My mom has made Date Nut Bread for as long as I can remember, and I’ve always loved it. She would bake them in one pound coffee cans and they would look so wonderful topped with icing and sprinkles. I love being the helper and delivering them to neighbors and friends for her. When I got married I’d make them and oh how I loved a slice heated then spread with cream cheese. I knew I wanted to make a version of her Date Nut Bread, so I adjusted the recipe a bit and added cream cheese frosting and well. Well no more storing coffee cans, no more greasing and flouring the cans, then baking then washing the cans again. Yea this is way more fun. Just bake and eat!
Date Nut Bites Recipe {printable recipe}
1 pound dry sugar coated pitted dates
2 tsp baking soda
1 cup boiling water
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 cups flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla
In bowl place dates with baking soda and boiling water. Stir and let cool.
In separate bowl beat butter and sugar, add flour, baking powder, salt. Stir in slightly beaten eggs vanilla and nuts. Add cooled date mixture, stir until Incorporated.
Cream Cheese Frosting
4 oz cream cheese
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
beat cream cheese then add in the sugar and vanilla, mix until smooth.
Pipe frosting on cooled Date Nut Bites and top with sprinkles.
Bake at 325 for dark pans checking at 12 minutes until toothpick comes out almost dry. If you over bake them, they will be dry.
This recipe made over 50 minis and a dozen cookies.
Oh did I mentions I made cookies too. Since there was plenty of batter I used a large scoop and made drop cookies. They are soft and muffin like, not crisp cookie texture, but I’m calling them cookies 🙂
Jeanette says
December 21, 2011 at 2:11 pmWhat a cute idea – little bite size date nut bread bites!
[email protected] says
December 21, 2011 at 2:15 pmSuch a winning combination of flavors!!!
Maria says
December 21, 2011 at 2:27 pmLove these! So festive and fun!
Sue/the view from great island says
December 21, 2011 at 2:52 pmWe posted about similar recipes from our moms, mine are little bite sized frosted cookies. Mom recipes are the best—happy holidays!
Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga says
December 21, 2011 at 3:14 pmThis looks so delish. I need these in my life. Cream cheese frosting…I’ve had some of that today. And yesterday. And the day before that 🙂
Aggie says
December 21, 2011 at 6:33 pmThese look so pretty and festive! I love that your mom used to bake them in coffee cans, I can just picture it…love those kinds of food memories 🙂 happy holidays Diane!
Sue says
December 21, 2011 at 8:38 pmMy mom always made date bread too:) What a great idea to frost them and add cookies to the mix!
Paula says
December 21, 2011 at 10:18 pmMy mom made date and nut breads every Christmas too. I like your idea of these in little bites and that you frosted them 🙂
Katie says
December 22, 2011 at 12:12 amAnything with cream cheese frosting! My mother made pear bread (with lots of dried fruits) which made a huge batch – gave it to everyone that moved….
Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen says
December 22, 2011 at 1:32 amI always like small bite sized foods, it means I can eat more than one and not feel guilty. 😉
Pam says
December 23, 2011 at 8:25 pmHave to try these! Looks delicious!
Roxana GreenGirl {A little bit of everything} says
December 24, 2011 at 11:05 amI love making muffin top cookies and your sound so good!
Happy Holidays Diane!
Marla says
December 24, 2011 at 2:06 pmThese look amazing Diane! Happy holidays to you & your family 🙂 xxoo
Calogero says
December 24, 2011 at 4:31 pmSimply wonderful 🙂
Marly says
December 28, 2011 at 11:18 amLove these! They’re so cute. I would love to bring these to our family New Year’s party. Is it a party when your mom’s involved? Oh well, that’s as good as it gets for me these days. Thanks for another great recipe!
sweetsugarbelle says
December 29, 2011 at 6:19 pmI LOVE dates. The fact that you do too makes me like you even more!!!! Go team Dates, LOL!
sue says
February 7, 2012 at 2:41 pmWould love to make these, however, missing temp of oven? Also length of baking time?
They look so good.
Diane says
February 7, 2012 at 9:33 pmoops, so sorry about that. I checked my notes and I baked them at 325 degrees (I have dark coated pans) 350 for regular pans,and started checking every minute at 12 minutes. Mine were done between 12 and 15 minutes. I took them out when toothpick was almost dry, and they were moist not dry when cooled. Thanks again for catching my error.
~Diane
Carol Hicks says
January 10, 2015 at 6:08 pmI was reading your Date Nut Bites with Cream Cheese Frosting recipe and I think there is a mistake in the instructions. It says to add baking soda twice. I think the second time should be baking powder. Please let me know if this is correct because I would love to make these. Thanks so much.
Diane says
January 11, 2015 at 12:05 pmyes you are correct, the second addition is of baking powder, I adjusted the recipe to reflect it. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.