What Do Dates Taste Like?

If you're new to the world of dates, welcome. We're thrilled you're here. We've been in the date biz since 2012 and date fanatics long before that, so we can't wait to share our passion with you. 

What do dates taste like?

Dates have been around since since the earliest record of food and recipes, but they're only recently becoming popular in the US with the rise of consumers searching for a nutritious alternative to white sugar. Wrinkly, chewy, and sometimes confused with prunes and figs, dates are in a category all of their own. You might be surprised that they're not actually a dried fruit given that crinkly appearance! They're just a little wrinkly! So what do they taste like? Dates are sweet and chewy, delectable little fruits and the ones we love most are caramel-ly and melt in your mouth! The most common dates found in stores are Medjool and Deglet Noor, however, there are over 1,000 date cultivars grown in the world, so it would be a disservice to generalize these tasty gems. While you may not be familiar with the hundreds of varieties, you may have heard of our famous Barhi dates or our newest Khalas dates...More about these dates delectable varieties:

Barhi Dates

We are confident that our sofi award-winning Barhi dates could easily become your new favorite. They have a rich caramel flavor and a soft, chewy texture, and are probably unlike any dates you've ever had before; melt in your mouth this-isn’t-candy-but-it-should-be goodness. They are more rounded in shape and almost like a bite sized piece of caramel candy. You could put them in your smoothie, but we know you won't be able to help snacking on them right out of the bag or stuffing them with your favorite filling. We're in love.

Deglet Noor Dates

 

Deglet noor dates are used to make our company's best selling products: date syrup and date sugar. To learn more about how those products are made, click here. Although not our favorite snacking date, the deglet noor's unique characteristics makes an out of this world date syrup and date sugar.

Zahidi Dates

 

Also known for their nutty, buttery taste, we also use Zahidi dates to make one of our newest products: date paste! These sweet dates have been pitted and ground up into a soft pliable paste for your creative convenience! Perfect for sweetening your raw desserts, baked goods or adding to smoothies.

 

Abada Dates

In 1936, Abada dates were found growing wild in a riverbed in Brawley, California. This dark and elongated treasure comes with notes of roasted chestnuts and plum. It is still grown in scarce quantity deep in the Coachella Valley.

Amir Hajj Dates

In 1920, Lee and Ruth Anderson moved to Coachella and started planting date offshoots on their plot of land where they lived in a tent house, cooking outside over an open fire. Three generations later, Dates by Anderson can still be found growing hard-to-find and spectacular varieties such as the Amir Hajj, a chewy, caramel-ly date with notes of nutmeg.

Blonde Dates

In 1927, Floyd Shields, a trailblazer of the Coachella Valley date industry, created the blonde date by combining 2 different cultivars from his farm. Nearly one century later, Shields Date Farm still runs today in Indio, California. This variety, naturally drier than some, is similar in taste to jaggery, a sugar made from date palm sap; caramelized and mellow.

Halawy Date

Food adventurer and son-in-law of Alexander Graham Bell, David Fairchild first introduced the Halawy to the U.S. in 1902 after a journey from modern day Iraq. These are more fibrous with a slightly nutty, brown sugar flavor profile.

Honey Date

The Honey date variety originated from a seedling planted in California around 1916 and has been carried on from offshoots ever since. They are aptly named honey for a similar sticky, straight forward sweetness.

Khadrawy Dates

The Khadrawy, originally from Iraq, was imported and planted in both California and Arizona in the early 1900s. The dates in this box come from both the arid and exotic lands around Thermal, California. This chewy date is reminiscent of true root beer ingredients: sarsaparilla and anise. Not strong or offensive, just sweet and complex.

Khalas Dates

Then there's Khalas. Less plump than Barhi, and certainly smaller than those more common Medjool, but don't let that fool you of their worth and rank. They have a more elongated shape and thanks to their buttery soft texture, the seed is easily removable. We would extract them ourselves, but the date is so fragile it wouldn't make it through the post! The skin, similar to the Barhi, detaches itself from the chewy flesh and serves as a protective boundary to keep the inside fresh. Notes of brown sugar and toffee abound. The other perfect date for snacking on right out of the bag or for stuffing with your favorite filling! We highly recommended a toasted, salted pecan or almond. Perfection.

Khasab Dates

Named after a region in Oman from where they likely originated, Khasab are one of the oldest date varieties cultivated and generally enjoyed in the “Rutab” stage when they are still red on the tree. In California, they are harvested when they’ve achieved their final deep black color. This rare, soft and silky date has notes of roasted chestnuts and molasses.

Mini Medjool Dates

Smaller than their well known counterpart, the mini packs rich molasses and spice in condensed form. Its firm, uniformity and single bite size make this one perfect for stuffing, wrapping and baking.

 

Why should I eat dates? 

 

Not only are dates delicious, they are absolutely so nutritious. We could tell you all about how dates are the healthiest sweeteners, but this would end up being a much longer blog post. If you'd like to read in depth about why dates are considered the most nutrient-rich sweetener on the market, check out our Healthiest Sweeteners article.

Did you know...?

- Dates have more potassium per ounce than a banana
- Dates have more antioxidants than any dried fruit
- Dates are filled with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and are a perfect snack for pre and post-workout or just for a healthy pick-me-up.

Where can I buy dates? 

 

We get it- pictures, descriptions and reviews can only take you so far. You need to try these dates out for yourself. But where can you buy them? Check out our award-winning barhi dates. Give them a try and let us know what you think!

 

We also have an entire line of products sweetened with dates. From a date-based BBQ sauce to a heavenly chocolate spread that you're gonna love. All made with simple and delicious ingredients.