Date and Nut Bread (Vintage Quick Bread with Dates and Walnuts)

Date and Nut Bread is a classic vintage quick bread made with chopped dates and nuts baked into a soft, moist loaf. It shows up in old community cookbooks and holiday pamphlets, usually sliced and served with butter or cream cheese. This version keeps the cozy vintage feel but uses simple, modern steps that work in a regular oven or a small dorm setup.

If you like banana bread, this is its old-fashioned cousin: sweet from dates instead of bananas, with a tender crumb and crunchy nuts in every slice.

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What Is Date and Nut Bread?

Date and Nut Bread is a sweet quick bread loaf made with chopped dates and nuts folded into a simple batter. Unlike yeast breads, it uses baking powder and baking soda for lift, so there’s no rising time. It’s often baked in a loaf pan, sliced thick, and served with butter, cream cheese, or alongside tea or coffee.

This recipe is:

• Vintage-inspired: based on classic date nut loaves from older cookbooks.
• Budget-friendly: uses pantry dates and nuts.
• Flexible: works as a full loaf or a mini dorm-friendly version.

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Date and Nut Bread Step-by-Step

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Date and Nut Bread (Full Loaf)

Servings: 1 loaf (10–12 slices)   |   Prep Time: 15 minutes   |   Bake Time: 50–60 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped dates (packed)
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup neutral oil or melted butter
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
• 3/4 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)

Instructions

1. Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5 loaf pan.
2. Soften dates: Combine dates, boiling water, and baking soda. Let sit 10 minutes.
3. Mix wet ingredients: Whisk sugars and oil. Add egg and vanilla.
4. Add dates: Stir in softened dates with liquid.
5. Mix dry ingredients: Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon.
6. Combine: Stir dry into wet until just combined.
7. Fold in nuts: Add walnuts or pecans.
8. Bake: 50–60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.
9. Cool: Rest 10–15 minutes, then cool fully before slicing.

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Dorm-Friendly Mini Date and Nut Bread

Servings: 1–2   |   Prep Time: 10 minutes   |   Cook Time: 1–20 minutes

Ingredients (Small Batch)

• 1/4 cup chopped dates
• 1/4 cup very hot water
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil or melted butter
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of cinnamon
• 2–3 tablespoons chopped nuts

Instructions

1. Soften dates: Combine dates, hot water, and baking soda. Sit 5 minutes.
2. Mix wet: Add sugars, oil, milk, vanilla, egg yolk.
3. Add dry: Stir in flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon.
4. Fold in nuts.
5. Toaster oven: Bake at 350°F for 15–20 minutes.
6. Microwave: Microwave 45–60 seconds, then 10–15 sec bursts.
7. Cool: Rest a few minutes before eating.

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Serving, Storage, and Variations

• Serving: Slice and serve with butter, cream cheese, or a smear of jam.
• Storage: Wrap tightly and store at room temperature for 2–3 days, or refrigerate up to 5 days.
• Freezing: Wrap slices in plastic and then foil; freeze up to 2 months.
• Variations: Add a handful of chocolate chips, swap walnuts for pecans, or sprinkle coarse sugar on top before baking.

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More Vintage Breads to Try

• Swedish Tea Ring I & II: Sweet almond dough rings with cinnamon or fruit-and-nut fillings.
• Swedish Bread: Simple sweet loaf using the same base dough as your tea rings.
• Other Quick Breads: Banana bread, pumpkin bread, or a simple cinnamon sugar loaf.

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