I’ve been sugar-free for the past 30 days and I feel amazing! It has been easier than I thought and now I know I can live with no refined sugar in my diet, it could be a challenge sometimes, especially when you eat in a restaurant, but you can do it and it’s totally worth it. I’ve been using dates, coconut sugar, maple or agave syrup and this date syrup, it’s the cheaper natural sweetener I’ve found here in Spain and it’s also healthy and super easy to make.
Dates are healthier than syrups and non refined sugars, I always use them to make smoothies or oatmeal, but sometimes I prefer to use this homemade date syrup, it’s ready in less than 5 minutes and you only need dates, water, lemon juice (optional) and a powerful blender. If you don’t like the lemon juice taste you don’t need to use it, it’s an optional ingredient, but it helps the syrup to keep longer.
Blend all the ingredients and your date syrup will be ready to use. I recommend you to buy natural dates, they taste better and are much healthier. You can use the kind of dates you like, I love Medjool dates, but I can’t find them here very often, so I use Deglet Nour dates.
To make the syrup you need a powerful blender, I have a Vitamix and it’s just perfect, I know, it’s really expensive, but it’s worth it. If you don’t have a powerful blender don’t worry, try to make the recipe and if the syrup hasn’t a good texture, try to add more water.
Once you’ve made the syrup, keep it in a glass jar in the fridge for up to three weeks. The syrup can thicken, but you can add more water when you’re going to use it. I love how it tastes, it’s like a natural and super healthy caramel sryrup.
You can use this date syrup to make so many recipes: smoothies, pancakes, crepes, muffins, or whatever. I’ve recently used it to make a gluten-free blondie and it tasted amazing! Avoid refined sugars and especially artificial sweeteners, they have no calories but they are really bad for your health. You don’t have to be afraid of calories, if you eat a healthy diet and have an active lifestyle, you won’t gain weight, just choose the right food and do some exercise, that’s the secret to be skinny and healthy.
Date Syrup
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 5 mins
- Yield: 2 cups (500 milliliters)
- Category: Gluten Free, How-Tos, Syrup
- Cuisine: Vegan, Gluten Free
Date syrup is a super healthy sweetener and is really easy to make, you only need, water, dates, lemon juice and a blender!
Ingredients
- 1 cup dates (200 grams)
- 1 1/2 cups water (375 milliliters)
- 1 tsp lemon juice (optional)
Instructions
- Blend all the ingredients in a blender until smooth.
- Keep the syrup in a glass jar in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
This is a great idea. I’ve been trying to sweeten things with naturally sweet whole foods as much as possible, and dates are perfect for this. Being able to use them as a liquid sweetener with this recipe just opens up even more options.
Hi Wendy! That’s why this recipe is so perfect because you can use it in almost every recipe 😀
I’m happy I’ve found this recipe.. Maple syrup is rarely available in my part of the world, and the fact that dates is healthier option make me very enthusiastic about it. I love your blog very much, how you make sure to mention different options and substitutes and address different needs, how you encourage readers to use what’s available in local stores, make me feel you really want to help, not to mention your gorgeous images and minimal beautiful design. It’s just fantastic.. keep it up
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Hi Iman! Thanks a lot for your comment 🙂 It’s important to use local food and I prefer to mention different options because not everybody live in the same country or have the same budget, besides there are people with different intolerances and I want everybody can enjoy my recipes 🙂 I hope you like the syrup!!!
What a lovely & simple recipe! Will definitely be making this soon. Approximately how many dates are there in 1 cup?
Thanks Katie!!! It depens on the kind of dates you use. I usually use Deglet Nour and there are 10-15 dates in 1 cup 🙂
Awesome, I’m a huge advocate of date paste/syrup and your pictures are truly perfect.
Thanks a lot Charlene!!! I LOVE dates so much!!! 🙂
I love this idea..ready to use and no time needed to chop or puree etc. when you are cooking. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thanks a lot for your comment Pragati! 😀
I recently made some date syrup and I didn’t really like the way it turned out. It was sweet but I was disappointed. So I made this tonight and it is so much better and besides you’re using the whole pitted date instead of waisting the pulp.
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Hi Sheila! I’m so glad you like it! And this recipe is also easier to make 😉
Hello!
Has anyone tried to can this syrup? I’ve canned berry syrup last year and many years ago and its still great. Do you think it would work with this recipe?
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Hi Dustin! I’m so sorry, but I haven’t, so I can’t help you 🙁
Thanks for the helpful post! I would never have discovered this on my own!
You’re so welcome! 😉
If a recipe calls for 1 medjool date, what would the equivalent measurement be for this date syrup? Thank you!
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Hi Rachel! I don’t know… Maybe you could try to add 1 to 2 teaspoons of this syrup. I’d add it gently until it were as sweet as I wanted. Hope it works!
I’ve been making date paste for awhile now, mostly to use in muffins, pancakes, things like that. I tried it in a dessert once and didn’t like it. I had given up on using dates in desserts. About an hour ago I drank a cup of hot chocolate, full of refined sugar, and was reminded how appalled I am at how much sugar I consume. But I loooooove sweets! So I gave it one more try. I remembered that recently I had heard of date syrup, so I did a google search. Most of the recipes I found included something like “10 medjool dates”, but I only have (and can afford) the other kind. So then I found your recipe. (Thank you!!) I made it exactly as written, enjoyed the taste, LOVED that I could make it smooth by using my Vitamix, and then since I’ve already had hot chocolate tonight, I did an experiment: I put a small spoonful of date syrup in a bowl, added a small spoonful of cocoa powder and mixed it up- yum! And SWEET! Then I stirred in a splash of half & half (ok, I admit I’m not vegan) just to get that hot chocolate feel and YUMMMMM… I couldn’t believe how good it was! It actually tasted like dessert! So thanks for giving me hope that I can cut way down on sugar and still enjoy desserts! I can’t wait to make hot chocolate tomorrow, and so many other things in the future!
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Hi Amanda! I’m so glad you liked my recipe 🙂 There are also other healthier sweeteners. I love coconut sugar and maple syrup, but dates are definitely a great choice 😉
Very new to the date world and I have no idea how these blend. Would this recipe be possible in my Ninja blender, or should I be safe and use my food processor? I’m used to the consistency of honey (and how it totally dissolves in my coffee), but I’m having small allergic reactions and need to switch to dates.
Hi Jamlady! I’ve never used a Ninja blender, but I think it should work. Hope you like it!
I’ve just made it in a ninja – it worked perfectly.
Hi Maggie! So glad to read that 🙂
Hi, could you please tell me the ratio of date syrup to cups of sugar for baking?
Hi Talya! I can’t tell you, it depends on the recipe, sorry!
Hi – can this be frozen? Anyone tried freezing it?
Hi Candy! I’ve never frozen it, sorry!
Will this work well on top of pancakes? Can’t wait to make this, yum! Thank you
Hi Gina! Yes, it’s a great topping for pancakes 🙂
I made this today and tried it with a cup of hot chocolate and was awesome. Thanks 🙂
Hi Modupeola! So glad it worked 😉 Have a nice day!
Great initiative losune! How long can this stay without freezing?
Hi Dairo! 2-3 weeks 🙂
Lovely recipe for a healthy sweetener! tastes delicious. I have made some for pancakes tomorrow. Hope my hubby likes it too.
Thank you again for another success!
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Hi Kate! You’re so welcome 🙂 So glad you liked it!
Can you make this recipe with dried dates？
Hi Mindy! I used dried dates 🙂
Can I use dried dates
Hi Maddy! Yes, it’s what I used 🙂
Hi! I have a baking question- do you know how much liquid I have to reduce in a recipe if I substitute sugar with date syrup?
Hi Oshreet! I’m so sorry, but I don’t know. I would adjust the recipe until the dough is similar to the original one (see the picture on the post). Hope it helps!