Date Seed Coffee (Caffeine-Free Coffee Alternative)

Name: Date Seed Coffee (Caffeine-Free Coffee Alternative)
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 8-10 or more date seeds (8-10 are needed per cup of coffee); 2 tsp date seed powder; 5 floz hot water; 1/4 tsp ground cardamom powder; 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon powder; 1 tsp date syrup (or another sweetener); 1 Tbsp oat milk (or other milk, optional)

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How to make date seed coffee with leftover date pits; a wonderful, all-natural caffeine-free coffee alternative that comes with several health benefits (and a great way to reduce waste!).

Date seed coffee is THE caffeine-free coffee alternative to try this year! It’s simple to make and is a great way to reduce food waste, one pit at a time! After making a large batch of date syrup last week, I was left with two ‘waste products’; a date paste and date seeds… But there was no way I was about to waste them at all.

Instead, I discovered a way to turn those date pits into date seed powder which, as it turns out, makes an excellent date seed coffee substitute that is gluten-free, caffeine-free, non-acidic, yet contains a natural energy boost.

While it’s by no means a new idea, in fact, this coffee replacement has been enjoyed in Middle Eastern countries for centuries; this was brand new to me – but definitely won’t be leaving my repertoire now. Even better, all you need is some date seeds and something to grind them into a powder, and you’re ready to go!

Now you have even more excuses to get in the kitchen whipping up a date caramel, date paste, stuffed dates, no-bake brownies, cheesecakes, ice-cream bars – and more! All in the name of this delicious caffeine-free coffee alternative!

Date Seed Coffee Health Benefits

While some fruit pits can be toxic, not only are date seeds 100% non-toxic, but they also contain several health benefits. As well as those previously mentioned above, date pit coffee also:

Is a rich source of several vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants – including phosphorous, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, and potassium alongside polyphenols.
Due to the antioxidants, if a wonderful source for reducing oxidative stress and boosting immune system health.
It is a natural caffeine-free energy booster!
May improve digestive health.
Could reduce ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol levels.
May protect against diabetic-related liver and kidney issues (due to the high proanthocyanin content).
Have antiviral properties.
It can help to lower blood sugar levels.

Plus, you only need about 8-10 seeds per cup of coffee, perfect for those who use dates regularly. Just pop them in a bag in the freezer and save them up over time, ready to make a large batch when ready.

Just note that the type of date pits you use will vary the nutritional content and health benefits. I always use Medjool date pits as those are my preferred dates, in general.

The Ingredients

Date seeds: you need to start with date seeds to grind into a powder. Alternatively, feel free to buy store-bought date seed powder/date coffee.
Milk: use your preferred milk – I used oat milk.
Seasonings: I used a simple combination of ground cardamom and cinnamon.
Sweetener: I used homemade date syrup. You can use your sweetener of choice though: sugar, honey, monk fruit powder, etc.

Optional Add-ins:

There are several other add-ins you could use to boost the flavor of this date seed coffee, including:

Cacao powder,
Other spices: nutmeg, star anise, ginger, vanilla (extract or powder), chai spices,
Caramel,
Coconut oil or butter,
Finely chopped pistachios (similar to Kashmiri Chai) or other nuts like hazelnuts.

How to Make Date Seed Coffee

Step 1: Clean, dry, and roast the date seeds

First, gather all of your date seeds (I fully recommend making a big batch of date syrup or date paste, and that will leave you with plenty!). If they are very sticky, you may want to first soak them for 45-60 minutes and then clean them.

Make sure they are dry before doing this step – I like to allow them to air-dry for a few days first. Alternatively, you could use a dehydrator if you have one.

Roast the dried seeds in the oven at 350ºF/175ºC – 30-45 minutes on a parchment-lined tray. Then allow them to cool.

The roasting step is critical, as it is with coffee beans, too, to develop flavor.

Step 2: Grind the seeds into a powder

Once cooled, transfer the dates to an electric coffee/spice grinder (you may need to do this in batches) and grind into a powder.

Sieve the powder and re-grind any larger pieces. Then the date seed powder is ready to use immediately or store for later.

Step 3: Make the date seed coffee

First, heat the water to 195ºF/90ºC (just before it begins to boil).

Then, combine the date seed powder and spices and mix well. Transfer this mixture to a coffee filter over a jug (read the FAQs for more methods to prepare the ground date pit powder into coffee).

Pour the water over the powder and allow it to drip until you have enough for your date seed coffee.

You can then drink the date seed drink as-is or enjoy it with a little of your favorite sweetener (I used date syrup) and a dash of milk (I used oat milk).

How to Make Ahead and Store?

Make ahead: Okay, technically, this isn’t ‘making it ahead.’ However, a top tip I’ve found is to collect all of my date seeds over time. I like to wash them, allow them to naturally dry for several days, and then keep them in an airtight container in the freezer until I’m ready to make a batch of date seed powder for coffee.

Store: Store the powder in an airtight container in a cool, dark location (like a pantry or kitchen cupboard) for several months. The sooner you enjoy it, the better the flavor will be. However, you can enjoy date seed coffee for months and months to come, and the taste doesn’t drop off too much over time.

Freeze: You may be able to store the ground powder in the freezer, too. Though, this isn’t something I’ve tried.

FAQs

What does date seed coffee taste like?

This comes down to personal taste, though it’s similar to coffee but not quite as bitter. I’d say that the flavor lies somewhere between a coffee and tea with some slight chocolatey hints to it. In general, t’s a little lighter and more refreshing than regular coffee – give it a try, and you decide!

Do I have to make date seed coffee with a drip method?

No, in fact, you can use this date seed powder the same as you would use roasted coffee grounds: using a drip maker, coffee machine, french press, espresso maker. You could even use it to make a cold infusion.

Can I use a food processor to grind the seeds?

I’ll be honest – this isn’t something I’ve tried, but I don’t think it would work particularly well. The coffee/seed grinder perfectly grinds it into a powder that’s fine enough to extract the flavor (the fine texture is important as water passes through date pit powder quicker than the seeds). I’m not sure a processor would be able to achieve the same results.

How else to use date seed powder?

There are several ways you can enjoy the date pit powder, including:
– Use it as an additive to coffee instead of as a coffee replacement.
– Add a little to smoothies or juices.
– Use it within baked recipes like cookies, brownies, cakes, etc.

Recipe Notes

New to date seed coffee? If you want to wean yourself off your regular cup of joe, then I recommend using a 70/30 blend date seed powder to coffee to begin with and reduce the coffee content further over time.
Cleaning the date pits: if you don’t clean the date pits then the sugars on the seeds can end up caramelizing/burning in the oven. Reduce the risk of burn flavor by cleaning them well.
Experiment with roasting time: just like how coffee beans have that ‘sweet spot’, the same can be said for date seeds. Experiment with roasting them between 30-50 minutes until you find your sweet spot!
Using enough date seed powder: It’s important to make sure you get the ratios correct for the best results. A study conducted by the Asian Research Consortium found a 9% date seed powder ratio when combined with water, milk, and sweetener tested almost identically to their control ‘coffee’ (whereas the lower %’s didn’t do nearly as well).

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If you try this homemade date seed coffee recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts/questions below. Also, I’d really appreciate a recipe card rating below, and feel free to tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!