Baking, Dessert, Vegan

Tahini Date Banana Bread

This Tahini Date Banana Bread is moist and chewy with sticky medjool dates, nutty tahini and a crunchy sesame seed crust. Naturally vegan, easy to make and so delicious!

Tahini Date Banana Bread (vegan)

Ingredients in Tahini Date Banana Bread

(Full ingredient list + instructions listed in recipe card at bottom of page)

Dates: Chopped medjool dates add moisture, natural sweetness and a delicious stickiness to this banana bread. I like to buy dried dates that are already pitted to make life easier.

Ripe banana: Like all banana bread recipes, the riper the better! I draw the line at mold, but don’t be afraid to use those bananas are your countertop that are completely black! This will make the banana bread sweeter.

Oil: I used olive oil because I like how it tastes with the tahini, but feel free to use another type of oil that’s liquid at room temp.

Tahini: This sesame seed paste adds a delicious nuttiness to the date banana bread, while also keeping it moist.

All purpose flour: I haven’t tested this recipe with any other types of flour, do I wouldn’t recommend making any substitutions.

Baking powder & soda: These leavening agents work together to help the banana bread rise in the oven. The baking soda also gives it a beautiful golden brown crust.

Sugar: The dates and banana already give this banana bread quite a bit of natural sweetness, but I like to add a little extra sugar to make this more of a dessert. Brown sugar keeps the crumb soft, while granulated helps with that crunchy top.

Milk: To thin the batter, I used soymilk, but feel free to use your favorite type of milk.

Sesame seeds & salt: I listed these as “optional” in the recipe card, but please don’t skip them! A sprinkle of sesame seeds and flaky salt top adds such a nice toasty flavor and crunch to this banana bread.

Vegan tahini Date Banana Bread

How to Make Vegan Tahini Date Banana Bread

Start by preheating the oven and greasing an 8×4 loaf pan. Press a piece of parchment paper down, leaving a slight overhang for easy removal.

Beat together your wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry in the other. Mixing them separately ensures the leavening agents incorporate evenly. Fold the wet with the dry and stir in the dates. Make sure not to overmix the batter or your date banana bread may turn out top dense.

Tahini Date Banana Bread

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth with a spatula. Add a generous sprinkle of sesame seeds followed by a pinch of flaky salt. Slide the pan in the oven to bake for about an hour. Every oven is a little different, so this may take more or less time. Start checking to see if the middle is still raw when the top is deeply golden brown. A cake tester should come out relatively clean and the top should be firm to the touch.

Let you vegan tahini date banana bread cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. This allows everything to solidify a bit and makes slicing much cleaner. I like to enjoy my banana bread a little warm with mug of tea. Enjoy!

Vegan Tahini Date Banana Bread

Tips for Making the Best Date Banana Bread

  • This Date Banana Bread does take a while for the inside to cook through. If you notice the top is getting burnt, try placing a piece of tin foil over the loaf pan and finish baking until a cake tester comes out clean.
  • For chocolate tahini banana bread, omit the dates and replace with 3/4 cup of dark or semisweet chocolate chips. A chopped 70% Pascha chocolate bar is my favorite for baking.
  • I prefer to enjoy the banana bread on the first day, while the top is still crunchy, but it will keep in the fridge for up to 7 days when sealed in an airtight container.

More Vegan Treats to Try:

Made this recipe? Tag @wandering_chickpea on Instagram and follow along on Pinterest for more delicious recipes!

Yield: 1 loaf

Tahini Date Banana Bread

Date and Tahini Banana Bread

This Tahini Date Banana Bread is moist and chewy with a crunchy sesame seed crust. Vegan, easy to make and so delicious!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 3/4 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/4 cup mashed overripe banana
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup cane sugar
  • 1/4 cup non-dairy milk
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 3 tbsp tahini
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 12 medjool dates, pitted and chopped
  • Sesame seeds and flaky salt for topping (optional)

Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 350 F and line a greased 8x4 loaf pan with parchment, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
    2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 
    3. In another mixing bowl, beat together mashed banana, sugars, milk, olive oil, tahini and vanilla extract.
    4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined. Fold in the dates. 
    5. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and top with a generous sprinkle of sesame seeds and a pinch of flaky sea salt. Bake for 60-65 minutes or until deeply golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean.
    6. Let cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

9

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 366Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 349mgCarbohydrates: 67gFiber: 4gSugar: 40gProtein: 5g

All nutritional info is an estimation

4 Comments

  1. It came out perfectly. This one was the most successful cake for me! Absolutely my favorite banana bread recipe of all time!

  2. This recipe produced the most flavorful and moist banana bread I’ve made in a long time! I used plain Greek yogurt instead of milk, and I sprinkled everything bagel topping on top before baking. It baked quickly in my oven, 35 minutes at 350 degrees. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I will definitely make it again!

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