Here’s a caffeine-free coffee alternative that you can make yourself, from a surprising and inexpensive source: date seeds. Its color is blonder than traditional coffee, but it’s a rich brew with the coffee flavor you seek. And no caffeine crash or caffeine jitters attached. (While you’re enjoying your cuppa, read our review of Nawal Nasrallah’s fascinating Dates, A Global History.)
So what’s date seed coffee taste like?
Roasted, ground date seeds yield satisfying coffee flavor without the bitterness that demands sweetener and milk to compensate. Many find nutty, chocolate notes in their date seed brew.
Of course, if you like milk in your hot drink, stir in some conventional or plant-based milk. And while you’re sipping your comforting cuppa, you can reflect you’ve made a delicious zero-waste product.
Keep in mind that large dates like Medjool have bigger seeds, so you’ll need only about 16 – approximately 1 cup – to yield two cups of drink. Using smaller seeds, count on 25-30 seeds – 1 cup altogether – to yield two brewed cups.
No need to worry about accumulating enough seeds to make roasting worthwhile. When you’re done eating the dates, scrub the seeds in a bowl of water with your hands to remove all clinging bits of fruit. Then roll them in a kitchen towel to dry. Freeze them, adding more over time until you have enough.
Date Seed Coffee
A caffeine-free coffee alternative that you can make yourself, from date seeds.
- bowl of water
- kitchen towel
- sheet baking paper
- baking sheet
- Coffee grinder or food processor
- Brewing device (French press, espresso machine, etc.)
- 1 cup clean and dry date seeds
- Preheat oven to 400°F – 205° C.
- Wash date seeds and dry in kitchen towel.
- Roast the seeds for 30 minutes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Stir gently a few times while roasting. They should be dark when done.
- Cool the seeds 5 minutes.
- Grind the roasted seeds as you would for your preferred brewing method: a little coarser for a French press or finer for an espresso machine.
- Brew right away or store the ground seeds in an airtight container. Keep it in the fridge for 2 weeks or in the freezer for 1 month
If you’re looking for ways to use up those dates and get at their seeds, here’s an easy, unusual, and delicious recipe: dates baked with goat cheese.
