Date and Walnut Muffins
These easy date and walnut muffins are a cozy, kid-friendly bake inspired by Scottish and British tea-time traditions. Soft, sweet, and perfect for breakfast or snack time, they’re a delicious way to introduce kids to new flavors!
These Date and Walnut Muffins are inspired by the classic bakes of Scotland and Great Britain, where dates and nuts have been a staple in tea-time treats for generations. Soft, slightly chewy, and naturally sweet from the dates, these muffins are the perfect introduction to new textures and flavors—all in a way that feels familiar to kids.
Whether you’re looking for an easy winter breakfast or a simple bake to enjoy with a warm cup of tea, this recipe is a great way to bring a little taste of Britain into your home.
Date and walnut cakes have been popular in Scotland and Great Britain for over a century, often served with a hot cup of tea on chilly afternoons. While traditional recipes are often made as a loaf or cake, these muffins offer a more convenient, kid-friendly twist.
In the UK, baking with dried fruits and nuts has been common for centuries, especially in winter when fresh fruit wasn’t available. The natural sweetness of dates made them a favorite ingredient long before refined sugar was widely used. Today, they’re still loved for their soft, chewy texture and caramel-like taste—making them a great way to introduce kids to a new kind of sweetness!
Explore More Global Baking Adventures!
Trying flavors from around the world doesn’t have to be complicated! If your family loves these muffins, try:
- Anzac Biscuits – A sweet and chewy oat-based cookie from Australia & New Zealand.
- Brazilian Cheese Bread – Chewy salty little bites with a unique flavor.
- Mealie Bread – This moist and flavorful cornbread from South Africa is like no other cornbread you have tried!
Baking is a delicious way to bring global flavors to your kitchen —one muffin at a time! Let me know if you try these and what your family thinks.
Why you’ll love these muffins
- Naturally sweet & kid-friendly – Dates bring a natural caramel-like sweetness, making these muffins rich in flavor without being too sugary.
- A fun way to try new flavors – If your kids haven’t had dates before, this is the perfect introduction! They blend into the muffins so well, adding chewiness without overpowering.
- Perfect for breakfast or tea time – Inspired by the classic British tea-time tradition, these muffins pair wonderfully with a warm drink and a cozy morning.
- Easy to make – No complicated steps, no fancy equipment—just a simple, stir-together batter that kids can help with!
How to make these muffins
For the full recipe, please scroll down to the recipe card, but here is a general overview of the method used to make these muffins:
- Whisk together the dry ingredients. Toss the diced dated bits into the flour mixture to coat and separate.
- Whisk together the wet ingredients, and then stir them into the flour mixture until just combined.
- Stir in the chopped walnuts.
- Spoon the mixture into a prepared muffin pan.
- Bake for 16-18 minutes.
- Enjoy!
Serving & Storage Tips
- Serve warm with butter or a drizzle of honey for extra indulgence.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.
How kids can help
- Chop the dates and walnuts – If they’re old enough, kids can use kid-safe kitchen knives to help chop.
- Measure and mix – This is an easy recipe, so let them dump and stir!
- Sprinkle extra walnuts on top – They’ll love adding the finishing touch before baking.
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This recipe was originally posted in March 2012, but was updated with a better recipe, writing, and photos in Feb 2025.
Date and Walnut Muffin Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cup milk
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cup Medjool dates pitted and chopped
- 1 ¼ cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and prepare a muffin tray with parchment paper muffin cups or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla extract.
- Toss the diced date pieces in the flour mixture to coat and separate.
- Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture along with the chopped walnuts and mix just until combined.
- Spoon the mixture into prepared muffin cups.
- Sprinkle the tops with the 1 tbsp of brown sugar
- Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Two of my favorite things in one muffin recipe! Can’t wait to try it.
These are definitely not muffins. The moisture was very dry and more dough like. They haven’t risen and are like balls.
I followed the recipe to a T.
Hi Nicole! I just want to let you know that these muffins have FINALLY been updated and they no longer suck! I would love if you gave them another try!
Definitely not enough liquid to dry ingredients
I hate cup measurements, please give clear quantities, I guess cups is an American way, but I am an awful cook who requires accuracy and cups is way too problematic. Thanks.
@Bunny, Look it up online. It’s all there.
What are the milk and oil quantities in mls. I think my tablespoons must be smaller than yours as mixture was far to dry… easier if have mls or cups (my cup = 250mls) thanks 🙂
@susan, It would be 45ml (3 Tbsp) of each. When I made these I ended up adding another 2 Tbsp of milk as my dough was also too dry to mix well.
What is 50 grams of brown sugar & 150 grams flour in cups?
Thank you.
Linda
Hi Linda! 50 grams of brown sugar is about 1/4 of a cup, and 150 grams of flour is about 1 cup, depending on how you scoop and measure it! Make sure the brown sugar is packed, and the flour is light and fluffy and scoop it into the measuring cup!
These muffins are so decadent and delicious – the photos tell me for sure I need them in my breakfast 🙂
These muffins would definitely give me enough energy to take on the rest of the day 😀
What a stunning recipe!
Mhmm I love a healthy muffin! Those things that grocery stores and bakeries try to pass off as a blueberry muffin are waaaay too rich for breakfast. These cinnamon, date, and walnut muffins I could totally munch on during my morning rush.
I actually invite people to my house so that I am forced to clean!lol
These sound like the perfect treat to keep on hand this week
I want three of these and a pack of cream cheese. They look heavenly, your parents are going to LOVE them!
Yay spring break back at home! My parents are coming to visit this week too! Tell them I say hi & give your cute baby a squeeze from me!