Mix up your game by adding dates to your grocery list. These sweet and savory date recipes are absolutely delightful.
24 Delicious Date Recipes for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Dessert
Updated on Jul. 15, 2024
Cuccidati
These Sicilian cookies are a great example of why oranges and dates make a perfect pair. Make cuccidati your own by adding chopped chocolate or ground cinnamon to the filling.
1/24
Chocolate-Covered Dates
Although simple, chocolate-covered dates may quickly become one of your favorite date recipes. Peanut butter and chocolate come together to make the caramelly fruit taste almost like a Snickers—especially if you add chopped nuts. Check out our copycat candy bar recipes if you want more homemade versions of your favorite wrapped sweets.
2/24
3/24
Bacon-Wrapped Dates
Total Time
35 min
Servings
3 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
Isn’t everything better with bacon? Dates are no exception. These savory and sweet snacks are irresistible—just make sure you let them cool off before taking a bite.
4/24
Date Shake
Total Time
10 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
In our opinion, date shakes are one of the best ways to enjoy dates. Don’t forget to soak the dates first, which will make blending easier.
5/24
Pistachio and Date Ricotta Crostini
Total Time
35 min
Servings
3 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
If you’re looking for a dressed up appetizer, pistachio and date ricotta crostini are a perfect choice. While we love dates paired with cheese and nuts, you can use figs in their place if that’s all you have on hand. After you try these, keep other creative crostini recipes in mind for future get-togethers.
6/24
Raisin Date Bread Pudding
Total Time
1 hour 10 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Day-old bread is beautifully repurposed in this raisin date bread pudding. Serve it with a dollop of whipped cream and a dash of nutmeg—a perfect topping for most of our best bread pudding recipes.
7/24
Date Pudding Cobbler
Total Time
40 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Make date pudding cobbler in your favorite cast-iron skillet or 8-in. square baking pan. It’s a sweet treat that can be served for special occasions and weeknight dinners alike.
8/24
9/24
Poteca Cake
Total Time
1 hour 25 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This sweet European cake recipe is swirled with a filling made of walnuts, dates, cinnamon, sugar and more. It tastes just as delicious as it looks—just like so many of our other cinnamon bread recipes.
10/24
Chocolate Date Energy Balls
Total Time
20 min
Servings
1 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
These chocolate date energy balls will help satisfy a sweet tooth without adding sugar. The dates, cherries and coconut make each bite sweet enough on its own.
11/24
Date-Filled Rugelach
Total Time
1 hour 5 min
Servings
32 cookies
From the Recipe Creator:
While these golden-brown date-filled rugelach are full of flavor already, feel free to roll the dough in cinnamon sugar instead of flour if you want to add a little more personality. It would pair nicely with the dates, ginger and orange zest.
12/24
Stuffed Dates
Total Time
15 min
Servings
10 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Our stuffed dates recipe has a citrus filling, but there are dozens of ways to fill them. If you’d rather, try cream cheese and mini chocolate chips or peanut butter and chopped almonds.
13/24
Bacon Date Bread
Total Time
1 hour 10 min
Servings
1 loaf (16 slices)
From the Recipe Creator:
This recipe has both the sweet and salty flavors of date-nut bread and bacon-wrapped dates. It would pair nicely with a bacon jam.
14/24
Finnish Pinwheels
Total Time
1 hour 15 min
Servings
about 7 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
These stunning Finnish pinwheels will the star of any cookie tray you put them on. A final dusting of confectioners’ sugar makes them perfectly pretty. Once you finish the last one, try making more cookies from around the world.
15/24
Date Cookies
Total Time
30 min
Servings
about 2-1/2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
Brown sugar, cinnamon, lemon peel and chewy dates make a memorable flavor combination in this old-fashioned favorite, which comes straight from our Test Kitchen ovens. Ideal as a light dessert or slimmed-down snack the sweet treats won't last long in your cookie jar!
16/24
Date Pecan Tea Bread
Total Time
1 hour 25 min
Servings
1 loaf (16 pieces) and 1/2 cup spread
From the Recipe Creator:
This date pecan tea bread packs our favorite wrinkly fruit into not only the bread itself, but the chunky cream cheese spread on top too. Make sure the bread lasts as long as possible by storing it wrapped in an airtight container.
17/24
Date-Walnut Pinwheels
Total Time
25 min
Servings
1 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
Chopped dates, walnuts and apricot preserves are an unexpected combination of flavors you won’t be able to resist. Plus, it’s a quick and easy treat to whip up—as long as you have pie crust on hand!
18/24
Spiced Rum Fruitcake
Total Time
1 hour 40 min
Servings
1 loaf (16 pieces)
From the Recipe Creator:
If you’re a fruitcake lover, you’ll love this spiced rum fruitcake with plenty of nuts, dried fruits and more. Keep it in the fridge for up to a few months at a time—or if you finish it up before then, try your hand at more of our fruitcake recipes.
19/24
Chunky Breakfast Cookies
Total Time
30 min
Servings
16 cookies
From the Recipe Creator:
These breakfast cookies full of oats, chocolate, dates and coconut give you an excuse to have dessert first thing in the morning. They’ll fill you up more than you’d think.
20/24
Lebkuchen
Total Time
50 min
Servings
3 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
Molasses, anise extract, brown sugar, and plenty of other mix-ins are what make this German bread so flavorful. Serve squares of lebkuchen fresh out of the oven, with a generous drizzle of glaze. If you love this bread, don’t forget to try our top star anise recipes.
21/24
Lemon Couscous with Broccoli
Total Time
25 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I combined two recipes to create this side with broccoli and pasta. The splash of lemon adds nice flavor. Instead of toasted almonds, you could also sprinkle servings with grated Parmesan cheese. —Beth Dauenhauer, Pueblo, Colorado
22/24
Date Nut Balls
Total Time
40 min
Servings
about 3-1/2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
A friend gave me this recipe more than 30 years ago. It is my husband's favorite treat. I like these with pecans or walnuts. If you do not like nuts, omit the nuts and use 3 cups Rice Krispies. —Melinda Lord, Washington, Iowa
23/24
Date Pinwheel Cookies
Total Time
55 min
Servings
about 16 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
This is a great recipe for a delicious cookie to serve at the end of any meal. The dates have such a wonderful flavor.—Ms. Lee B. Roberts, Racine, Wisconsin
24/24
Best Date Bars
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
40 bars
From the Recipe Creator:
One sheet of these ooey-gooey date bars will make 48 good-sized desserts. You can also add nuts, coconut or candied fruit for a little something extra.
