Whole-Wheat Date Bread Recipe (2024)

By Melissa Clark

Whole-Wheat Date Bread Recipe (1)

Total Time
1 hour 10 minutes, plus cooling
Rating
5(311)
Notes
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Ingredients

Yield:1 loaf, enough for 8 sandwiches

  • Butter for greasing pan
  • ½cup (95 grams) dark brown sugar
  • cup (160 grams) plain yogurt, buttermilk or sour cream
  • 1tablespoon (20 grams) honey
  • 1tablespoon (14 grams) vanilla extract
  • 3large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour
  • ¾cup (90 grams) whole-wheat flour
  • teaspoons (6 grams) baking powder
  • ¼teaspoon (1 gram) baking soda
  • ½teaspoon (3 grams) fine sea salt
  • cup (140 grams) extra virgin olive oil
  • 1cup (200 grams) sliced pitted dates
  • Cream cheese, for serving
  • Red seedless grapes, halved, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)

303 calories; 16 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 10 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 38 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 23 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 196 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Whole-Wheat Date Bread Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, yogurt, honey and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time.

  2. In a separate bowl, mix together the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet, just until no longer lumpy. Using a rubber spatula, fold the olive oil into the batter in 3 additions. Fold in the dates.

  3. Step

    3

    Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until it is golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before turning the cake out onto a rack to cool completely.

  4. Step

    4

    To serve as sandwiches, cut into ½-inch-thick slices and make sandwiches with a layer of cream cheese studded with grape halves. Freeze any remainder; the bread can be sliced while frozen.

Tip

  • Variation: Add sliced black olives along with, or instead of, the grapes.

Ratings

5

out of 5

311

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Liz R.

For all the sugar, this is a surprisingly neutral, versatile bread. It's not overly sweet and can easily be made savory.

I used light brown sugar instead of dark, went with the sour cream option, and baked a few extra minutes because my pan was 8.5 x 4.5. Easy to make and turned out great.

Alexis Swasey

This was very delicious, however, I personally found it to taste more like a cake. Perhaps, it could use molasses and some spices to give it a richer flavor. I added a 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts for extra crunch. It tasted great with cream cheese and I washed it down with a glass of whole milk!

Emily G

I wanted mine to be on the sweet side so I made it with vanilla yogurt and sprinkled some turbinado sugar on top for a little crunch. Turned out beautifully! The dates kind of soften while they bake and melt in your mouth. Great recipe!

Cynthia

I used 1/2 cup of applesauce in place of part of the oil. Otherwise followed the recipe exactly. Came out great. I was sceptical of the olive topping but tried it and it's really good.

atl mom

This was good, though it has a lot of oil. I reduced to 1/2 cup instead of the 2/3rds called for. Next time I will reduce further and replace with buttermilk so that it is moist but not greasy.

Amy

Added chopped walnuts and orange zest to spice it up a little. Turned out great! Delicious breakfast bread that's full of flavor but not too sweet. Making a little whipped goat cheese and honey topping.

Steve S

I’ve made this twice, substituting canola oil for the olive oil in the second version and changing to an 8.5 by 4.5 pan. I used buttermilk both times. Changing pans meant adding 5 minutes to the cooking time. I like the lighter oil better. Very tasty mid-morning with coffee

marie

Superb! I switched the weights of whole wheat and AP flour by mistake. Still came out delicious. I used maple syrup instead of honey since that’s all I had. Served as suggested.

shahkbhaji

I think muffins would be a good idea. I used the 8.5x4.5 loaf pan also and baked longer, but despite testing in a few different places, it had an undercooked spot. The oil seems like it will never fold in but it will. It makes the bread very greasy to touch. I can't imagine putting cream cheese on it. Better to measure the dates before slicing.

It's a filling and in my opinion nutritious breakfast, but wasn't a crowd pleaser at my home.

becky

This is very good and firm enough to toast. I added an extra tbsp of honey and added walnuts. Will be making again.

Emily

The variation with sliced black olives is delicious!

SamFloss

In the old days (1960’s and before) it was standard to use walnuts. Coarsely chopped.

Nercon5

Excellent recipe, especially with cream cheese. It’s tricky baking with EVOO, so I’d suggest giving yours a taste before making this. I’m partial to a good fruity oil like Zoe!

abro

so good! I drizzled tahini on my warmed slice, and a touch of salt

JennaJay

Very yummy. I made mine sweet and used yoghurt and extra dates (as I needed to use them all up). Next time I’d use less oil though as it was a little greasy. I saw someone here commented they used apple sauce instead of oil so might try that!

superb

Excellent cake. I used sour cream and only half of the olive oil. My wife likes nuts and kids like chocolate, so added crushed pecans to one half and chocolate chips to the other. I had soaked the dates in hot water and it essentially became a paste after chopping, which took some work to mix in the batter but were quite good. Took only 30 min on Breville toaster oven at 350 degrees on convection cycle.

Fran

This is delicious but mine was quite oily. May try again with 1/2 cup oil or less.

Adam Bailey

I made this but added about a tablespoon of molasses. The batter smelled good until I put the olive oil in… It seemed to overpower everything and I threw it away after baking and trying to eat it. If I were to make it again, I would use melted butter instead.

SamFloss

This brings back memories. In the late 1960’s, shopping on Saturday mornings, we would stop at a modest little Deli Diner for brunch. Cream cheese on fresh date nut bread was always on the sandwich list on a chalk board. It was a rich, savory-sweet treat and all the oil and fat kept us from getting hungry for a long time. This was in Somerville, Mass., not far from MIT. Everybody ate them — it was a staple at simple local restaurants.

SamFloss

In the old days (1960’s and before) it was standard to use walnuts. Coarsely chopped.

marie

This was yummy. I added half cup pecans.

marie

Superb! I switched the weights of whole wheat and AP flour by mistake. Still came out delicious. I used maple syrup instead of honey since that’s all I had. Served as suggested.

Shelli

This is one of the most beautiful dishes I’ve ever tasted in my life. I followed the recipe exactly. I wish I found it sooner!

Steve S

I’ve made this twice, substituting canola oil for the olive oil in the second version and changing to an 8.5 by 4.5 pan. I used buttermilk both times. Changing pans meant adding 5 minutes to the cooking time. I like the lighter oil better. Very tasty mid-morning with coffee

atl mom

This was good, though it has a lot of oil. I reduced to 1/2 cup instead of the 2/3rds called for. Next time I will reduce further and replace with buttermilk so that it is moist but not greasy.

SoCal Cook

We enjoyed this bread. A nice way to utilize some extra dates and the cream cheese really adds to the experience. I had a bit of trouble with the baking. Used a glass loaf pan and the edges burned quite quickly with a wet middle by the end of the baking time. Turned the temp to 300 and baked for another 15 min to get it cooked through. Im not sure my date slicing was correct -- I went with julienned but I think chopped might have been better.

Louise Snitz

I found it to be way too oily.

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Whole-Wheat Date Bread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is my whole wheat bread not rising enough? ›

If your bread isn't rising, make sure your yeast hasn't expired. Yeast is a living organism, so if you've kept it in the fridge too long, some of it may die, and it won't produce enough rise. So check the expiration date, and store it in the fridge or freezer. If it's past the date on the package, replace it.

Why is my homemade whole wheat bread so dense? ›

The reason why whole wheat loaves end up so dense is because whole wheat flour has very little gluten as compared to white all-purpose flour. Gluten is important for giving the dough – and final loaves – structure. Without it, loaves tend to end up flat and dense.

Does whole wheat flour need more yeast? ›

Because yeast has to work harder to make whole wheat flour rise, we'll use slightly more yeast in this dough compared to my regular pizza dough recipe. You need 1 Tablespoon (8.5g).

How do you make bread lighter and fluffier? ›

All it takes is a small amount of dough enhancer per loaf to create a much lighter and fluffier result. Using a dough enhancer like Vital Wheat Gluten works to improve the texture and elasticity of the dough and elongate the strands of gluten. Doing so allows more room for the gas in the dough to develop and rise.

How do you get whole wheat to rise? ›

1st rise (about 2 hours): After you knead the dough, cover it and let it rise in a relatively warm spot. Whole wheat dough requires a slightly longer rise time than white sandwich bread because it's weighed down with wheat germ and bran. Once it has doubled in size, punch it down to release the air.

What do I do if my bread doesn't rise enough? ›

But almost as good as a proofing box is taking a Mason jar filled halfway up with water, microwaving it for two minutes, then putting your bowl of dough into the microwave with the jar to rise. The other thing you can do is place your lidded container or bowl of dough into a second, larger bowl of warm water.

Does whole wheat bread require more kneading? ›

Whole wheat flour may require a bit more kneading than white flour.

Will adding more yeast make bread fluffier? ›

Use a good-quality bread flour that has a high protein content, as this will give your dough the structure it needs to rise and become light and fluffy. Make sure to use the right amount of yeast for your dough. Too much yeast will cause the dough to rise too quickly, resulting in a denser texture.

How do you fix dense whole wheat bread? ›

  1. let your bread rise longer the next time. In most cases, this alone will fix your dense bread.
  2. knead dough intensively. The result is well-aerated, lighter bread that's made quickly.
  3. shorten the bulk fermentation time or try another flour brand.
Aug 27, 2023

What adjustments should you do when baking with whole wheat flour? ›

The general rule is to add two extra teaspoons of water for every cup of whole wheat flour that is used. Also, set the dough aside for ten minutes and up to half an hour before baking or, in the case of bread, before kneading. This will allow time for the dough to soak up more of the moisture.

What happens if you replace all-purpose flour with whole wheat? ›

Generally speaking, substituting whole wheat can result in a drier, denser product.

What do you need to add more of when baking with whole wheat flour? ›

Whole wheat flour tends to absorb more water than its white flour (all-purpose/bread flour) counterpart and will often need more water added, a little bit at a time as you mix in the levain or starter and salt after the autolyse period.

How do bakeries get their bread so soft? ›

Commercial bread is softer due to the steam process used by bakeries, which is made to keep bread hydrated and fresh. Use cold water in a pan and put it on a rack beneath your bread to create steam.

Can you let bread rise too long? ›

If the dough has risen too long, it's going to feel fragile and might even collapse as you poke it,” says Maggie. If this is the case, there's a chance you can save your dough by giving it a quick re-shape. Learn more about this fix in our blog on saving overproofed dough.

What is dough enhancer for bread? ›

A dough enhancer is a powder that is supposed to make your dough smoother and is what commercial bakers often use to obtain the smooth textured bread you buy in the store. My bread doesn't last long since we eat it quickly, but it is supposed to help with shelf life as well!"

Why does whole wheat bread take longer to rise? ›

This is because the germ and bran that are present in whole wheat flour can absorb more liquid than the endosperm.

How long does it take for whole wheat dough to rise? ›

Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise until puffy though not necessarily doubled in bulk, 1 to 2 hours.

Why is my wheat bread flat? ›

99% of the time this happens, the problem lies with the yeast used. The quality might be compromised, or you might have applied it incorrectly, or under poor cooking conditions. Read on for why your yeast is not working as it should and what you can do to avoid it.

How can I get my bread to rise more? ›

You can also put hot water in a heat-safe dish and place it on the floor of a cold oven (or on a lower shelf). The steam and heat from the water will help the temperature rise just enough that the yeast is active. The steam will also assist in keeping the surface of the dough moist so it will stretch as it rises.

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