Khalas Dates
The butter-caramel classic of the Gulf
The Date the Gulf Reaches for First
Ask anyone in the Emirates to name a date, and Khalas is usually the first word you hear. A symphony of butter-caramel flavour enveloped in a golden-brown hue, its smooth, thin skin yields to a melt-in-your-mouth texture that has made it the everyday companion of Arabic coffee across the Gulf.
The variety was born in Saudi Arabia — the Al-Ahsa oasis is famed for it — and spread across the Arabian Peninsula generations ago. Today it thrives in the UAE, and the finest Khalas is judged not by where the name began but by the grove that grows it: the soil, the water, and the patience of the farmer.
Our Khalas, From the Al-Ain Oasis
Our Khalas grows in The Date Room's own farms in Al-Ain, within palm oases recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage site. Harvested at the rutab and tamr stages each autumn, the fruit is sorted by hand so only the fullest, most even dates carry our name.
It is also the variety our kitchen builds on — stuffed with nuts, dipped in single-origin chocolate, or served plain beside gahwa. When a date has this much character of its own, it needs very little else.
Shop Emirati DatesKhalas Dates Nutrition
Typical values per 100 g of semi-dry dates. A single Khalas date weighs roughly 7–10 g.
| Energy | ~282 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | ~75 g |
| — of which natural sugars | ~63 g |
| Dietary fibre | ~8 g |
| Protein | ~2.5 g |
| Fat | ~0.4 g |
| Potassium | ~656 mg |
| Magnesium | ~43 mg |
Source: USDA FoodData Central, typical values for semi-dry dates. Individual varieties and harvests vary. Dates contain only naturally occurring sugars — nothing is added.
“Khalas means 'finished' in Arabic — the name of a date so complete it needs nothing added. One taste and the name explains itself”
About Khalas Dates
Khalas is one of the most loved date varieties in the Arabian Gulf — a medium, elongated date with golden-brown, translucent skin and a flavour often described as butter-caramel with a touch of honey. It is a semi-dry variety: tender to the bite but not sticky, which makes it the classic everyday date served with Arabic coffee across the UAE.
The Khalas variety originated in Saudi Arabia, where the Al-Ahsa oasis is famed for it, and it is now grown across the Gulf. At The Date Room we grow Khalas in our own farms in Al-Ain, in the UNESCO-recognised palm oases of the UAE — the same trees that supply every Khalas product we sell.
Both spellings refer to the same variety — the Arabic name is often written Khalas, Kholas or Khlas in English. On our farm pages and products we use the spelling Kholas, which is common in the UAE.
Medjool, originally from Morocco, is a large, soft, very sweet date with a rich toffee character — often called the 'king of dates' for its size. Khalas is smaller and semi-dry, with a lighter, more refined butter-caramel and honey profile. If Medjool is a dessert in itself, Khalas is the date you can keep eating — which is why it is the staple of Gulf hospitality.
Dates of this type provide roughly 280 calories per 100 grams, which works out to about 20–25 calories per date. They are naturally rich in fibre, potassium and magnesium, contain no added sugar, and are virtually fat-free.
Keep Khalas dates in an airtight container. At room temperature they keep for one to three months; refrigerated they stay at their best for six to twelve months. For longer storage they freeze well — bring them back to room temperature before serving.
Taste Khalas at Its Best
Plain, stuffed, or chocolate-dipped — from our Al-Ain farms
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