Since I’ve now posted two recipes that call for Date Paste and plan on posting more in the future, I decided it needed it’s own post. This was originally published in the post for Ginger Cookies: https://sarahsjoys.com/2012/05/10/soft-fresh-ginger-cookies/

It is a wonderful replacement for refined sugars. It will last two weeks in the refrigerator and three months frozen.

Date Paste

• 20 Medjool dates (Make sure you use Medjools! They are the softest and sweetest date variety)
• hot water

Remove pit from the dates and place into a bowl. (If they have slight white film on the outside, don’t worry, it’s just natural sugars crystallizing on the outside.) Pour hot water over the dates and allow them to sit for about 30 minutes. This makes them extra tender and soft.

Place dates into a food processor along with 1-2 Tbsp of the water from the bowl they were soaking in. Process until smooth. You may have to scrape down the sides once or twice.

It tastes like brown sugar and vanilla…I could seriously just dip berries in this stuff and eat it all day. I put it in baggies in 1/2 cup batches and freeze it like this: