten free flour mixes are the same, so I can not guarantee results with any other brand.
I love Bob’s Red Mill so much and use their products all the time. Check out these other recipes I created using these awesome products: Gluten Free Thumbprint Cookies and Baked Oatmeal Muffins w/ Cranberries.
If you don’t need this recipe to be gluten-free, wheat based all-purpose flour will work also.
Sugar ~ Coconut sugar works well in this recipe. It has notes of caramel, like brown sugar, but I find it a little less sweet. Because the dates bring so much natural sweetness, you don’t need much additional sugar.
That being said, you could substitute with light brown sugar or cane sugar if you prefer.
Molasses ~ I love the deep, rich flavor of molasses. It complements the dates and nuts perfectly and adds just a little something extra to this tasty quick bread.
I recommend mild or robust molasses, not blackstrap.
Almond butter ~ Almond butter brings the necessary fats to help keep this date nut bread moist without the need for oil. I like almond butter because it tends to be thin and runny which makes it easy to incorporate.
I suggest choosing an organic almond butter that is made from just almonds. I personally love Trader Joe’s Raw Creamy Almond Butter.
As a substitute, cashew butter would be great flavor-wise, but it is typically a thicker consistency. Peanut butter would work, but will change the flavor of the bread a bit. For a nut-free option, use sunflower seed butter or tahini.
Aquafaba ~ Aquafaba is the liquid from a can of chickpeas and acts as the egg replacer. It has a similar consistency to egg whites and helps baked goods bake up soft and fluffy.
Vinegar ~ A little vinegar helps the date bread to rise. I typically use apple cider vinegar, but white distilled vinegar works just as well.
Dates ~ Be sure to use pitted dates. You can buy them already pitted or take the pits out yourself. Medjool dates or deglet noor dates are both great. You’ll need less Medjool dates as they are larger in size.
Note: Even if you buy pitted dates, pull them open and double check that ALL of the pit has been removed. I have come across pit remnants many times in dates that are supposed to be pitted.
You can’t have date bread without dates, however, if you must substitute them for some reason, you can use chopped prunes instead.
Love dates? You will love these Apple Oat Date Bars and Lemon Coconut Cashew Date Balls!
Pecans ~ For a little crunch in this date nut bread, I use chopped pecans. Walnuts would be great, too. For a nut-free option, just leave them out.
Extras ~ I like to keep this bread free of spices so the dates, pecans, and touch of molasses can really shine, but you can certainly add a pinch of cinnamon, ginger, or nutmeg if you like.
How to make this recipe
Please scroll down to the recipe card for exact ingredient measurements and instructions.
Soak the chopped dates in hot water while you prepare the batter. (1)
*Alternately, you can soak the dates is hot coffee, which is traditional in some classic date bread recipes.
Whisk together the dry ingredients (2).
In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (3).
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet until no white flour remains (4). A few lumps are okay. Do not overmix.
Add the chopped dates and chopped nuts (5) and stir to distribute evenly throughout the batter (6).
Pour the batter evenly into 6 cavities of a mini loaf pan.
Bake 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the loaves cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before removing them to a wire cooling rack to continue cooling.
How to serve
This vegan date bread is perfect for serving with coffee or tea for brunch, snack, or dessert.
Traditionally, date nut bread was served with cream cheese in between two thin slices. My maple walnut cream cheese would be delicious with this!
The mini loaves are the perfect size for holiday gifting to neighbors, coworkers, friends, or family!
Storage and freezing
Counter: Store the vegan date bread in an airtight container at room temperature on the counter for 3 to 4 days.
Fridge: It will keep for a week in an airtight container in the fridge.
Freezer: You can also freeze this date bread. Wrap the baked and cooled loaves tightly in plastic wrap or parchment paper and then wrap again in foil or place in freezer-safe plastic bags. They should keep well for up to 3 months.
Pro tips and tricks
~ Ensure all pits are removed from the dates. Even if you buy pitted dates, double check that there are no remnants left behind!
~ Save the date soaking water! It will be part of the liquid ingredients in the recipe.
~ Do not substitute with a single gluten-free flour, like almond flour or coconut flour! It will not work. I also can not guarantee the results with any other brand of gluten-free flour blend other than Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour. If you do not need this recipe to be gluten-free, a wheat based all-purpose flour will work.
~ Do not overmix. Mix until no white flour remains. A few lumps are okay.
~ The mini loaves are perfect for holiday gifting, but you can make one larger loaf if you prefer. Note that baking time will take about 45 to 50 minutes (possibly longer) for a large loaf.
~ To make this date bread nut-free use sunflower seed butter instead of almond butter and leave out the pecans.
FAQs
Date bread is an old fashioned quick bread flavored with chopped dates and nuts.
Deglet noor or medjool dates will work for this bread. Chop them small and soak them in hot water (or coffee!) to soften them before adding to the recipe.
Yes! This vegan date bread freezes well. Let it cool completely, then wrap it tightly. It should keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Sure! I like the mini loaves for gifting, but you can make this bread into one traditional size loaf if you prefer. It will take about 45 to 50 minutes to bake. When an toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the sides of the bread pull away from the sides of the loaf pan, it’s done.
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the star rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment with your feedback. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For even more easy family recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook, The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook!
Vegan Date Bread
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup pitted dates chopped
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 ½ cups Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1:1 Baking Flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup coconut sugar
- 6 tablespoons aquafaba the liquid from a can of chickpeas
- ¼ cup runny raw almond butter
- 1 tablespoon molasses not blackstrap
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray 6 mini loaf pans (or one pan with 6 mini loaf cavities) with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a small bowl, pour the hot water over the dates and let them soak for about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the chopped pecans.
- In another mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, aquafaba, almond butter, molasses, apple cider vinegar, and date soaking liquid.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and stir until combined.
- Stir the soaked dates and chopped pecans into the batter.
- Spoon the batter evenly into each cavity of the loaf pan(s).
- Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a loaf comes out clean.
- Let cool in the loaf pan on a wire rack for about 5 minutes. Remove the loaves from the pan and continue to let cool on the wire rack.
Notes
Nutrition facts calculated assuming 2 servings per mini loaf.
Nutrition
Nutrition values are calculated using online calculators and are estimates only. Please verify using your own data.
Dan
Hello,
Do you have baking instructions if we are just using one big loaf pan instead of the mini’s? Thank you!
Jenn Sebestyen
Hi, Dan. I have personally never made a large loaf of this particular bread, but I would guess same temperature for about 50 to 60 minutes. Let me know if you try it. Enjoy!
Sher
What can I substitute for raw almond butter? I have unsweetened roasted almond butter and applesauce. Which would be better?
Jenn Sebestyen
Hi, Sher. I would go with the roasted almond butter. It will have a bit deeper flavor than raw, but will provide the fat content to keep the bread nice and moist. I find applesauce makes baked goods oddly chewy/spongy. Let me know how it turns out!
Julia Stearns @ Healthirony
Absolutely love your creative idea with Vegan date bread! Can I post it on my blog? Thanks for sharing!
Jenn Sebestyen
Thanks, Julia. You may post a link to my blog post, but please do not post the recipe in full.
Lana
What can you use instead of aquafaba? Thanks!
Jenn S.
Is there a reason you don’t want to use the aquafaba? I find it really is the best egg replacer – making baked goods fluffy and soft. That being said, you could try an equivalent amount of flax egg..or maybe another egg replacer. I can’t guarantee your results will be exactly the same though as I haven’t tried it myself. Let me know what you decide.
Lana
Flax egg is perfect! Thank you!!! My stomach doesn’t do well with aquafaba and garbanzo in general.
Jenn S.
Oh, I see. Let me know how it turns out with the flax egg!
Lana
It turned out amazing!!! Super soft, flavorful and oh, so good! Thank you so much! I used raisins instead of nuts and we love it.
Chris Voci-Nam
There were a few times that I did not have Aqua Faba and used the flax eggs and a bit more plant based milk and the results were excellent! Oh, and I also added some cinammon and swapped out pecans with walnuts and that was a great addition.
LOVE this bread!
Jenn S.
Thank you, Chris! So glad you liked it. Glad to hear flax eggs work too!
Melissa
Just made this recipe as one large loaf, and it turned out great! Increased the cooking time to about an hour, and it rose beautifully.
Jenn S.
Hi, Melissa! So glad you loved it! And great to know it worked as a full loaf! I’ve actually never done it that way because I love to give it as gifts and the smaller size is perfect for that. Thank you for your comment!
Jill Roberts @ WellnessGeekyw
Vegan date bread is pure combination of taste, I like a balanced diet! I’m seriously so inspired right now. I need to add cinnamon to recipe and it would be perfect. Thx for sharing Jenn!
Jenn S.
Thanks, Jill. Enjoy!
Melissa
This date bread looks scrumptious! I could eat this for breakfast without feeling guilty! My son would love it, too. He’s a big fan of dates. I’ve been meaning to try this flour and I think it’s about time 🙂
Jenn S.
I can tell you for certain that it is, indeed, delicious for breakfast! 🙂 Thanks, Melissa! I hope you guys love it.
Sarah
I love quickbreads! This looks delicious!
Jenn S.
Thanks, Sarah!
Ginny McMeans
Dates and Pecans sound like a great quick bread. I’m always trying to find a good gluten free bread and this one sounds perfect.
Jenn S.
Thanks, Ginny! Gluten free can be finicky for sure, but this worked out really well!
Mandy
These little loaves are adorable and so perfect for a sweet holiday gift! I can’t believe I’ve never had date bread before, but I’m 100% sure I’d love it – especially with pecans – I love pecans in baked goods. I’m so intrigued by baking in cans??? What a crazy idea! But since I’m a huge fan of crust, I’m guessing your version is more up my alley 😉 I actually have some mini loaf pans begging to be used…I think I’ll have to try this for my family!
Jenn S.
I’m surprised at how many people have never had date bread. It’s definitely a lovely holiday treat. Baking in cans is an old tradition that started when metals were hard to come by. People would clean and reuse cans instead of buying specialty baking pans. Obviously before we knew about the hazards of BPA! I hope you guys love this Date Bread!
Mary Ellen - VNutrition
I never heard of baking in cans! That’s a really cool idea. This bread looks delicious and is perfect for the upcoming holidays!
Jenn S.
I know, I had no idea it was such a big thing. Thanks, Mary Ellen!
Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day
Your date bread looks amazing! I recently bought this flour. I can’t wait to try your recipe!
Jenn S.
Oh great. I hope you love it, Amy! Thanks!
Emily Kyle
I love this recipe, dates are the best! I love the way you tied it in a ribbon too, the perfect holiday gift from the heart!
Jenn S.
Thank you, Emily. I was feeling festive! And my mother-in-law always gifts it at the holidays, so it made total sense! 🙂