Date Syrup: A Homemade, Whole Food Sweetener

Looking for a Little Extra Nutrition? Sneak some in with this Sweetener!

Date syrup is a great way to sweeten all sorts of recipes, from baked items to cocktails (like the ones I will be posting soon!)

Dates contain small amounts of nutrients like, fiber, potassium, copper, and vitamin B6. I don't use date syrup for the nutrition though - I would have to use a whole lot for the nutrients to add up. I love date syrup because it is delicious, the little bits of added nutrition are just a bonus!

Date Syrup: Like a Vegan Caramel!

Pour the chopped, soaked dates into a blender with the soaking water.

Blend until smooth. Pardon my old, chipping Ninja blender top :)

Date Syrup

Ingredients

1 cup of whole dates
1¼ cups hot water

Directions

Chop 1 cup of dates and remove the pits and hard end pieces (sometimes they have end pieces, sometimes not).
Put the chopped dates in a bowl and cover with hot water.
Soak the dates in the water for a couple of hours, or until they are soft.
Put the dates and soaking water into a blender and blend until smooth.
Enjoy!

You can store the date syrup in the fridge for a week or two.

Use your date syrup for drinks, smoothie bowls, baked goods - like cookies or banana bread. The only limitation is your imagination :)

What's Next?

I am very busy with my final semester at Rutgers University, studying Nutritional Sciences, but I am working hard to post more heart-healthy content! This recipe is a teaser for the drink recipes I will be sharing soon.

Stay tuned for more ways to love your heart including 3 Zero-Proof Cocktail Recipes, 5+ Heart-Healthy Foods, and a meal prep-friendly, recipe to pull those foods and more together in one big bowl!