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Learn how to make the best date syrup from scratch with a few simple steps. I also share how to use it to sweeten baked goods and desserts.
Date syrup (also referred to as Silan, date nectar, and date honey) is one of my favorite natural sweeteners to use alongside homemade date paste. It’s thick and caramel-like in color and has a deep caramel-like flavor with hints of vanilla—it just adds that “something special” to a dish. It’s a healthier alternative to sugar and is a great addition to baking or to sweeten breakfast bowls and desserts.
Learning how to make date syrup is easy—the recipe requires just a bit of time and patience. You simmer the dates in a pan with water and then strain them with a cheesecloth or nut milk bag! Finally, reduce the liquid, and voila, the date syrup recipe is ready.
Best of all, this recipe requires just TWO ingredients—dates and water! It is the perfect recipe to make with leftover dates after enjoying some stuffed dates!
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Recipe video tutorial
Which dates are best for making date syrup?
Use fresh, meaty dates like Medjool, which are naturally soft, sweet, and have high moisture content. This type produces a rich, thick syrup with a deep caramel flavor. Other varieties, such as Deglet Noor, Halawy, or Khadrawy, also work well.
If possible, opt for organic dates—they might be a bit pricier but are worth it for quality. Be sure to inspect the dates for any bugs or worms. If you find one, simply discard that particular date, no need to toss the whole batch. Just make sure they’re fresh and not too dry.
See the printable recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make date syrup
Pit the dates: If your dates aren’t pitted yet, you need to remove the pits. Start by rinsing them under cold water if they look dusty or need cleaning. Then, use a knife to cut them open or simply pull them apart by hand.
Soak the dates: Place the dates in a large bowl and cover with hot water to soften them. Let them soak for 20-30 minutes until they’re soft and mushy. Be sure to keep the soaking water!
Simmer the dates: Add the soaked dates along with their soaking water to a large saucepan, then pour in the remaining water specified in the recipe. Bring it to a soft boil over medium heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, cover the pot, and simmer for about one hour, stirring occasionally.
Then, allow the mixture to cool down completely before you continue with the next step.
Strain the mixture: Pour the entire mixture through a sieve lined with cheesecloth or a nut milk bag and collect the liquid in a large bowl. Then, squeeze the dates to remove as much of the excess liquid as possible. Work in batches if needed.
Concentrate the syrup: Pour the date juice back into the pot and simmer over medium-low heat until it is reduced by about half. Doing so will result in a thicker, more concentrated (sweeter) consistency and flavor.
To test for the ideal consistency, dip a spoon in the syrup—it should coat the back of it easily. If the syrup is still too thin, continue simmering. However, note that the syrup will thicken even more when refrigerated.
Once ready, allow the date syrup to cool before transferring it to a sterilized airtight jar or bottle.
FAQs
Once cooled, store the date syrup in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks. If the syrup starts to smell or becomes discolored/moldy, then it’s past its best. You can also freeze it for up to 3-4 months (in a jar with a bit of headspace for expansion).
There are many ways to use date syrup. Here are some of my favorite ways:
– A healthy sweetener in drinks: Sweeten drinks like tea, coffee (hot or iced tea), or latte. You can also add it to smoothies.
– Add flavor and sweetness to breakfasts: Stir some into oatmeal porridge or baked oatmeal, pour over pancakes or waffles, add a spoonful into yogurt granola cups, etc.
– Use for desserts: Add it in place of liquid sweeteners in cakes and desserts.
– Use instead of sugar: You can also use the syrup instead of sugar when baking. I recommend a 2/3:1 ratio (2/3 cup of date syrup for every 1 cup of sugar).
You can reduce food waste and use the leftover date pulp in ways similar to using date paste. Just note it won’t be as sweet as a lot of the flavor has remained in the syrup. Still, this pulp is perfect for adding to all types of desserts. You can use it to fill Ma’amoul cookies, Makroudh, Kahk, or Kleicha cookies. Use it for making sticky date pudding, date loaf, or date butter. Also, you can use it for no-bake treats or to make date caramel.
You can wash, dry, and grind them into a powder to add to smoothies or skin scrubs. You can also roast and grind them to use as a date coffee or to add to coffee. Alternatively, you can plant them or compost them. I’ve also had people reach out to me to say that they can be fermented into alcohol, made a date pit tea, used for marmalade and flour, etc.
More homemade syrups
If you try this homemade date syrup recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
Date Syrup (2 Ingredients)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb dates Medjool is best
- 6 cups water
Instructions
- If the dates are not clean, rinse them, then use a knife or your hands to cut or pull apart the dates and remove the pits.
- Soak the dates in a large bowl of hot water for 20-30 minutes until they become soft. Do not discard the water.
- Place the soaked dates along with the soaking water in a large saucepan and add the remaining cups of water. Bring to a soft boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, cover the pot, and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
- Allow the mixture to cool down completely.
- Pour the mixture through a sieve lined with cheesecloth or a nut milk bag and collect the liquid in a bowl. Squeeze the dates to remove as much of the excess liquid as possible. Work in batches if needed.
- Pour the date juice back into the pot and simmer over medium-low heat for about 45-60 minutes. The syrup should be reduced by about half, making about 1 cup of date syrup.For the ideal consistency, the syrup should easily coat a spoon dipped in it. If the syrup is still too thin, continue reducing it, but keep in mind that it will thicken even more once refrigerated.
- Once ready, let the date syrup cool, then transfer it to a sterilized airtight jar or bottle.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi Samira,
thank you so much for your excellent recipe and helpful hints to make Date Syrup, plus use up all the by-products. Love it.
Thank you so much for your comment, Monika. Glad you enjoy the recipe!
Easy recipe. It’s on my my stove now and I’m excited about the outcome. I’m sure it will be a great addition to many dishes.
Hi Linda! I’m so glad you’re trying this recipe! It is a great addition to many recipes indeed! Hope you like it :-)!
How do you calculate the amount of the solid (dates) : water : sugar(if needed) for your sugar syrup recipes?
For example when making a raspberry syrup or strawberry syrup. How do you calculate how much of the solids you need vs water and sugar for a balanced 1:1 or 2:1 syrup?
Hey Oliver! The ratio depends on the type of syrup and how thick or sweet you want it to be. For date syrup, we use 1 pound of dates with 6 cups of water, which allows for proper extraction while keeping it rich. Since dates are naturally sweet, there’s no need for added sugar.
For fruit-based syrups like raspberry or strawberry syrup, a common ratio is 1:1 fruit to sugar for a balanced syrup. If you want a thicker, sweeter syrup, you can go up to 2:1 sugar to fruit, which is often used for cocktail syrups. Water is typically added in just enough to help extract the juices, around ¼ to ½ cup per cup of fruit, depending on how juicy the fruit is.
If you want to adjust the consistency, you can always simmer the syrup longer after straining to thicken it or add a little more water if it’s too thick. Hope that helps!
Do you have any idea if this can be canned for shelf-stable syrup? I can’t find anything on the internet after a quick search.
Hi Andrea,
It is not recommended to water bath can homemade date syrup as it is a low-acid food. It will be better to pressure can it but I haven’t tried it for this recipe yet.
I recommend to store it in the refrigerator or freezer.
Hi
What can I do with a pits of the dates? Thank you
Hi Pam,
You can wash, dry, and grind them into powder. Then use the powder to add to smoothies, skin scrubs, etc. You can also roast them and make date seed coffee (see recipe here on the blog https://www.alphafoodie.com/date-seed-coffee-alternative/)
Or just compost or plant them. I hope this helps.
Greetings! Is there a reason that you drain the soak water instead of using it for part of the simmering water?
Hi Laurie,
You don’t have to drain the water in fact, you’ll see in my notes that you can skip this step and just simmer the dates for slightly longer. By rinsing the dates you lose a little of the sugar/flavor in the soaking liquid. I hope this helps.
How long is this good for?
Hi Sara,
It is good for 2-3 weeks or you can freeze it for 3-4 months.
Thanks for your teaching.
I tried the date syrup but mine wasn’t as dark brown as this yours and the consistency I didn’t get it…
Also because I make much I takes like 5-6 hours even at that I don’t have that smooth consistency it’s always looking like paste…. please how do I get it right
Hey Noble! Thanks for trying the recipe! The color and consistency of date syrup can vary based on a few factors:
1. Color: A darker syrup usually comes from darker dates (like Medjool) and how long the syrup is cooked. If yours is lighter, it may be due to the type of dates used or a shorter cooking time.
2. Consistency: If your syrup is turning out too thick or paste-like, it could be because there’s too much pulp in the final syrup. Make sure to strain it really well using a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth to remove excess fiber.
3. Cooking Time: If it’s taking 5-6 hours, it might be reducing too much. Try using more water when simmering the dates, then straining and reducing it slowly until it reaches the right thickness.
Hope that helps!
I love your recipe What a money saver ❤️ I purchase a box of Medjool organic dates at Costco for $10 dollars and can make 3 to 4 batches of this date syrup! I make it to use in my chocolate sauce for my mocha coffee☕️ 1/3 c. cocoa powder, 1/3 c. MCT oil, and 1/3 c. date syrup, mix together and place in a glass jar. I make my espresso, add a tsp of chocolate sauce, top with frothed nut milk and sprinkle with cinnamon What a way to start the day
Thank you so much for your comment, Julie! Indeed, what a way to start the day 🙂
Hi! About how long do you reduce it to get your desired consistency? I’ve been sitting here stirring it for over 20 minutes and it still hasn’t turned into a syrupy consistency. Just wondering if I’m doing something wrong!
Hi Jessa,
To reduce it into a thick syrup, it can take up to 45-60 minutes. But technically, the liquid is already ‘date syrup’ and if you are OK with the consistency, you don’t have to reduce it further.
Hi @Alphafoodie ! Instead of the nut milk bag, can we use a juicer?
Thanks
Hi Alexandra,
You can use a cheesecloth, or a muslin cloth, or even a fine sieve. If the cloth you use doesn’t seem too fine, you can layer 2-3 of them. Then you strain the mixture. I hope this helps.