I hope I’m not dating myself here, but I still think dates are one of nature’s candy. Especially when you get a perfectly plump fruit, thick and juicy, bearing the tiniest pit and a very thin skin, nothing compares to that pure sweet taste. It’s rich and voluptuous but never cloying, never overtly sugary. Worlds of flavor beyond that pure fructose hit bolster the experience with notes of molasses, brown sugar, caramel, butterscotch, toffee, and sometimes even cinnamon and chocolate. Nothing added, nothing removed, a single date can be far more satisfying than the most elaborate pastries.

It’s shocking to me that dates aren’t more popular for exactly this reason. Even if you think they’re too sticky or messy to eat solo, they’re such promising ingredients to use in other applications, especially with a little additional finesse. For example, date syrup is one of my favorite sweeteners du jour. Also known as date honey, date nectar, or date molasses, this thick treacle has been a prime ingredient in Middle Eastern households for millennia, but is slow to take root overseas in the US. This alone is utterly baffling. For a society generally fixated on healthier options, bearing so many food allergies and intolerance in mind, it should be flying off the shelves.

Being unrefined is a good thing in this case. In contrast to highly processed white sugar, date syrup still has all of its beneficial nutrients, minerals, and antioxidants intact. It’s even been shown to have antibacterial properties, much like conventional bee’s honey. As with whole dates, it has a much lower glycemic index than typical sweeteners, making it a better choice for those who need to watch their blood sugar.

Even if date syrup remains elusive in local markets, it’s a snap to make your own from scratch. To make date syrup, simply pour boiling water over pitted dates to cover. Let soak for about 2 hours, drain, and transfer to your food processor. Thoroughly puree until completely smooth, adding a tiny amount of water, as needed, for it to continue blending. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, or keep the pulp to retain more fiber. Store in a glass bottle in the fridge or a cool, dark place for up to a year.

Once you have the raw materials, you’re ready to create riches beyond your sweetest dreams. Leaning into warm spices to complement the deep, robust, and subtly earthy taste of the date syrup, gingerbread is always top of mind. Sweetened solely by the power of this supple fruit, buttery scones take shape with ease. Falling somewhere between flaky biscuits and fluffy cake, you genuinely feel like you’re eating a dessert for breakfast, without any sugar rush or crash to worry about mid-morning.

Date-nut gingerbread scones will delight those with serious sweet teeth all year round, not just during the holiday season. Best of all, you won’t wreck your New Year’s resolutions when you indulge, even if you go back for seconds.

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Yield: Makes 8 Scones

Gingerbread Date-Nut Scones

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Leaning into warm spices to complement the deep, robust, and subtly earthy taste of the date syrup, gingerbread is always top of mind. Sweetened solely by the powder of this supple fruit, buttery scones take shape with ease. Falling somewhere between flaky biscuits and fluffy cake, you genuinely feel like you're eating a dessert for breakfast, without any sugar rush or crash to worry about mid-morning.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
• 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
• 2 Teaspoons Ground Ginger
• 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 Cup Vegan Butter
• 1/4 Cup Chopped Dates
• 1/3 Cup Chopped, Toasted Pecans or Walnuts
• 1/3 Cup Date Syrup
• 1/3 Cup Plain Non-Dairy Milk

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Make sure all the dry goods are well distributed before cutting the butter into small pieces and tossing them in. Use a pastry cutter or two forks to incorporate, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs and no chunks of butter larger than the size of peas remains. Add in the chopped dates and nuts, stirring lightly to combine.
3. Separately, whisk the non-dairy milk and date syrup together until smooth. Pour the liquid mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients and stir just until the batter comes together. It should be cohesive, fairly thick, and slightly sticky.
4. Pat the dough out into a circle about 1 inch thick. Score into 8 equal wedges but do not separate. Transfer the whole round onto your prepared baking sheet and sprinkle evenly with sugar, if desired. Bake for 15 minutes, slice along the cut lines and separate the Scones. Continue baking for another 5 - 10 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Recommended Products

Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I have experience with all of these companies and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something through my links.

• 
  Simply Organic, Ginger, 1.64 oz (46 g)
• 
  Bergin Fruit and Nut Company, Organic Medjool Dates, 14 oz (397 g)
• 
  Date Lady, Pure Date Syrup, 24 oz (680 g)

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 307Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 430mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 3gSugar: 12gProtein: 5g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.