Date Seed Latte (5 Ways) (Vegan, GF, Date-Sweetened, Caffeine-Free)

Kelly
Nov 14
4 min read

This was a long time coming. I've FINALLY tried the date seed coffee going viral on social media and let me tell you: it is so delicious and actually works for energizing you without caffeine! It is surprisingly tasty with notes of dates, cacao, and coffee and is very smooth without the bitterness. Plus, it's packed with antioxidants, minerals, and fiber and is a great zero-waste way to use your date pits! Even more exciting is that this recipe has 5 ways you can enjoy it: date seed tea, date seed mocha, date seed coffee/latte, and 2 methods for date seed dalgona. And they are as scrumptious as they are pretty. All of these drinks are dairy-free and naturally sweetened with dates only (w/ an option for maple/coconut-sweetened). And of course there is no caffeine in sight here. So jump on the bandwagon and try date seed coffee for yourself! It's so easy and quick!

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Let me start by saying: I was skeptical of trying the date seed coffee trending online. At first, a lot of different thoughts raced through my head: "Aren't dates pit fruits, and therefore wouldn't the seeds be toxic?" "It can't taste like coffee, it probably tastes like dirt" "How can this give me energy without caffeine?" And a million other presumptions about the date drink.

Well, as it turns out, yes dates are pit fruits BUT their seeds/pits are completely non-toxic and safe to consume, unlike other fruits pits which can cause cyanide poisoning. In fact, date seed coffee stands the test of time with safety, and has been enjoyed as a drink in the Middle East for centuries.

And date seed coffee actually tastes good. It's naturally sweet and tastes somewhere between dates, coffee, and chocolate, with a nutty, delicate, smooth taste. And I was skeptical about date seed coffee providing energy, but I've tested it, and it truly does give a sustainable energy boost without the caffeine.

Plus date seed coffee is so fun and customizable! You can pour hot water over the grounds to make a "tea," make it into any "coffee" latte, or even make dalgona with it. It pairs well with a lot of flavors like cinnamon, cardamom, vanilla, almond, coconut, carob, chocolate, and, of course, dates.

A word of advice: date seed powder is fiber-rich. Like SUPER fiber-rich (we're talkin' 12 grams per Tbsp!), so make sure you don't drink too many lattes in a single day (this isn't going to be like your typical 6 cups of coffee a day). But, by the same token, because it has all that fiber and sustainable clean energy, it will keep you full and satisfied as well as energized throughout the day. And without the burnout because again, there's no caffeine.

Looking at the flavor of these drinks, the "tea" is light and date-forward, reminiscent of a sweet rooibos or delicate herbal tea with strong notes of cacao and coffee. The coffee latte is sweet and warmly spiced, strongly reminiscent of a typical coffee drink, and it's highly customizable. The mocha version is delicious, and essentially tastes like a Dunkaccino (hot cocoa + coffee) but healthier, with a tasty combo of chocolate + sweetness + coffee-esque flavor. Lastly, the dalgona is creamy, dreamy, and much like coffee dalgona minus the bitterness. Stir it into your milk of choice, and the result is a creamy drink with a flavor comparable to cookies n cream.

I think another beautiful thing about these lattes (aside from their flavor and aesthetically pleasing appearance) is that they showcase the range of the various shades and hues of dates. For example, even just the date "tea" is a vibrant red-brown in certain lighting and more of a golden umber at other times.

Something really cool about this recipe is that no one has done a date seed dalgona before, this is the first recipe of it to exist!! Even better is that this dalgona happens to be sweetened with dates only (date sugar).

And honestly, these recipes are so easy and quick to make, and are a perfect (more sustainable) alternative to your morning cup of joe. Because date seeds would normally otherwise be discarded, using them to make coffee is a zero-waste way to ensure they don't end up in a landfill.

Not to mention, these lattes are better for the environment and animals (and you) because they are 100% vegan & dairy-free and sweetened only with whole dates. Of course, there is an option for maple-sweetened, coconut-sweetened, and date syrup-sweetened, if you prefer.

Like this Date Seed Latte recipe if you'd like! + Future Recipes Sneak Peek + Stay Tuned for The Fruity Newsletter

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3 new recipes coming to The Dimpled Date soon include:

Halloween Cake 2025: Raw Spiderweb 3-Tier Cheesecake (flavor: black chocolate + vanilla bean)
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