Date Syrup (Iraq) (12 servings) 1 cup pitted Medjool dates 1 cup water 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon Prepared exactly as the recipe was submitted, it would be more accurate to call this a date spread. You could certainly add additional water to the blender to get more of a syrup consistency, but I don't think I'd recommend that. I really liked it as a spread. It reminded me of apple butter. I enjoyed it on both waffles and toast. I used Honey Dates rather than Medjool Dates, just because that's what I had on hand. For me, the syrup (aka spread) kept well in the refrigerator for 5 days. (This recipe was submitted in 2006. It was tested and photographed in October 2014.) How To Make Date Syrup In a medium saucepan, bring water and dates to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add vanilla and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature. Place mixture in a blender with the cinnamon. Pulse until smooth and completely blended. If needed, add additional water a teaspoon at a time to get desired consistency. Store in a sealed container in your refrigerator. Warm the syrup before using. In Iraq, date syrup is enjoyed for breakfast on bread with heavy cream. But this syrup is also a great replacement for traditional maple syrup for pancakes and waffles. Mr Breakfast would like to thank Bennett for this recipe. Recipe number 1767. Submitted 6/10/2006.