This moist and soft Date Nut Bread with carrots is a simple flavorful vegan loaf recipe made with wholesome gluten-free ingredients, walnuts, and hazelnuts. It’s very easy to make without yeast and the perfect delicious addition to any breakfast, brunch, or coffee time!
Vegan Date Nut Bread Recipe
If you love my favorite moist carrot cake and best vegan banana bread, this date nut bread is perfect for you! While the flavor reminds rather of carrot cake, the denser consistency reminds rather of healthy banana bread with whole wheat flour and oats. However, the date-nut bread does not contain bananas, but dates and carrots which make it perfectly moist and soft!
British Date Walnut Bread
This recipe is actually inspired by the traditional Scottish walnut date bread which is often enjoyed in Britain. However, I made my loaf vegan and healthier by adding carrots. Also, I’ve added almonds and hazelnuts and topped it with sunflower seeds because I really love it when my date bread is packed with many nuts and seeds!
Simple, healthy, wholesome ingredients
You don’t need any unusual ingredients for this healthy loaf recipe. Just some oats, flax seeds, and nuts or seeds, whatever variety you have on hand. Also, baking powder, baking soda, plant milk, coconut oil, and one or two carrots. That’s it! There are no eggs or dairy ingredients required because this date nut bread is naturally vegan!
Oats and almonds
This wholesome bread is made with homemade oat flour and ground whole almonds. Here you can use both gluten-free or regular rolled oats or even other flaked grains you have on hand. Simply place them in a blender or food processor and blend into fine flour. Of course, you can also use store-bought oat flour or another wholemeal flour as desired. Instead of almonds, ground hazelnuts are a great alternative!
Further ingredients you need for this date nut bread:
- Flax seeds as an egg substitute for binding
- Non-dairy milk e.g. unsweetened soy milk or almond milk
- Coconut oil
- Dates
- Carrots
- Walnuts and/or hazelnuts
- Sunflower seeds or pepitas to sprinkle
- Cinnamon for flavor
Swap ingredients
You can swap the variety of nuts and seeds to your preferences. Almonds, cashew nuts, pecans, coconut chips, sesame, … or even a nut mix – there are endless options! And if you’re not into carrots, feel free to replace them with grated pumpkin or sweet potatoes.
How to make Date Nut Bread
Check out this step-by-step guide first, and then find the full recipe with exact measurements at the bottom of this post!
Step 1: Soaking the dates
First, soak the dates to be sure you can blend them into a smooth paste easily. To do that, heat the non-dairy milk and coconut oil in a saucepan. Once hot, add the dates and turn off the heat. Cover and allow to soak the dates until soft, about 10 minutes.
Step 2: Preparing the dry ingredients
In the meantime, prepare the dry ingredients. Start by placing the oats and almonds in a highspeed blender (or food processor) and blend into fine flour. The finer the flour the better! Then transfer to a large bowl. Now add the ground flaxseeds, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt and mix to combine.
Step 3: Making the date nut bread batter
Once the dates have softened, transfer the whole mixture (soaked dates, non-dairy milk, oil) to a highspeed blender. Add the vinegar and blend until smooth. Then, add the date purée to the dry ingredients and stir until a thick and sticky mixture is formed. Finally, fold in the grated carrots, chopped walnuts, and hazelnuts.
Step 4: Bake and enjoy!
Now transfer the batter into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Smooth it out evenly with a spatula and sprinkle with sunflower seeds as desired. Bake until a toothpick comes out almost clean. Then allow to cool completely.
Enjoy this date nut bread with vegan cream cheese or nut butter and fresh fruit such as strawberries, banana, apricots, or whatever you desire!
How to store Date Nut Bread
Store this bread in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze it for longer storage. Just be sure to wrap it airtight to prevent it from drying out. If freezing, be sure to place it in a ziplock bag or freezer container to avoid freezer burn.
This Vegan Date Nut Bread is:
- Dairy-free (lactose-free)
- Egg-free
- Gluten-free
- Healthy
- Rich in fiber
- Versatile
- Flavorful
- Perfectly Sweet
- Moist
- Soft
- Delicious
- The perfect treat for any tea or coffee time!
More Breakfast, Dessert, or Snack recipes to try:
- Buckwheat Chia Bread
- Pancake Cereal (Vegan Mini Pancakes)
- Vegan Banana Bread
- Chocolate Banana Bread
- Moist Carrot Cake
- Mini Apple Pies
- Vegan Crepes
- Easy Vegan Waffles
- Chocolate Banana Pancakes
If you try this moist and soft Date Nut Bread, please leave me a comment and rating on how you liked the recipe! And if you take a photo of your healthy vegan loaf and share it on Instagram, please make sure to tag me @biancazapatka and use the hashtag #biancazapatka because I love seeing your remakes! Have fun baking!
Vegan Date Nut Bread (Gluten-free)
Author:You do not have a fitting cake pan at hand right now? Try my Cake Pan Conversion Calculator!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 ml) non-dairy milk unsweetened
- ¼ cup (50 g) coconut oil
- 1 ½ cups (200 g) soft dates pitted
- 1 ⅔ cups (150 g) rolled oats ground into flour* (gluten-free as needed)
- ⅓ cup (50 g) almonds ground into flour*
- 2 tbsp flax seeds crushed or ground
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 (140 g) large carrot finely grated
- ½ cup (50 g) walnuts finely chopped
- ½ cup (50 g) hazelnuts finely chopped
- ⅓ cup (45 g) sunflower seeds or pepitas, optional to sprinkle
Instructions
- Note: For the best results, I recommend measuring the ingredients in grams. Simply click on the word "metric" right above the ingredient list. Also, make sure to check the step-by-step pictures above!
- Preheat the oven to 356 °F (180°C) top/bottom heat. Lightly grease an 8-inch (20cm) loaf pan, then line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides (see photo above).
- Heat the non-dairy milk and coconut oil in a saucepan. Once hot, add the dates and turn off the heat. Cover and allow to soak the dates until soft, about 10 minutes.
- In the meantime, place the oats and almonds in a highspeed blender (or food processor) and blend into fine flour. Transfer to a large bowl, then add the ground flaxseeds, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt and mix to combine.
- Once the dates are soft, transfer the whole warm mixture (soaked dates, non-dairy milk, oil) to a blender. Add the vinegar and blend until smooth.
- Add the date purée to the dry ingredients, scraping out the blender with a spatula, and stir to combine. (The batter will be thick and sticky). Then fold in the grated carrots, chopped walnuts, and hazelnuts.
- Transfer the batter into the prepared baking pan, smoothing out evenly with a spatula. Then sprinkle with sunflower seeds as desired.
- Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean. (If the top gets too brown during baking, cover loosely with a piece of parchment paper).
- Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Slice and enjoy!
Notes
- Wrap the bread airtight and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- You can also use store-bought oat flour and ground whole almonds.
- Feel free to swap the nuts and seeds with your favorite variety. You can even use grated pumpkin or sweet potato instead of carrots.
- Please read my blog post for further informations, suggestions and tips!
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I’m assuming this recipes needs the coconut oil? Is there anything you could use in place of the oil? Something that is NOT another oil? Thanks . Looks delish
You can use applesauce instead.