How to Make Sugar-Free Snipped Dates. Naturally sweet and delicious!

How to Make Sugar-Free Snipped Dates, naturally sweet and the perfect topping for oatmeal or even cold cereal in the morning. Easy and delicious, Sugar-Free Snipped Dates sweeten without adding refined sugar to your morning. 

What could be better on your cereal, and no refined sugar?

I love dates, not only are they sweet and delicious, but very healthy with a number of minerals delivered in each serving. Dates are the perfect natural ingredient for sweetening other foods, with their caramel like sweetness. The only problem is that they are very, very sticky! Commercially prepared snipped dates are sugar-coated to keep them separate and easy to crumble over the top of oatmeal or other foods. Convenient yes, but I don't want or need the added sugar...especially in my morning bowl of cereal. 

That added sugar is the very reason I don't buy commercially prepared snipped dates. And what inspired me to create my own jar of sugar-free snipped dates. It is very easy and only takes a few minutes of your time to get the job done. Plus, honestly, sometimes I like this type of tactile hands-on busywork, much like meditation, it helps me sort through life's decisions. And I get a jar of snipped dates in the process! And by the way, the smashing part is great fun for little kitchen helpers!

Opps, but a blessing in disguise!

You might have noticed that my bag of shredded coconut states that it is reduced fat. The purchase of this style of coconut was actually an error. You see, one of my great superpowers is to grab the wrong package from a shelf when I shop at a new store, and that is exactly how this ended up in my cart and then into my kitchen. Originally we were going to return it to the store, but then my husband began reading the package before putting the bag away in the pantry. 

It turns out that the excess coconut oil is removed through a mechanical pressing process and not with chemicals. Making this bag of exactly what we needed, because the texture of the coconut is quite dry, making it the perfect ingredient to coat the sticky date pieces. You can bet I will buy this type of coconut again. And proof that no matter how long you have been cooking, or simply buying groceries mistakes will happen, but are often quite easy to work around! 

I like to keep these prepared date bits in a jar, right there in the pantry right by the cereals. Making it easy for everyone to sweeten their own bowl of cereal...

Ingredients needed for this recipe:

• whole Medjool dates
• finely shredded coconut

You will also need the following:

• large flat bottomed pan or bowl
• kitchen scissors
• kitchen knife
• cutting board
• screw-top jar or freezer container with lid for storage

Now you are ready to begin!

Sugar-Free Snipped Dates
by the seat of my pants!

UPDATED: 03.06.2024

18 Medjool dates
1 - 1 1/2 c finely shredded coconut

Place about 1 cup of coconut into a flat bottomed pan or bowl. 

Carefully slice open one side of the date, open and remove the pit. Continue until the pits have been removed for all the dates. 

Open and lay the date flat (like a book) sticky side down into the coconut. Press with the heel of your hand to flatten slightly and push coconut into the sticky surface. 

Once all the dates have been opened and laid into the coconut to coat the sticky side, begin cutting into matchstick pieces. I use kitchen scissors for this, they work great!

Carefully coat the cut sides of the matchstick date pieces. 

Keep in mind, the thinner you cut the matchsticks, the smaller the cubes of dates will end up.

And finally, cut the matchstick pieces of dates, crosswise, into small cubes. 

Once the dates have all been cut into cubes, toss in the remaining shredded coconut in the bowl, adding more if needed, until all the cut surfaces have been coated evenly in coconut.

Transfer to a jar with a screw top lid.

To use, spoon over cereal or other foods where you want a sweet delicious flavor.

Storage options for Sugar-Free Snipped Dates. Store covered at room temperature for up to three months. You could freeze if desired, but there is no need, dried fruit keeps naturally at room temperature. 

UPDATE:  For your convenience, a "copy and paste" version of Sugar-Free Snipped Dates has been included below. 

You may also enjoy: 

How to make No Boil Yogurt in your Instant Pot. 

#wholefoodingredients

#DIYHomemadeHousehold

Featured recipe at: 

Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household is featured at Grammy's Grid Themed Link-up for Foods in a Jar. 

Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household featured at Crazy Little Love Birds Link Party. 

Thanks for stopping by!

We offer new and delicious recipes as well as DIY ideas for your home, regularly. Feel free to drop us an email request for any question or recipe you may be looking for. In addition, like all our guests, we invite you to come for a visit again and again for new recipes, and my down-home take on frugal ways to keep your home in tip top shape. 

Hey you, don’t miss a post! Please consider following Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household. To follow by email, and/or by RSS feed, complete the application located on the right-hand side of the blog. Please Note, some posts may contain affiliate links, thank you for supporting Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household.

PS, friends, and family who love good food and household ideas might love us too! Tell them about us, and thanks for the referral!

You may also enjoy, Creative writing from the heart... stories of life, living, and family.

Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household proudly shares with these generous link parties featured here.  

Printable "copy and paste" version:

Sugar-Free Snipped Dates
by the seat of my pants!

UPDATED: 03.06.2024

18 Medjool dates
1 - 1 1/2 c finely shredded coconut

Place about 1 cup of coconut into a flat bottomed pan or bowl. 

Carefully slice open one side of the date, open and remove the pit. Continue until the pits have been removed for all the dates. 

Open and lay the date flat (like a book) sticky side down into the coconut. Press with the heel of your hand to flatten slightly and push coconut into the sticky surface. 

Once all the dates have been opened and laid into the coconut to coat the sticky side, begin cutting into matchstick pieces. I use kitchen scissors for this, they work great!

Carefully coat the cut sides of the matchstick date pieces. Keep in mind, the thinner you cut the matchsticks, the smaller the cubes of dates will end up.

And finally, cut the matchstick pieces of dates, crosswise, into small cubes. 

Once the dates have all been cut into cubes, toss in the remaining shredded coconut in the bowl, adding more if needed, until all the cut surfaces have been coated evenly in coconut.

Transfer to a jar with a screw top lid.

To use, spoon over cereal or other foods where you want a sweet delicious flavor.

Storage options for Sugar-Free Snipped Dates. Store covered at room temperature for up to three months. You could freeze if desired, but there is no need, dried fruit keeps naturally at room temperature. 

~~~~