Chocolate Covered Dates

These Chocolate-Covered Dates are stuffed with almond butter and make the best snack or healthy dessert. Gluten-free, vegan, and refined sugar-free.

Dates are pretty magical. As nature's candy, they are transformative as a natural sweetener, and in raw baked goods like this no-bake coconut cream pie and these easy chocolate energy balls, they add not only sweetness but binding power.

But in their simpler form, they can really steal the show.

Jump to:

• Why you'll love this recipe
• Ingredients and substitutions
• Step-by-step instructions
• Tips
• Serving suggestions
• FAQs
• More healthy date recipes
• 📖 Recipe

Why you'll love this recipe

• This tastes like a decadent caramel-filled candy or Snickers bar. No refined sugars are used.
• A no-bake dessert with simple ingredients!
• Kids will love to help stuff and dip this delicious treat
• Makes a great healthy snack or simple dessert

Ingredients and substitutions

Here are a few quick notes about the ingredients in this recipe. You can see a complete ingredient list and instructions in the recipe card below.

Dates - I recommend using the large Medjool variety as they are larger and sweeter than other varieties. You can use other varieties like Deglet Noor.

Almond butter - Check the ingredients for excess sugar. All-natural almond butter is best. You can use any nut butter of choice; creamy peanut butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter.

Unsweetened cocoa powder - Combined with coconut oil and maple syrup, this will give you a delicious vegan dark chocolate coating.

Coconut oil - This is perfect for dipping dates as once chilled you will have a hardened chocolate shell coating.

Maple syrup - A little bit of maple syrup helps sweetened the coating.

Step-by-step instructions

Before you start: Remove pits from the dates and line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 1: Stuff dates with almond butter and set them on the prepared sheet. Place in the freezer.

Step 2: Melt the coconut oil on the stove. Remove from heat and whisk in cocoa powder, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and a pinch of sea salt. Whisk until incorporated and slightly thickened. Let the chocolate cool slightly and grab the dates from the freezer.

Use a long toothpick or fork to dip them in the melted chocolate and return them to the pan. Sprinkle the top of the dates with flaky sea salt. Chill to allow the chocolate to set.

Tips

• Use two forks to dip - this allows you to easily remove them from one fork to the prepared pan after allowing excess chocolate to drip off.
• If you like a coconut flavor, use virgin coconut oil. If you use refined then you won't have coconut flavor if you aren't a fan.
• For best results store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 5-6 days.

Serving suggestions

These stuffed dates are one of my favorite gluten and dairy-free snacks and are great on their own. But here are some other ways to serve them:

• Alongside fresh fruit
• Stuff with any natural nut butter for a different flavor profile. Try crunchy peanut butter or almond butter instead.
• A healthy snack charcuterie board with protein balls, seasoned pretzels, cheese crackers, and more!

FAQs

More healthy date recipes

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📖 Recipe