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11 Delicious Ways To Eat Dates

Dates have surprising versatility in the kitchen. Here are some of our favourite ways to use this sweet and sticky dried fruit.
11 Delicious Ways To Eat Dates

Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake, Curtis Stone.

Who's ready for a date night? Fresh dates are fruits that grow in clusters (similarly to grapes) from the date palm tree in dry and warm climates. In Canada, we're used to seeing them in their dried format: with their wrinkled brown skin and soft, jammy interiors. And while there are many different varieties of dates, I prefer Medjool, which are larger than the average date and have a rich, caramel-like flavour. They're also a great staple to keep in your pantry for a quick bite when you have a sweet hankering, and they have a long shelf life as long as you keep them in a tightly sealed container. (Like other dried fruits, they can dry out and become harder if exposed to the air.)

While the sugar content in dates is high, research has shown that dates have a low glycemic impact due to their high fibre content, which means they provides a slow and steady stream of energy (versus a "rush and crash" from refined sugar.)

Dates have surprising versatility in the kitchen. They can be used in baking (one of my favourite desserts–sticky toffee pudding–features dates in a starring role), substitute for sugar, maple syrup or honey in smoothies and beverages, and added to savoury dishes for a touch of sweetness. Here are some of our favourite ways to use this sticky and sweet dried fruit.

Old-fashioned date squares

Delicious date squares are a simple blend of brown sugar, oats, butter and sweet dates — a comforting treat for a cozy winter afternoon. If there's a baked-goods equivalent to a hug, this is it. Get the old-fashioned date squares recipe.

Old-fashioned date squares, cut on parchment.Photo, Erik Putz.

Green salad with bacon and dates

Crisp, salty bacon and sweet dates meld beautifully in this tossed leafy green mix. Finish with a splash of citrusy orange in the dressing, and you have one decadent salad. Add optional sliced rotisserie chicken to make this a main dish. Get the green salad with bacon and dates recipe.

Green salad with bacon and dates on a plate.Photo, John Cullen.

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Sticky toffee pudding cake

Dates are key to making this sticky cake so sweet. Get this sticky toffee pudding cake recipe.

Curtis Stone's Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake on silver platter with toffee sauce drizzled overtopSticky Toffee Pudding Cake, Curtis Stone.

Gourmet grilled cheese with date jam and radicchio

Grilled cheese is the ultimate comfort food. We've upgraded the classic to haute-status with a homemade date jam and radicchio to go with all the sourdough bread you've been baking. Get the gourmet grilled cheese with date jam recipe.

Gourmet grilled cheese with date jam and radicchio, cut in half.Photo, Roberto Caruso.

Sticky toffee pudding with caramel sauce

A classic British dessert, this deluxe moist spongey cake is sweetened with dates and brown sugar. Get the sticky toffee pudding with caramel sauce recipe.

Sticky toffee pudding with caramel sauce and cream in a bowl.Photo, Roberto Caruso.

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Cinnamon quinoa with dates

Quinoa gets tossed with dates, cinnamon and chickpeas in this Middle Eastern-inspired side dish. Get the cinnamon quinoa with dates recipe.

Quinoa, chickpeas and dates on a spoon.Photo, Jodi Pudge.

Chocolate date truffles

These may look fancy, but they're simple to make and make a great snack you can keep on hand. Get the chocolate date truffles recipe

Chocolate date truffles in a box.

Stuffed dates and herbed almonds

These stuffed dates are so easy to make, it doesn't even need a recipe. Simply remove pits from Medjool dates, then stuff each date with soft goat cheese (or cream cheese) and top with chopped toasted pecans and fresh thyme. Drizzle with honey for extra sweetness, if desired.

Dates stuffed with goat cheese on a plate.Photo, Sian Richards.

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Nigella Lawson’s lamb shanks with dates and pomegranate molasses

Rich, sumptuous, and celebratory, this is a real feast of a stew. The dark, molasses-like dates melt into what becomes a deep, intense gravy, but they don’t overwhelm it with sweetness. Get the lamb shanks with dates and pomegranate molasses recipe.

Lamb shanks in white dutch oven pot.Photography copyright © 2017 by Jonathan Lovekin.

Cambozola and date crostini

These mini grilled cheese crostinis, with the combination of cambozola and dates, are the perfect snack size. Get the cambozola and date crostini recipe.

Crostini with dates and cambozola cheese.Photo, Roberto Caruso.

Breakfast power bar

 Making your own power bars for a mid-day energy boost couldn't be any simpler with just 4 ingredients and a food processor. Get the breakfast power bar recipe.

Breakfast power bar cut on parchment paper.Photo, Erik Putz.

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