Chocolate Covered Stuffed Dates
These Chocolate Dates feature two options, one stuffed with whole almonds and the other stuffed with peanut butter and chopped peanuts. Topped with salt, chopped nuts, and coconut flakes, these Chocolate Covered Dates are sweet, salty, and the perfect healthier snack option or healthy dessert for everything from weekday treats to Valentine’s Day celebrations!
Delectable chocolate covered dates are my favorite sweet treat. They taste like a Snickers bar but are full of healthy, fats, nutrients, and fiber to keep you satisfied and prevent a sugar crash. I love to keep them on hand for pre and post-workout snacks or to satisfy my sweet tooth whenever a craving hits! Not only are they delicious, but they’re also super easy to make. Plus, you can mix and match different fillings and toppings to create a variety of flavors and satisfy all your tastebuds. No matter how you prepare them, they’re always a hit with both kids and adults!
Why You Will Love These Chocolate Covered Dates
- The dates provide a chewy consistency, and the nuts add a nice crunch for a combination of textures that’s extremely satisfying.
- Just a few simple ingredients combine to create a sweet and savory treat everyone will love for guilt-free indulgence.
- With no baking required, these dates are incredibly easy to make and are a great way to get kids involved in the kitchen.
- Leftovers store well, making for a great simple snack or edible gift for special occasions.
- Chocolate covered dates are naturally gluten-free and can easily be made dairy-free, too.
Ingredients You Need To Make These Chocolate Covered Dates
- Dates: Large Medjool dates, often referred to as nature’s candy, are best for this recipe, forming the base of the simple dessert. Find these in the fruit section or baking section of your local grocery store.
- Whole Almonds: These add a bite of crunch and healthy fats. I recommend using raw unsalted almonds.
- Flaky Sea Salt: add as little or as much as you like.
- Chopped Nuts: Chopped peanuts and chopped pistachios add extra texture and enhance the nutty flavor, balancing the sweetness of the dates. For a nut-free option, use chopped sunflower seeds instead.
- Shredded Coconut: I use unsweetened shredded coconut, but sweetened shredded coconut will also work if you prefer a sweeter taste.
- Peanut Butter: I prefer to use creamy peanut butter but crunchy peanut butter will also work if you prefer a bit of crunch. If you have a peanut allergy or don’t like peanuts, feel free to substitute any other nut butter of choice such as almond butter or cashew butter. Or, use sunflower seed butter to keep this recipe nut-free. For special occasions, I like to use hazelnut butter for an extra rich flavor!
- Dark Chocolate: Rich dark chocolate forms the chocolate shell. Use high-quality chocolate for the best taste, and opt for vegan dark chocolate chips if you need to keep this recipe dairy-free.
- Coconut Oil: Combined with the melted chocolate, this helps create a smooth, spreadable consistency, making it easy to coat the dates.
How To Make This Delectable Chocolate Covered Dates Recipe
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then, use a sharp knife to cut a slit down the side of each whole date, and remove the pit.
- Place 1 whole almond in 10 of the soft Medjool dates, and fill the remaining dates with 1 teaspoon of peanut butter and ½ teaspoon of chopped peanuts. Close the dates around the filling, and place them on the parchment paper lined tray.
- Fill a pot with an inch of water, and allow it to simmer over medium-low heat. Place the chocolate and coconut oil in a bowl on top of the pot of simmering water. Then, stir the chocolate until it has melted and mixes with the coconut oil, and remove it from the heat. Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate and coconut oil in 30-second increments in a heat-safe bowl. Just be careful not to let the mixture burn!
- Dip each date in the chocolate, using a spoon to ensure all sides are evenly covered in the chocolate coating. Let any excess chocolate run off, place the coated dates back on the sheet pan in an even layer, and add a sprinkle of sea salt. Then, for the almond stuffed dates, sprinkle chopped pistachios or coconut chips on top. Or, for the peanut butter stuffed dates, sprinkle the remaining chopped peanuts on top.
- Place the tray in the freezer, and allow the dates to freeze for about 1 hour or until the chocolate hardens.
You can find full step by step instructions in the recipe card below
Can I Use A Different Type Of Chocolate?
You can also replace the dark chocolate with any type of chocolate you like best when making these chocolate covered dates. Semi-sweet chocolate, milk chocolate, or white chocolate will all work. Then, swap out the toppings with options like shaved chocolate, cocoa powder, orange zest, dye-free sprinkles, or caramel sauce.
Other Filling Options
One of my favorite things about these chocolate dates with almond is how versatile they can be! So, feel free to mix and match a variety of fillings and toppings to make them your own. For instance, try replacing or adding to the filling with options like jam, different nuts, or even fruit such as bananas, strawberries, or blueberries.
How Long Will These Chocolate Covered Dates Last In The Freezer
Once set, the chocolate dipped dates will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can also store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. However, I prefer to store the chocolate dates with almonds and peanut butter in the freezer to keep them fresh and prevent the chocolate from melting. You can enjoy them frozen or, let them thaw in the fridge or at room temperature before serving.
Here are a few more sweet treats that you might enjoy:
- Chocolate & Vanilla Covered Stuffed Dates
- Almond Butter Banana Popsicles
- Frozen Banana Bites Dipped in Vanilla & Chocolate
- Hazelnut Fudge
- Coconut & Lime Macaroons
- Almond Butter Blondies
If you make this Chocolate Dates with Almond recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think, or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Chocolate Covered Stuffed Dates
Ingredients
- 20 medjool dates
- 10 whole almonds
- 1/2 tsp flaked sea salt
- ⅓ cup chopped peanuts
- 3 tbsp finely chopped pistachios
- 3 tbsp shredded coconut
- ¼ cup peanut butter
- Chocolate Coating
- 6 oz dark chocolate
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a sharp knife, cut a slit down the side of each date and pull out the pit.
- Place 1 almond in 10 of the dates, in the remaining dates fill them with 1 tsp of peanut butter and ½ tsp of chopped peanuts. Close the dates around the almonds/peanut butter filling.. Place the dates on the parchment paper lined tray.
- To make the Chocolate Sauce, fill a pot with an inch of water and allow to simmer on medium-low heat. Place the chocolate and coconut oil in a bowl on top of the pot of simmering water. Stir the chocolate until it has melted and mixed with the coconut oil. Remove from the heat.
- Dip each date in the chocolate and using a spoon ensure all sides are coated. Place the coated date back onto the baking sheet and then sprinkle with flaked salt and for the almond dates sprinkle with chopped pistachios or shredded coconut and for the peanut butter stuffed dates top with the remaining chopped peanuts
- Once all dates have been coated, place the tray in the freezer and allow the coating to completely harden approximately 1 hour.
Nutrition
This post was originally published on March 4, 2017 and updated with new photos and copy on September 23, 2024.
Thanks for sharing the recipe! This looks great and I will try it soon.
Are you counting vanilla coated dates only as scd legal due to dark chocolate on scd illegal list?