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A Guide to the Different Types of Dates from Coachella’s Best Orchards
Types of dates, in short: There are over 3,000 date varieties, but a handful dominate. Soft dates like Medjool and Barhi are moist and very sweet. Semi-dry dates like Deglet Noor and Zahidi are firmer and milder, and hold their shape in baking. Dry dates are hard and keep for months.
| Date | Texture | Flavor | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medjool | Soft, large | Rich caramel | Snacking, stuffing, gifts |
| Deglet Noor | Semi-dry, firm | Mild honey | Baking, cooking |
| Zahidi | Semi-dry, golden | Nutty, lightly sweet | Chopping, baking, snacking |
| Barhi | Very soft (or crisp when yellow) | Butterscotch | Eating fresh, in season |
| Ajwa | Soft, small, dark | Mild, fruity | Eating plain, Ramadan |
| Halawy | Soft | Honey-sweet | Snacking |
We grow Coachella Valley dates (Medjool, Zahidi and Barhi) on our family farm in Sky Valley, California. Shop fresh dates, shipping included →
We grow these. Golden Zahidi Dates — Nutty, Less Sweet, Never Sticky | California Farm-Direct from our family farm in Sky Valley, California — from $15/lb, shipping included. See them →
🛒 Choosing the Right Date
- Rich & indulgent: Medjool
- Cooking: Deglet Noor
- Less sweet: Zahidi
- Balanced: Khalas
- Soft & delicate: Khadrawi
- Very sweet: Sukkari
🌴 From Our Farm to Your Table
At Desert Sun Dates, we proudly grow and source dates from the Coachella Valley—bringing you exceptional freshness, flavor, and quality.
👉 Experience the Difference
The best way to understand dates is to taste them fresh.
Shop Fresh Dates
🍯 The Most Popular Types of Dates
Medjool Dates – The King of Dates
Medjool dates are large, soft, and rich with a caramel-like flavor.
Best For: Snacking, gifting, desserts
Shop: Medjool Dates
Jumbo Medjool Dates – Premium Size
Jumbo Medjool dates are larger, softer, and perfect for gifting.
Best For: Gift boxes, premium snacking
Shop: Jumbo Medjool Dates
Deglet Noor Dates – Best for Cooking
Deglet Noor dates are firmer and ideal for baking and recipes.
Read more: Comparison Guide
Zahidi Dates – Nutty & Firm
Zahidi dates are less sweet with a firm texture.
Shop: Zahidi Dates
Barhi Dates – Soft & Seasonal
Barhi dates are soft, buttery, and seasonal.
Shop: Barhi Dates
🌍 Premium & Specialty Dates
Khalas Dates
Balanced sweetness and smooth texture.
Khadrawi Dates
Soft, delicate, and mild — many call it the softest date of all. What are Khadrawy dates? →
Sukkari Dates
Very sweet, juicy, and dessert-like.
Halawi Dates
Amber, caramel-sweet, and chewy-tender — the name means “sweet.” What are Halawi dates? →
Honey Dates
Golden, mild, and tender — a small-farm favorite that rarely leaves the valley. What are Honey dates? →
Empress Dates
A Coachella Valley original: large, two-tone, beautifully balanced. What are Empress dates? →
Dayri Dates
Long, dark, and layered — the old Iraqi “monastery date.” What are Dayri dates? →
Black Gold Dates
A farmers-market name for very dark, molasses-rich fruit. What are Black Gold dates? →
Rooted in tradition and driven by passion, we grow exceptional dates designed to deliver rich flavor and a true taste of the desert
💪 Health Benefits of Dates
- Natural energy boost
- High in fiber
- Rich in potassium and antioxidants
- No refined sugar
🛒 Choosing the Right Date
- Best for snacking → Medjool
- Best for baking → Deglet Noor
- Less sweet → Zahidi
- Soft & delicate → Khadrawi
- Very sweet → Sukkari
🌴 The Farm Stand
This season’s fruit, straight from our cold room. Posted prices, shipping included to the lower 48.
One harvest a year — when the cold room empties, that’s it until next September. Picked, packed and shipped by the family that grew it.
Buy Fresh Dates Online
When you buy dates online, freshness matters. At Desert Sun Dates, we ship directly from our farm in California for maximum flavor and quality. Buying near you or in bulk? See our pages for bulk Medjool dates in Palm Springs, the Coachella Valley, Riverside and San Diego, or meet our golden Zahidi dates.
❓ FAQ
What are the best dates to eat?
Medjool dates are the most popular due to their size and flavor.
Which dates are the sweetest?
Sukkari dates are among the sweetest.
Where can I buy fresh dates?
You can buy directly from our online store.
Learn More
Visit our Our History page or explore our Date Farm.
The health questions, answered in full. Those benefits come with fair questions, and we’ve answered the three we hear most, with the numbers shown: are dates OK for diabetics?, how much date fiber actually helps with constipation, and what the research says about Medjool dates in late pregnancy.
Taste the two we grow. Everything compared above, we’ve tasted off the palm — and the two varieties from our own Coachella Valley ranch ship fresh, with the price including shipping.
Quick Answers: Types of Dates
How many types of dates are there?
Over 3,000 varieties grow worldwide, but about a dozen matter in American kitchens — and three cover almost every use: Medjool (big, soft, caramel), Deglet Noor (the firmer “regular” grocery date), and Zahidi (golden, nutty, the baker’s date).
What is the sweetest type of date?
Medjool — it’s the biggest and most caramel-rich of the common varieties. Fresh Barhi at the soft rutab stage is the dark-horse answer: pure honey, but only in season.
Which date is best for baking?
Zahidi — it holds its shape, isn’t sticky-wet, and its nutty sweetness doesn’t overwhelm. That pairing is exactly why we pack the Baker’s Bundle: Medjool for eating, Zahidi for the oven.
What are the “regular” dates at the grocery store?
Almost always Deglet Noor — smaller, firmer, often from Tunisia or California’s older plantings. Here’s our full Deglet Noor vs Medjool comparison.
Which types do we grow?
Medjool, Zahidi, and seasonal Barhi — hand-harvested in Sky Valley and shipped nationwide with shipping included.
From our farm to your door
We grow every date we sell on our family farm in Sky Valley, California. Shipping is included in the price to the lower 48.
- Jumbo Medjool Dates — large, soft, caramel-sweet, from $19
- Golden Zahidi Dates — firm, nutty — the baking date, from $15
- Barhi Dates — butterscotch, creamy, seasonal, between harvests
