Chocolate Covered Dates
These chocolate covered dates are rich in flavour and high in nutrients making them a wholesome little snack or dessert. Great for gifts too! They’re gluten free, and depending on the chocolate you choose, they will also be dairy free.
In This Article
What are the health benefits of dates?
Dates have been an important source of nutrition for millennia, and in particular within the countries of the Middle East. Here, they’re used to sweeten and flavour meals however, dates also hold religious significance and are traditionally used to break the fast in the evenings during the month of Ramadan.
While traveling in Morocco a few years back I saw a vendor selling 19 different varieties of dates! That sounds like a lot but there are in fact hundreds of varieties. In the West, we seem to have far fewer to choose from with Medjool dates being the most commonly found. They are rich in fibre and minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc. In addition they also contain B vitamins as well as vitamin A and K making them an excellent dietary inclusion.
Ingredients You’ll Need For Chocolate Covered Dates
The ingredients needed for this recipe are about as basic as it gets. Dates, chocolate, nut butter, and salt or chopped nuts for toppings. You can definitely make this nut free by swapping out the peanut butter for a seed butter of your choice. You can also leave off the toppings, although I do think that little sprinkle of salt helps to balance the sweet.
- Dates – The star of the show. If you have a choice of dates where you are I still recommend using medjool dates because they’re super rich and creamy.
- Nut butter – This can be anything you like, and even a mix of nut and seed butters. Things like peanut butter, hazelnut butter, and sunflower seed butter are delicious. Tahini is too, though more difficult to work with as it’s not as thick.
- Chocolate – My preference is dark chocolate so that’s what’s listed in the recipe. If you like milk or white chocolate though, go with those. A caramel chocolate might work, but it’s likely this would be far too sweet.
- Toppings of your choice – These are not necessary, but they do make the chocolate covered dates extra cute. The salt is also a good balance to the sweetness of the dates.
If you do want to add some toppings try things like shredded coconut, chopped nuts, rose petals, or crushed freeze-fried fruits (raspberry is nice!).
How To Make Chocolate Covered Dates
These are the simplest treats to make! Once you’ve melted the chocolate it really takes no time at all to assemble them. Then it’s set and forget in the fridge.
- Make a slit lengthways down each date and remove the seed.
- Stuff the dates with peanut butter (or your choice of nut or seed butter) then place on a plate in the freezer while you melt the chocolate and prep any toppings.
- Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over a very low heat, or in the microwave if preferred. Remove from the heat once completely melted.
- Remove the dates from the freezer and dip each into the melted chocolate using two forks. Set it on a wire rack (see notes in the full recipe below) or plate lined with baking paper. If using toppings quickly add them now before the chocolate sets. Repeat until all the dates are covered in chocolate.
- Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up then enjoy!
- Keep the dates in the fridge to ensure the chocolate doesn’t go soft or melt.
These will keep in the fridge or freezer for a couple of months, but they rarely last that long!
FAQ
Yes! Dates are rich in fibre and minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc. In addition they also contain B vitamins as well as vitamins A and K making them an excellent dietary inclusion. The dark chocolate is rich in minerals and antioxidants too, so this is quite a nourishing snack or dessert. They are high in sugar however, it’s unlikely you would eat more than one or two given how sweet they are, making this less of a concern.
So long as these are kept in the fridge or freezer they will actually last quite a while. There’s no ingredient here that will cause any concern if they were eaten months after being made. That being said I only ever make a small batch so they’re fresh and tasty, so they tend to be gone within the week.
Watch How To Make This Recipe
Chocolate Covered Dates
Ingredients
- 12 medjool dates, pitted (see note 1)
- 200 g dark chocolate
- ½ cup crunchy peanut butter (see note 2)
- Toppings of choice to sprinkle on top. Things like sea salt, chopped nuts, and rose petals are great.
Instructions
- Make a slit lengthways down each date and remove the seed.
- Stuff the dates with 1/2 – 1 tsp of peanut butter and gently squeeze closed (but don't squeeze out the peanut butter!).
- Place the dates on a plate in the freezer for 10 – 15 minutes to chill. This will make them much easier to dip in the chocolate.
- Melt the chocolate in a double boiler (see note 3). Do this over a low heat to ensure the chocolate doesn't burn. Once completely melted, remove the chocolate from the heat.
- Take the dates from the freezer and dip each date into the melted chocolate using two forks, then set it on a wire rack with some baking paper underneath it to catch the drips (see note 4). If using toppings quickly add them now before the chocolate sets. Repeat until all the dates are covered in chocolate.
- Place in the fridge for 30 mins then enjoy!
- Store the dates in the fridge to ensure the chocolate doesn't melt.
Notes
Nutrition
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Want More Sweet Ideas? Take A Look At These!
- Homemade Chocolate Bars
- 4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
- Homemade Chocolate Spread
- Chocolate Mousse
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