We go through a lot of date paste in our house! There are lots of recipes out there for date paste now. Some are fancier and use added ingredients like milk, vanilla, or salt to add to the flavor, especially when it’s being used as more of a spread, like jam. Since we generally use it for baking or for stirring into things like oatmeal or yogurt, I keep it really simple, using only dates and water.
I get my dates at Costco and keep the container in the refrigerator to make sure they stay fresh, although we probably go through them fast enough that it doesn’t matter because date paste is our most-used sweetener. We also use a variety of others, depending on the application, but date paste is our go-to! I make a big batch probably about once a month and keep it in the fridge in a mason jar so we can just scoop it out as needed (I always write the date on the lid to make sure it doesn’t sit too long, although it’s never been around long enough for me to be concerned about the freshness).
So, here is the ridiculously easy method to make date paste!
Ingredients:
Yield: About 24 oz or 2 1/2 cups (the amount can easily be reduced if this is too much for you)
3 cups dried pitted dates
About 2 cups hot water (enough to just cover dates)
Instructions:
Put the dates into a container large enough to allow them to spread out a bit. Pour the hot water over them, making sure all the dates are covered with water. Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes to an hour. The dates will hydrate and become soft and sticky/gooey. Spoon the dates into your blender, reserving the soaking water. Start by adding 2 or 3 tablespoons of the reserved water to your blender and blend until you have a nice smooth, thick paste similar to the texture of peanut butter. If you find your paste is too thick to blend easily, you can add a little more of the reserved water, but do so sparingly just until you are able to get a fully-blended paste. You don’t want it too watery, particularly if you’ll be using it for baking. And, that’s it! Scrape the paste into a container, cover, and store in the fridge until ready to use! The remaining soaking water can be saved for using in smoothies or for making oatmeal.