Honey-Glazed Garlic Bread with Dates Recipe
This golden, honey-glazed garlic bread delivers an irresistible combination of sweet and savoury flavours that will absolutely captivate your taste buds. Crispy, buttery edges meet tender centres studded with dates, whilst aromatic garlic infuses every bite. Learn how to make this quick and easy recipe that transforms pantry staples into something.
Ingredients
- For the bread:
- 1 large sourdough loaf or ciabatta, about 400g - preferably day-old for better texture
- 100g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 6 large cloves garlic, very finely minced or crushed to a paste (about 2 tablespoons)
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt flakes, plus extra for finishing
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- For the honey-date topping:
- 8 Ajwa dates, pitted and roughly chopped into quarters (about 120g prepared weight)
- 3 tablespoons raw honey, plus 2 tablespoons extra for final glaze
- 1 tablespoon warm water
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional, for warmth)
- Kitchen equipment:
- Large baking tray lined with baking parchment
- Small mixing bowl
- Pastry brush
- Sharp serrated knife
Directions
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 190°C/375°F and line a large baking tray with baking parchment, setting it aside whilst you prepare the bread. Take your softened butter and place it in a small mixing bowl, then add the minced garlic, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and a good pinch of sea salt. Mix everything together vigorously with a fork until you've got a smooth, fragrant garlic butter that's completely combined, this is where the magic starts and your kitchen will smell absolutely incredible. If your butter isn't soft enough, pop it in the microwave for just 5-10 seconds, but don't let it melt completely as you want it spreadable, not liquid.
Step 2
Using a sharp serrated knife, slice your bread into 2cm thick pieces, but here's the crucial bit, don't cut all the way through to the bottom. Leave about 1cm of the base intact so the loaf stays connected, creating a fan-like effect that allows the butter to penetrate whilst keeping everything together. This technique is essential for achieving those crispy edges whilst maintaining a soft, pull-apart centre. If you accidentally cut through completely, don't worry, just proceed as normal and treat them as individual slices.
Step 3
Now for the fun part, generously spread your garlic butter mixture between each slice of bread, making sure you get right into those gaps and don't be shy with it. Use your fingers or a butter knife to really work the mixture in, ensuring every surface is coated. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the top of the loaf, letting it run down into the cuts, then give it a light sprinkle of sea salt flakes. This layering of fats, butter and olive oil together, creates an incredibly rich flavour and helps achieve that golden, crispy exterior we're after.
Step 4
Place the prepared loaf on your lined baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes until the bread is starting to turn golden and crispy at the edges. You'll know it's ready for the next stage when you can see the butter bubbling gently and the garlic is becoming fragrant but not burnt. Whilst the bread is baking, prepare your honey-date mixture by combining the chopped Ajwa dates, 3 tablespoons of honey, warm water, and cinnamon if using, in a small bowl. Stir everything together until the dates are well coated and the honey has loosened slightly, creating a sticky, glossy mixture.
Step 5
Carefully remove the bread from the oven (it'll be hot and the butter will be bubbling, so use oven gloves) and working quickly, use your fingers or a small spoon to tuck the chopped date pieces deep into the cuts between the bread slices. Push them down firmly so they nestle into the buttery gaps, this is crucial for getting dates in every bite. Don't worry if some dates sit on top, they'll caramelise beautifully and add texture. Drizzle any remaining honey mixture from the bowl over the entire loaf, making sure it seeps down into the cuts.
Step 6
Return the bread to the oven for another 8-10 minutes, keeping a close eye on it now as the honey can catch and burn quickly. You're looking for the dates to become glossy and slightly caramelised, the bread to be deeply golden brown, and the whole thing to smell absolutely divine. The honey will bubble and create a gorgeous sticky glaze that sets as it cools. If the top is browning too quickly but the dates aren't caramelised yet, loosely cover with foil for the final few minutes.
Step 7
Once baked to perfection, remove from the oven and immediately drizzle over the final 2 tablespoons of honey whilst everything is still piping hot. The residual heat will help the honey flow into all those nooks and crannies, creating pockets of sweetness throughout. Let the bread rest on the tray for 3-4 minutes, this resting time allows the honey to set slightly and makes it easier to handle without everything sliding apart. The dates will firm up a touch too, giving you that perfect chewy texture against the crispy bread.
Step 8
Transfer your honey-glazed garlic bread to a wooden board or serving platter whilst it's still warm, this is when it's at its absolute best. You can either serve it whole and let everyone pull apart their own pieces, or use a sharp knife to separate the slices fully for easier serving. The bread should be gloriously crispy on the outside with a soft, buttery interior studded with sweet, chewy dates. Serve immediately whilst warm, perhaps with a small bowl of extra honey on the side for those who want an extra drizzle, and watch it disappear in minutes. If you have any leftovers (unlikely!), store in an airtight container and refresh in a hot oven for 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition per serving
Sunnah
Learn simple practices and etiquettes found in the tradition that transform every meal into an act of worship, increase you in beneficial knowledge and add barakah into every bite.
Sacred Guidance
Bread
The Prophet ﷺ never saw bread made out of fine flour throughout his life.
Butter
She used to send clarified butter to the Prophet ﷺ.
Milk
The best object of charity is a she-camel or she-goat which gives plenty of milk.
Garlic
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: He who eats of this plant (garlic) should not approach our mosque and should not harm us with the odour of garlic.
Dates
In it are fruit, palm trees with date stalks.
Olives
Season your food with olive oil and anoint yourselves with it, for it comes from a blessed tree.
Olive Oil
Eat olive oil and use it on your hair and skin, for it comes from a blessed tree.
Vinegar
What an excellent condiment vinegar is.
Honey
The Prophet ﷺ loved sweet things and honey.
Water
The Prophet ﷺ drank Zamzam water while standing.
Prophetic Etiquette
Sit down to eat, rather than eating while standing or walking.
Eat from what is nearest to you on the plate, and do not reach across for food that is distant.
Take small morsels of food, and chew your food well.
Do not blow on hot food or drinks; allow them to cool naturally.
Do not eat or drink from gold or silver utensils.
Lick your fingers clean before wiping them, as there may be barakah in what remains on them. Then wash your hands.
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