Pureed Dates

One cup of dried dates, six tablespoons of water, and a teaspoon of vanilla blended until smooth. What you get is a thick, glossy paste with a deep caramel sweetness that works as a natural sugar replacement in baking, a spread on toast, or a sweetener for smoothies and oatmeal.

Dates are naturally one of the sweetest fruits on the planet, and pureeing them with just enough water turns that concentrated sweetness into a spreadable, scoopable form. The vanilla rounds out the flavor and gives it a warm, bakery-like quality that plain date paste lacks.

Six tablespoons of water is the sweet spot for a thick, fudgy consistency. Less and the blender struggles to break the dates down. More and you end up with a runny syrup instead of a paste. Add the water gradually and let the blender work until completely smooth.

This makes about ¾ cup, which stores in the fridge for up to two weeks in a sealed container.

Kitchen Tips

• Use soft, pliable Medjool dates for the smoothest puree. If your dates are dry and firm, soak them in warm water for 15 minutes and drain before blending.
• Scrape the sides of the blender or food processor midway through. Dates are sticky and cling to the walls.
• Replace sugar 1:1 with this puree in muffins, quick breads, and energy balls. It adds moisture too, so reduce other liquids slightly.