Produce
Chopped Dates Conversion
Chopped Dates weighs 175g per US cup.
| Amount | Grams | Ounces |
|---|---|---|
| 1 cup | 175.0 g | 6.17 oz |
| 1/2 cup | 87.5 g | 3.09 oz |
| 1/4 cup | 43.8 g | 1.54 oz |
| 1 tbsp | 10.9 g | 0.39 oz |
| 1 tsp | 3.6 g | 0.13 oz |
| 100 g | 100.0 g | 3.53 oz |
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Chopped dates weigh 175 grams per cup, and dates are unusually sugar-dense even among dried fruits — their natural sugar content is high enough that dates are commonly used as a whole-food sweetener and binder in baking, not just eaten as a snack, standing in for some or all of a recipe's added sugar in recipes like energy bars or certain vegan baked goods.
Medjool and Deglet Noor are the two most common date varieties in US grocery stores, and they're genuinely different in size, moisture, and use — Medjool dates are large, soft, and very moist, eaten more often on their own or used whole, while Deglet Noor dates are smaller, firmer, and less sticky, more commonly used chopped in baking where a drier, more manageable texture is useful.
That high natural sugar content and low remaining water make dates function almost like a paste once blended with a little water — a real, practical baking technique (date paste) used specifically to replace refined sugar with a whole-food sweetener that also contributes fiber and moisture a plain sugar substitute wouldn't.
Chopped dates' 149g-per-cup weight reflects how densely sticky, dried fruit packs compared to fresh produce — dates' natural sugar concentration (from the drying process) also makes them prone to clumping together in a measuring cup, which is why recipes often call for coating chopped dates lightly in flour before folding them into a batter, to keep them distributed rather than sinking in one sticky mass.
Medjool dates, larger and softer than Deglet Noor dates, weigh meaningfully more per piece and have a stickier, caramel-like texture — a recipe specifying one variety by count rather than weight can turn out quite differently if the other variety is substituted.
Blended with water into a paste, dates are a common natural sweetener substitute in recipes trying to avoid refined sugar.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between Medjool and Deglet Noor dates?
Medjool dates run large, soft, and almost caramel-like, usually eaten as-is or dropped whole into a recipe, whereas Deglet Noor dates are noticeably smaller, firmer, and drier — that firmer texture is exactly why Deglet Noor tends to get chopped and folded into baked goods instead.
Can dates really replace sugar in a recipe?
Yes, genuinely — dates' high natural sugar content makes them a real, functional whole-food sweetener, often blended into a paste with a little water and used in place of some or all of a recipe's refined sugar, especially common in energy bars and certain vegan baked goods.
Why do dates feel almost sticky compared to other dried fruit?
Their unusually high natural sugar content combined with relatively low remaining moisture gives dates a dense, sticky-chewy texture that's more pronounced than a less sugar-concentrated dried fruit like a raisin or dried cranberry.
Do dates need to be pitted before chopping?
Yes — most dates sold whole still contain their pit, and it needs to be removed before chopping; pitted dates are also widely sold pre-prepared, which saves that step for baking use.
How long do chopped dates last once cut?
Chopped dates keep reasonably well sealed in a cool, dry pantry for an extended period, similar to other dried fruit, though their high moisture relative to raisins means checking for any mold or off smell is worth doing if stored for a very long time.