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.

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. This fresh, new variety to join us here at Date Lady has won us over. 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.

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.

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 and our new khalas 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.