Published:
Aug 12th 2022
by 
Last updated: Jan 2nd 2026
Egypt is the number one date-producing country in the world but a little closer to home in California, also known as the date's home. There are thousands of date palm trees that thrive due to the West Coast climate. And dates can be added to many sweet or savory dishes. Dates are naturally sweet and are almost always found dried in local markets, making them even more adorable. A great way to use up some dates beyond making sticky toffee pudding is to turn them into date sugar.
Date Sugar is a nutrient-rich substitute for refined sugars, and making your own is super simple. Dates are dried out in the oven for several hours at a low temperature until they are crisp and no longer sticky, then cooled down and ground into a brown sugar-like texture. Using dates as a natural sweetener adds a caramel-like flavor to any baked goods and makes for a healthy topping added to yogurt or oatmeal. Try adding date sugar to sweeten up your next smoothie! Dates contain many naturally occurring sugars yet are high in fiber, giving you a slow release of energy for those busy days.
Important Note: To ensure your dates don't get burnt, use pitted dates, i.e., those with the pits/seeds removed.
Is date sugar healthier than regular sugar?
Yes, date sugar is healthier than regular sugar. Granulated sugar is highly processed and spikes blood sugar levels. Dates sugar is less processed than regular sugar and contains fiber, which helps to slowly release the natural sugars found in dates.
Is date sugar better than honey?
No. Although honey comes with health benefits of vitamins and minerals, it still can spike blood sugar levels the same way as refined sugar because it lacks fiber.
Is date sugar okay?
Yes, it is. Date sugar contains fiber, antioxidants, and several bone-building minerals.
Can you substitute date sugar for white sugar?
Date sugar is an excellent substitute for white sugar. You can use it in baked goods, toppings for oatmeal, or yogurt.
Time & Serves
Ingredients
2 cups or 8 ounces Pitted Medjool Dates, cut in half
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Fahrenheit and put on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
Spread the dates on the tray and place them in the oven for 1 hour.
After 1 hour, give the dates a flip and place them back into the oven for another hour.
Once the dates are dried enough, they should no longer be sticky but dry to the touch and crispy. From the oven, remove and let the tray cool down completely.
Place one handful of dates into a small high powdered blender or coffee grinder and grind the dates until they have formed a brown sugar like texture and no longer have any pieces of dates.
Place into a storage jar or container and use in your favorite recipes.
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