Coffee soaked date nut bread is a dense, moist loaf made by steeping chopped dates in hot coffee and baking soda, then folding them into a brown sugar batter with melted butter, an egg, vanilla, flour, and walnuts. It takes forty five minutes including the soak, bakes in fifty, and cuts into ten slices.
The coffee does not make the loaf taste like coffee. It deepens the sweetness of the dates, softens them into a jam like paste, and gives the crumb a dark, toffee colored finish. Walnuts add a toasty crunch, and the loaf slices cleanly once it has cooled, which makes it a good bread for butter or cream cheese.
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Why You Will Love Coffee Soaked Date Nut Bread
Hot coffee melts the dates into a sweet paste that keeps the loaf moist.
Brown sugar and vanilla add a caramel note without extra work.
The loaf improves overnight, so it is ideal to bake a day ahead.
What Goes into Coffee Soaked Date Nut Bread
- The date mixture is two cups of chopped pitted dates, one cup of hot brewed coffee, and one teaspoon of baking soda.
- The batter is half a cup of melted butter, one cup of light brown sugar, one large egg, one teaspoon of vanilla extract, a quarter teaspoon of salt, two cups of all purpose flour, and one cup of chopped walnuts.
Dates. They give sweetness and a sticky crumb.
Hot coffee. It softens the dates and deepens their flavor.
Baking soda. It reacts with the coffee and lifts the loaf.
Brown sugar and butter. They add moisture and a toffee note.
Walnuts. They add crunch.
Baking Coffee Soaked Date Nut Bread Step by Step
1. Soak the dates. Stir the chopped dates and baking soda into the hot coffee and let the mixture cool for thirty minutes.
2. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a nine by five inch loaf pan.
3. Mix the batter. Whisk the butter, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla, then stir in the cooled date mixture.
4. Add the dry ingredients. Fold in the flour, salt, and walnuts until just combined.
5. Bake. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for forty five to fifty five minutes, covering with foil if it browns too fast, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let the date mixture cool before it meets the egg. Hot coffee can scramble the egg and cook the butter into clumps, and a warm batter bakes into a gummy loaf. Thirty minutes on the counter is enough, and you can speed it up by spreading the dates in a shallow bowl.
Fold the flour in gently and stop once no dry spots show. Overmixing builds gluten and makes the bread tough and tunnel shaped. The batter will look thin and loose compared with most quick breads, and that is correct, because the dates absorb moisture as the loaf bakes.
Serving Ideas for Coffee Soaked Date Nut Bread
Serve slices plain, toasted with butter, or spread with cream cheese for breakfast. For more date bakes, try whole wheat date bars, oatmeal date crumb bars, chocolate nut banana bread, or old fashioned oatmeal cake.
Notes and Variations for Coffee Soaked Date Nut Bread
Flag the allergens. This bread contains wheat, egg, milk, and tree nuts, so check every label.
Do not taste raw batter. Do not taste the raw batter, since it contains a raw egg, and wash your hands and tools after mixing.
Check the doneness. A toothpick should come out clean and the top should spring back.
Handle hot coffee with care. Hot liquid can scald.
Chop the dates fine. Small pieces melt into the batter.
Skip the nuts. Use seeds for a nut free loaf.
Use decaf. The flavor stays the same.
Check trusted guidance. Read the FDA safe food handling guidance for handling eggs and baked goods.
For a spiced loaf, add one teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg to the flour. For a richer one, replace some of the coffee with strong black tea or orange juice. Both swaps work with the same baking time and keep the crumb moist.
You can use pecans in place of walnuts, or fold in a half cup of chocolate chips for a dessert style loaf. The batter also bakes into twelve muffins in about twenty five minutes. Check them with a toothpick, and cool them on a rack so the bottoms stay dry.
Storing and Freezing Coffee Soaked Date Nut Bread
Cool the loaf completely, then wrap it tightly and keep it at room temperature for up to four days, or in the refrigerator for up to one week. Freeze whole or sliced for up to three months and thaw at room temperature. The flavor deepens after a day, so this loaf is better the next morning.
Questions About Coffee Soaked Date Nut Bread
Does coffee soaked date nut bread taste like coffee?
No. The coffee deepens the dates without a strong coffee flavor.
Can you make coffee soaked date nut bread ahead of time?
Yes. It tastes better after a day.
Can you freeze coffee soaked date nut bread?
Yes, for up to three months.
Can I use decaf coffee?
Yes. The result is the same.
Can I use olive oil instead of butter?
Yes, use the same amount.
Coffee Soaked Date Nut Bread
Equipment
- 9×5 inch loaf pan
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 cup chopped pitted dates
- 1 cup hot brewed coffee
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ cup butter melted
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
Cooking
- Soak. Stir the dates and soda into the coffee and cool 30 minutes.
- Heat. Heat the oven to 350 F and grease a pan.
- Mix. Whisk the butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla and add the dates.
- Fold. Fold in the flour, salt, and walnuts.
- Bake. Bake 45 to 55 minutes.
