Gluten-Free Date and Walnut Loaf

Ingredients

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• 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (containing rice flour, tapioca starch, and potato starch) Shop
• 1 tsp xanthan gum Shop
• 2.5 tsp gluten-free baking powder Shop
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar Shop
• 1 cup warm water or unsweetened plant-based milk Shop
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup olive oil or melted coconut oil Shop
• 1 cup pitted dates, chopped
• 0.5 cup walnuts, roughly chopped Shop

Instructions

1. 1 Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan and dust it with gluten-free flour, or line it with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour blend, xanthan gum (if your blend doesn't contain it), baking powder, salt, and brown sugar, breaking up any lumps of sugar.
2. 2 In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the warm water or plant-based milk, eggs, and oil until smooth.
3. 3 Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula just until no dry flour remains. The batter will be thick and sticky; gluten-free batters often are.
4. 4 Gently fold in the chopped dates and walnuts until they are evenly distributed.
5. 5 Spread the batter in the prepared pan and smooth the top with a wet spatula. Let it rest in the pan for 10 minutes so the flour can absorb the liquid.
6. 6 Bake for 50-60 minutes, until the top is deep golden and firm and a skewer in the center comes out clean. If the top browns before the center is done, lay foil loosely over the pan for the remaining time. Cool the loaf in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack and cool completely, about 1 hour, before slicing.

Tips & Notes

• Buy whole pitted dates and chop them yourself. Pre-chopped dates are often coated in oat flour or another starch to keep them separate.
• Soak the chopped dates in the warm water or milk for 10 minutes before mixing. They soften and sweeten the whole loaf.
• Go by the skewer, not the clock. If the top browns before the center is done, lay foil loosely over the loaf and keep baking until a skewer comes out clean.

Common questions