Date Syrup (1 Ingredient)

Today we are making date syrup, a 1 ingredient sauce that’s perfect for drizzling over pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, or just about anything sweet! It’s a lusciously thick, 100% plant based syrup with no added sugar, made from medjool dates stewed with water, strained, and reduced. This decadent syrup comes together in under 2 hours.

We all know that when you’re eating a dish that includes syrup, it’s going to be good. And this date syrup is an easy-to-make and refined sugar free alternative to traditional syrup.

If you’ve ever had Middle Eastern or Moroccan food, you’re familiar with how much of a staple dates are in our cuisine. They’re naturally sweet, filling, and provide a creamy and thick texture when used in a variety of different recipes.

Whether you’re drizzling this date syrup over pancakes or waffles, it’s going to add a subtly sweet flavor that’s reminiscent of butterscotch and a texture similar to caramel.

There are about a million ways to use this stuff, the easiest being as a syrup or sweetener (and substitute for sugar) in drinks like this Moroccan Mint Tea or Coffee Mint Mojito.

And if you’re big into dates, be sure to give this stuffed dates recipe a try!

Ingredients

As mentioned above, all you need to make this syrup is 1 ingredient:

• Medjool Dates

See recipe card for quantities.

Step by Step Instructions

How to Use the Pulp

Similar to the pulp that’s leftover after juicing, this recipe results in leftover date pulp that can be composted or used in a variety of ways.

If you’re interested in using the date pulp that the syrup is strained from, here are a few tasty ideas:

• Smoothies – add a few spoonfuls of the pulp to your favorite smoothie. The flavors will sweeten up just about any combination of fruits and/or veggies, but goes especially well with bananas, peanut butter, greens, and berries.
• Add to pancakes/waffles – add a spoonful of date pulp to your favorite pancake or waffle batter to increase the fiber content and add a naturally sweet bite.
• Baked goods – sweeten baked goods (like muffins, cakes, etc.) naturally by adding a bit of the pulp and reducing the added artificial sugar.

This trick not only reduces food waste, but adds fiber to your diet and decreases the need for added sugar!

Where to Use Date Syrup

Date syrup is the perfect ingredient to use in place of your traditional syrup, whether it’s maple syrup, pancake syrup, or even honey.

This makes it an extremely versatile ingredient that can be used in many different ways. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Salad dressings – skip the honey or maple syrup and add a teaspoon or two of date syrup for a naturally sweet twist in dressings
• Baked goods – substitute your honey or maple syrup in recipes with a 1-to-1 ratio with your date syrup and infuse your baked goods with that delicious date flavor
• Drizzled over just about anything – drizzle this syrup over pancakes, waffles, french toast, ice cream, oats, banana bread, muffins, you name it!

Don’t forget that this ingredient works interchangeably as a sweetener in pretty much any recipe. Drizzle it into smoothies, tea, coffee, etc. to satisfy your sweet tooth!

Equipment

To make this recipe you will need some kind of strainer to remove the solids from the liquids. I recommend using either a piece of cheesecloth or a mesh strainer.

You will also need a heat resistant bowl; I like using these Pyrex bowls.

Storage

Store your date syrup in a jar with an air tight lid and it should keep in the fridge for up to 14 days or 2 weeks.

This recipe doesn’t stand up well to freezing.

Enjoy,

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