These muffins are moist, naturally sweetened treats that combine the rich caramel-like flavor of dates with the nutty depth of ground almonds and the wholesome sweetness of honey. They boast a tender crumb thanks to butter and whole-wheat flour, and offer little pockets of jammy chopped dates throughout.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
The honey and dates work together to create a complex, golden sweetness that’s more interesting than plain sugar.
Ground almonds add flavour and help keep the texture soft and tender.
Whole-wheat flour gives a slightly hearty edge while still allowing the muffin to stay tender.
The result is something you’ll feel comfortable offering for breakfast, brunch, or as a snack with tea or coffee.
No refined sugar required (just natural sweeteners) but still delightfully satisfying.
Ingredients
(Tip: You’ll find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.)
100 g dates (about 1 cup)
¼ cup water (60 ml)
150 g butter, at room temperature
¾ cup honey (190 ml)
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup ground almonds (100 g)
1 cup plus 1 tbsp whole-wheat flour (125 g)
¼ tsp salt (if using unsalted butter)
1½ tsp baking powder
Directions
Deseed the dates (if needed) and chop them into small pieces. Add them to a saucepan with the water and cook for about 5 minutes, until they soften and the water has nearly evaporated — they should look jammy. Turn off the heat and let them cool.
Preheat your oven to 180 °C (350 °F) and line a 12-muffin tin with liners.
In a mixing bowl, beat together the room-temperature butter and honey with a hand mixer on low speed until smooth. Then add the vanilla and the eggs, one at a time, beating after each — don’t worry if the batter looks a little curdled at this stage.
Add the cooked date mixture and the ground almonds, and beat briefly to combine.
Sift in the whole-wheat flour, salt and baking powder and fold gently with a spatula to combine — avoid over-mixing.
Divide the batter equally into the 12 muffin liners. Bake for approximately 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centre of a muffin comes out clean.
Let the muffins cool in the tin for about 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
Swap the whole-wheat flour for part white flour (e.g., ½ whole-wheat + ½ plain) for a lighter texture.
Use almond flour instead of ground almonds for a finer crumb and slightly different texture.
Fold in chopped walnuts or pecans along with the dates to add crunch.
Add a teaspoon of cinnamon or cardamom for a warm spice note.
Drizzle a little extra honey over warm muffins for extra gloss and sweetness.
For a cake version, bake the batter in an 8-inch cake pan and increase baking time to about 45 minutes.
Storage/Reheating
Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4–5 days. For longer storage, keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. To reheat, warm in the oven at 160 °C (325 °F) for 5–7 minutes, or microwave for about 20 seconds until just warm. If frozen, thaw at room temperature and then warm as above.
FAQs
1. Can I use dried dates that are very firm?
Yes — if your dates are very firm, soak them in the water in step 1 right away and allow them to soften before cooking. The goal is soft, jam-like pieces by the time they go into the batter.
2. Can I substitute the butter for oil?
Yes — though butter gives a richer flavour and the muffins will be slightly different in texture with oil (perhaps a bit more open crumb). If using oil, use a flavour-neutral oil and you might omit or reduce the salt slightly.
3. Can I omit the ground almonds?
You can omit them, but they add flavour and texture. If you omit them, you could replace the 1 cup ground almonds with an extra ½ cup whole-wheat flour + ½ cup plain flour to maintain the dry ingredient weight, though the muffins will taste different.
4. Can I make them gluten-free?
Not directly with this recipe, because it uses whole-wheat flour. If you want to make them gluten-free, you’ll need a suitable gluten-free flour blend and perhaps tweak the structure (e.g., add a little extra binding like xanthan gum or use almond flour in place of part of it).
5. My muffins came out too dense — what happened?
Over-mixing the flour into the batter can cause dense muffins. Also, ensuring your baking powder is fresh helps the rise. Make sure the oven temperature is correct and the batter is not over-filled.
6. The tops got too brown but centres were underdone — help!
Rotate the tin halfway through baking. If the tops are browning too much, you can cover loosely with foil for the last 5–10 minutes of baking. Also check that your oven is not running hot (you might want to calibrate it).
7. Can I use a different sweetener instead of honey?
Yes — you could try maple syrup or agave, though the flavour will change slightly and the liquid content may differ, so you might need to adjust slightly (perhaps reduce another liquid a little).
8. How can I tell when the muffins are done?
Insert a toothpick into the centre of a muffin; if it comes out clean (or with just a few moist crumbs attached), they’re done. Also the muffin tops should spring back gently when lightly pressed.
9. Can I freeze these muffins?
Yes — once fully cooled, wrap individually or place in a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 2–3 months. To serve, thaw at room temperature and then warm slightly if desired.
10. Can I make mini-muffins or jumbo-muffins instead?
Yes — for mini muffins, reduce baking time (perhaps ~15-20 minutes) and fill smaller moulds ~⅔ full. For jumbo muffins, fill larger moulds and increase baking time (you might check at ~30–35 minutes or longer, depending on size).
Conclusion
These date almond & honey muffins are a delicious and wholesome treat that bring together the richness of dates and almonds with the warmth of honey. They’re versatile, satisfying, and simple enough for an everyday bake yet special enough for guests or a brunch spread. Once you try them warm from the oven, you’ll appreciate how the jammy date bits and the tender crumb create an irresistible combination. Enjoy your baking!
These moist, naturally sweetened muffins combine the rich flavor of dates with ground almonds and honey, offering a tender, wholesome treat perfect for breakfast or a snack.
Author:Sophia
Prep Time:20 minutes
Cook Time:30 minutes
Total Time:50 minutes
Yield:12 muffins
Category:Breakfast
Method:Baking
Cuisine:American
Diet:Vegetarian
Ingredients
100 g dates (about 1 cup)
¼ cup water (60 ml)
150 g butter, at room temperature
¾ cup honey (190 ml)
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup ground almonds (100 g)
1 cup plus 1 tbsp whole-wheat flour (125 g)
¼ tsp salt (if using unsalted butter)
1½ tsp baking powder
Instructions
Deseed the dates (if needed) and chop them into small pieces. Add them to a saucepan with the water and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened and jammy. Let cool.
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a 12-muffin tin with liners.
In a mixing bowl, beat butter and honey with a hand mixer until smooth. Add vanilla and eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
Add the cooled date mixture and ground almonds, and beat briefly to combine.
Sift in whole-wheat flour, salt, and baking powder. Fold gently with a spatula to combine—do not over-mix.
Divide batter evenly into the muffin liners.
Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Use soft, jammy dates for best texture; soak firm dates beforehand.
Do not over-mix the batter to keep muffins tender.
Check your baking powder is fresh for proper rise.
To prevent over-browning, cover loosely with foil near the end of baking.
Muffins freeze well and can be reheated as needed.
