These Dark Chocolate Dipped Stuffed Dates taste like your favorite candy bars, stuffed with nut butter it’s like eating a healthy Snickers or Mars bar. Plus, these take just under 20 minutes to make for a super easy healthy snack.
If you are craving candy bars made of caramel, like Snickers or Mars, try using this stuffed Medjool date recipe to recreate a healthier version of your favorite treats. Dates are a fantastic ingredient that I use all the time, like in my Date Bark, Healthy Date Bars, or Date Loaf.
But these chocolate dipped dates are perfect as a quick and delicious snack. These are naturally:
- Refined sugar-free
- Gluten-free
- Paleo
- Dairy-free
- Vegan
They are perfect as a pre-workout snack as well because they contain a boost of healthy carbs and healthy fats and proteins from nut butter.
A stuffed date is a pitted Medjool date stuffed with sweet or savory food. Most recipes stuff dates with cream cheese, cheese, or peanut butter, but this version is 100% vegan! They are great appetizers when stuffed with savory food and great sweet healthy snacks when stuffed with sweet fillings.
Ingredients and Substitutions
It’s very easy to make sweet chocolate stuffed dates with a few ingredients. All you need are:
- Medjool dates – pitted
- Nut butter – depending on the flavor you want to make, you can vary from peanut butter to almond butter or cashew butter. Read below for options and ideas.
- Brown rice syrup or maple syrup
- Nuts – peanuts, pistachios, or almonds.
- Coconut flour
- Dark chocolate chips – since dates are already sweet, I recommend using high-cocoa chocolate like 85% cocoa.
How To Make Chocolate Dipped Stuffed Dates
There are many varieties of dried dates available at the grocery store. When it comes to no-bake desserts, I always recommend Medjool dates.
They have a thick, rich, and chewy texture that tastes almost like caramel. They are not dry or crusty on the outside like Deglet Nour Dates.
- If your dates are not pitted, remove the stem on top of the dates and discard them.
- Then, use the tip of a sharp knife to slice the date lengthwise. Don’t pierce the other side, it should look like an open boat. Remove the pit and discard it.
- You can get creative for the filling and combine the nut butter, maple syrup, coconut flour, and vanilla extract.
- For A Snickers Flavor – use almond butter or peanut butter, you don’t have to add the coconut flour to keep the filling more liquid, and similar to candy bars caramel. For A Mars Flavor – cashew butter or sun butter with maple syrup, vanilla, and coconut flour create a nice nougat-like texture that mimics Mars bars.
- Stir the filling ingredients together until they reach a nice creamy consistency. The option with coconut flour gets thicker and that’s what you want.
- Use a teaspoon to spread about 1 teaspoon of filling in the center of the opened dates.
- Place each prepared date on a plate covered with parchment paper and repeat these actions until all your dates are filled.
- Sprinkle some chopped peanuts onto the caramel if you are making the Snickers copycat version. Otherwise, go to the next step.
To make the chocolate-covered date you need to dip the stuffed dates into melted chocolate.
- In a saucepan or microwave-safe bowl, place some dark chocolate and coconut oil. Bring over medium heat, stir and melt until the chocolate is shiny and fully melted.
- Place the melted chocolate in a tall glass for easier dipping.
- Then, using a toothpick, pierce one of the top sides of the date and dip it while rotating it into the melted chocolate until completely covered.
- Place the dipped dates onto the plate covered with parchment paper or use a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
- Just make sure the plate or sheet fits your fridge or freezer as you need to pop this in a cold place to set the chocolate shell.
- To set the chocolate shell place the plate in the freezer for about 12 to 15 minutes. The chocolate shell hardens fast, remove the plate from the freezer when hard.
Serving
Serve the dates with a pinch of sea salt to enhance their chocolate flavor. Serve as an afternoon healthy sweet snack or pre-workout energy boost.
Storage
Stuffed dates must be stored in the fridge for the best texture. they store for up to 1 week in an airtight container. You can also freeze them in a bag, eat them frozen, or thaw them for 15 minutes to 1 hour at room temperature before eating.
More Vegan Snack Recipes
If you’ve enjoyed this recipe, you’ll love these:
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Chocolate Dipped Stuffed Dates
Ingredients
- 12 Medjool Dates - pitted
- ¼ cup Cashew Butter - or peanut butter
- ¼ cup Maple Syrup
- ¼ cup Coconut Flour
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Chocolate shell
- 3 oz Dark Chocolate - 78% cocoa or 85%
- 1 teaspoon Coconut Oil
Optional – for a snickers flavor, if using peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons Chopped Peanuts
Instructions
- If your dates are not pitted, remove the stem and discard it before using the tip of a sharp knife to cut the date lengthwise to remove the pit.
- Place each open date on a plate covered with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, stir the cashew butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and coconut flour until slightly thick. If too thick, add more nut butter or stir in a teaspoon of melted coconut.
- Use a teaspoon to fill each opened date with the cashew batter. Sprinkle chopped peanuts on the top if you like – this goes well if you used peanut butter instead of cashew butter.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the dark chocolate and coconut oil. Microwave it for about 40-60 seconds. Stir to combine the chocolate.
- Optional – Transfer the melted chocolate to a narrow glass. I found this easier for dipping the dates than using a bowl!
- Pick one side of the stuffed date with a toothpick and dip them into the chocolate while rotating the date to cover all the sides.
- Wait for a few seconds above the bowl/glass to let the excess melted chocolate run down to the bowl.
- Place the chocolate-covered dates on the plate covered with parchment paper. Repeat these steps with all the dates.
- Pop the plate in the freezer for about 12 minutes to set the chocolate shell hard.
- Serve with a pinch of salt on top.
Storage
- Store up to 1 week in the fridge in an airtight container.
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