Chocolate-Covered Dates make for the best snack, treat, or dessert. These indulgent-tasting treats are made with wholesome ingredients and are sure to cure your sweet tooth without any sugar hangover!
Stuff the dates with your favorite nut butter and some crushed nuts; then dip in melted chocolate and sprinkle with sea salt for a tasty sweet-salty treat!
Chocolate-Covered Dates Recipe
A few years ago when my husband and I traveled through Dubai, we discovered dates coated, filled, and covered in just about every sweet you could imagine. Date shops were everywhere–even multiple shops within the same mall.
These shops sold all types of dessert dates — nut and sugar-stuffed dates, chocolate-dipped dates, and more. Piles of dates as far as the eye could see!
Naturally, we had to try a good variety of these dessert dates! After eating more dates than anyone should probably ever consume on the same day, the consensual favorite was the nut-butter-stuffed and chocolate-covered dates. So, so good.
If you’ve ever wondered where to buy chocolate-covered dates while having the opportunity to ride a camel on the same day, add a trip to Dubai to your bucket list!
What Do Chocolate-Covered Dates Taste Like?
The Dubai dessert dates we enjoyed inspire today’s chocolate-dipped stuffed dates. They also taste somewhat reminiscent of a snickers bar — the dates are sweet and gooey with nutty (almost caramel-like and buttery) notes of flavor. They’re stuffed with creamy peanut butter and lightly salted peanuts. Then everything is covered in a layer of rich melted chocolate!
Let’s Chat Dates
Did you know dates are actually fresh, not dried fruit?!
If you love dates, you know this fruit is sticky, sweet, and gooey with a satisfying sweetness. And when you consider the health benefits of dates, it makes these little treats even that much more gratifying! I will say right here if you aren’t a fan of dates, you most likely won’t be a fan of this recipe. I mean…they’re dates!
Working With Dates
- Here are the exact dates I use.
- Find these near other dried fruits, trail mixes, and nuts in the store. For these dates covered with chocolate to taste best, you’ll want to use fresh soft dates.
- Soften dates if needed. Here’s a quick way to revive stale or hard dates. If the dates are too hard, they won’t be very easy to eat.
- Some dates have pits, others are sold with the pit already removed. Make sure to check and remove any pits from the dates before filling with nut butter.
Quick Tip
If you’ve got some leftover dates, use them in these Granola Bars, Cauliflower Smoothies, or Gluten-free Zucchini Muffins!
How To Make Chocolate-Covered Dates
- Melt the chocolate slowly and stir it often. To avoid burning the chocolate, don’t rush the melting process. Microwave the chocolate in bursts of time, remembering that the chocolate is still melting even after you take it out of the microwave. Make sure to give the chocolate plenty of time to melt outside of the microwave as you stir.
- Use high-quality chocolate for the best results. You’ll get both a better melt and a better flavor. My favorite chocolate for these Chocolate-Covered Dates is Ghirardelli® or Guittard®. Cheaper brands can have a waxier content that is less flavorful.
- Don’t allow any liquid near the chocolate. If it gets wet, it will seize and harden, and you don’t want that. Here’s why.
- Microwave the chocolate chips in sturdy, heat-safe bowls instead of using plastic or melamine.
- When coating the dates, I like to press a toothpick through the date and then dip the bottom in the chocolate while spooning more chocolate over the top. Holding the toothpick, carefully and gently tap the date against the edge of the bowl so excess chocolate can fall off. Transfer to a parchment-paper-lined sheet pan or plate and allow chocolate to harden.
Variations
If you love salty-sweet flavors, add a small sprinkle of sea salt flakes to the chocolate coating before it hardens!
Chocolate Covered Dates FAQs
They hold up well for up to a week if stored in an airtight container in the fridge. It definitely depends on the freshness/softness of the dates used! When frozen, they last even longer.
Dates are rich in fiber, iron, and potassium, which are linked to boosting your energy. The sweetness of dates is created by naturally occurring sugars–nothing refined. Dark chocolate also has health benefits beyond the abundance of antioxidants. Peanut butter and peanuts are great sources of good-for-you fats and protein.
Our nutrition calculator shows that one Chocolate-Covered Date has 153 calories.
Keep in mind that dates can vary in size, and that would affect the calorie count.
Other numbers: 24 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams protein, and 19.8 grams sugar(lots of natural sugars, though!)
Love these dates?! Here are some other favorites we love dipped in chocolate:
Storage
How To Store Chocolate-Covered Dates
These dates stay fresh in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Can you freeze chocolate dates? Yes! Place them on a baking sheet and freeze for about 30 minutes. Once fairly frozen, transfer to an airtight container or bag and return to the freezer. Freeze for up to 3 months.
More Nutritious Snacks And Treats
- Healthy Carrot Muffins without refined sugars!
- Healthy Chocolate-Covered “Caramels” using dates
- Gluten-Free Carrot Cake with a cream cheese frosting
- Healthy Ice Cream made without any bananas; hint– we use a veggie!
- Date Brownies no bake and only 4-ingredients
Chocolate Covered Dates
Equipment
- Sheet pan lined
- Toothpicks
Ingredients
- 10 Medjool dates see note 1
- Creamy peanut butter or almond butter, see note 2
- 3 tablespoons chopped roasted peanuts or almonds
- 3/4 cup dark chocolate melts or dark chocolate chips, see note 3
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- Maldon sea salt flakes optional
Instructions
- Cut a slit in the top of each date and gently remove the pit. Coarsely chop the peanuts or almonds and set aside. Line a sheet pan or plate with parchment paper, foil, or wax paper and set aside.
- Fill each date with a heaping 1/2 teaspoon of peanut or almond butter and smooth it into the date with the back of a spoon. Add a sprinkle of crushed peanuts or almonds on top of the nut butter. Gently press the nuts down into the butter. Gently press a toothpick through each date. Set aside.
- Add the chocolate and coconut oil to a microwave-safe bowl and heat in bursts of 20 seconds, stirring in between bursts for 20–25 seconds until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Remember to stir for a while to ensure it doesn't get burned.
- Working one at a time, hold onto the toothpick and dip each date into melted chocolate to coat the bottom. Use a spoon to coat the top and sides of the dates until the date is fully covered in chocolate. Holding the toothpick, tap the date a few times to allow excess chocolate to fall back down into the bowl. Transfer coated date to the prepared sheet pan or plate and use another toothpick to coax the date off the original toothpick.
- Sprinkle any remaining crushed peanuts or almonds and sea salt flakes on top of each date. Place the dates in the fridge to allow the chocolate to set, about 30 minutes, or let harden at room temperature for about an hour.
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Was gifted a large box of fresh Medjool dates and found your recipe. They are easy and
delicious! Love the sea salt on top! Look forward to surprising my family with these!
YAY! So thrilled to hear this! Thanks Lisa! 🙂
my husband and i CANNOT get enough of these!!! so simple, but SO GOOD!!
Yay! So happy to hear this! Thanks Callie! 🙂