Chocolate Covered Dates with Peanut Butter
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I have been making chocolate covered dates stuffed with peanut butter for years now. They are my go-to snack and quick energy boost.
They have become part of my weekly meal prep, and I often eat them instead of a sweet dessert.
Plus, this date recipe is naturally vegan and gluten-free, so why not to add it to your party menu to cater for that family member or friend who can’t or doesn’t eat certain foods?
Four reasons to make peanut butter stuffed dates
- Only a few ingredients – Who does not love sweet recipes with few ingredients, right?
- Easy recipe – Believe it or not, they are so easy to make. Even kids can help you make them!
- Quick preparation – They don’t take long to make, and within 30 minutes, you have a small batch ready to be chilled and enjoyed.
- Perfect homemade snack to have on hand and equally delicious as my apricot energy bars!
How to make chocolate covered dates
Shopping list:
- Dates – Below is detailed information, including photos, if you’re not sure which ones to use.
- Peanut butter – Unsweetened, if possible.
- Edible dried lavender buds – The package must state it is culinary lavender.
- Dark chocolate – Either in the form of a bar or chocolate chips. Semisweet chocolate will also work.
Gather tools and utensils:
- Cutting board and baking paper.
- Heat-proof bowl & spatula & small saucepan – The saucepan must be able to hold the bowl. This is for melting the chocolate. You can do it in the microwave as well, but the stove-top version takes literally about 2 minutes.
- Two forks – For dipping as well as drizzling the melted chocolate over these snacks. Toothpicks are also an option.
- Baking sheet – A quarter sheet is perfect as it fits easily in the fridge or freezer! Or you can use a cutting board lined with baking parchment paper.
The prep:
Fill each date with peanut butter. Freeze. Cover in melted chocolate. Sprinkle lavender over. Let them set. Drizzle with melted chocolate. Again, let them set and enjoy!
A printable recipe card with complete instructions is at the bottom of this post.
What dates to use?
The most common varieties that you find in supermarkets are Deglet Noor and Medjool dates. Medjool dates are large and quite expensive, while the Deglet Noor variety is smaller in size and affordable.
You can see in the picture the difference.
Both varieties are perfect for making stuffed dates. I prefer the smaller ones, though. They are not overly sweet and hold just the right amount of peanut butter to achieve the perfect balance between sweet and salty.
What else can I sprinkle chocolate dates with?
There are many options: Shredded coconut, finely chopped nuts (almonds, pistachios, walnuts, hazelnuts), sea salt flakes or chia seeds to provide a little crunchiness.
Freezer-dried strawberry powder would give stuffed dates a fancy look and a touch of color.
How to store them?
Chocolate dates keep well in the freezer and if you don’t plan on gifting them, that is the best place to store them. This works especially well with the small dates that taste so good minutes after you take them from the freezer. They make the best summer treat!
Troubleshooting:
My chocolate is clumpy or too thick – Add two teaspoons of coconut oil to thin it out. Stir until smooth.
The dates won’t stay closed – This is not a problem! Dipping them in melted chocolate will nicely cover and seal the peanut butter filling.
Peanut butter too runny – You don’t want that. Try to mix the jar well before taking a few spoonfuls out. Or pour out any oil from the jar and try to reach down to the bottom with a spoon. That’s where it should be thicker. The best is to buy a peanut butter that is not runny though!
The chocolate sweats – This is caused by temperature difference. If you take the dates out of the freezer and leave them on your table, thin water droplets will form on the chocolate coating.
To minimize this, transfer them from the freezer to the fridge first, then on the table and let them sit for a while before serving them to your guests.
FAQs
No. There is no need to do this when making stuffed dates.
Absolutely. They keep well in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Not necessary for this date treat. Just melt and dip. But if you want that glossy finish, go for it. Either way, don’t overheat the chocolate, so stir a lot to help it melt.
Absolutely. It’s a fun, no-bake kitchen activity. They can stuff the dates, dip, and sprinkle toppings.
Julia’s tips
- Medjool dates are quite sweet, so filling them with unsweetened peanut butter helps balance the sweetness.
- A little sprinkle of lavender elevates this date snack, so I recommend using it.
- Don’t skip the chill. Chilling (freezing) the stuffed dates helps the peanut butter stay put while dipping. It also helps the chocolate set faster.
- Thin chocolate = easier to dip.
What else can I make with dates?
No-bake date bars are another snack recipe that I make often because my toddler loves them. Peanut butter banana brownies are delicious, baked treats that taste so good! And, believe it or not, dates are the perfect cheese board fillers!
Chocolate Covered Dates Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 Medjool dates (pitted), see note 1
- 4 tablespoons peanut butter (see note 2)
- 1¼ cups dark chocolate chips (7 ounces (200 grams), 70% cocoa content), see note 3
- 1 teaspoon food-grade lavender buds (optional), see note 4
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil (only if necessary)
Instructions
- Fill each date with peanut butter. I use about ½ teaspoon of peanut butter for small dates (Deglet Noor) and ¾-1 teaspoon for large dates (Medjool). Place them on a small/quarter-size baking sheet/tray and freeze for 10-15 minutes.
- Meanwhile: Melt the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water (double boiler). Stir it to speed up the process and avoid overheating. When your chocolate is too thick, stir in about 2 teaspoons of coconut oil.
- Take the stuffed dates out of the freezer. Use a fork (or two) to dip each date into the melted chocolate. Let excess chocolate drip off before placing them back onto the baking sheet.
- Sprinkle with dried edible lavender right after. Repeat with the rest.
- Chill them in the fridge for 30 minutes or until the chocolate is fully set.
- Optional: 10 minutes into chilling, take out the baking sheet again, dip a fork in the leftover melted chocolate and drizzle quickly over each stuffed date. Return back to the fridge.
Notes
- Medjool dates or Deglet Noor can be used. If you decide to go for the smaller ones (Deglet Noor), you should get about 36 stuffed dates out of this recipe. So, you would need about 8 ounces (240 grams) of pitted Deglet Noor dates.
- Peanut Butter – I recommend unsweetened creamy with a thicker consistency. 4 tablespoons should be plenty to fill 12 Medjool dates or 36 Deglet Noor dates. You might use more or less, depending on your taste or the size of the dates.
- You can use either chocolate chips or a chocolate bar.
- Use only culinary/edible/food-grade lavender. Or, substitute with crushed nuts, dried shredded coconut or other toppings.
- Best stored in a freezer-friendly bag/container in the freezer or in the fridge.
- If you want to gift them to someone, leave them in the fridge for a few hours to make sure the chocolate is completely set. If you are making them for yourself, you can skip the final chilling and flash-freeze instead. Then, just transfer it into a plastic bag or container.
- They taste best right after being taken out from the freezer.
Delicious! How do I stop the dates from melting too quickly once I put them on the table? Thanks :)
Hi Audrey. You would have to temper the chocolate (which can be tricky). Tempered chocolate does not melt. You could keep them in the freezer (I do this all the time) and take them out right before serving. They will not melt so quickly, but expect a condensation on their surface. I personally like them when still half frozen. Hope this helps.
What is the serving size? I was a bit confused by the post. It is one date for 196 calories or multiple?
Thanks!
Hi Jessica. Sorry for the late reply. I’ve just seen your question. Yes, it is about 196 calories per 1 large Medjool date. If you use the small dates (Deglet Noor), they will have somewhere between 60-90 calories per piece. This snack/treat is also the perfect substitution for energy bars. Hope this helps.
How many days will they last without refrigeration??
As I want to courier them to another country??
Is it possible?
I am not sure, Sahar. I did send them once to my family but because of traveling through many countries, they did lose their nice color and were covered in a white film (this is due to change of temperatures – cold, warm). If you live in a cold climate and the delivery time is short (a few days), then you might be ok. In a warm climate, I would not. As for the shelf life: I would suggest they could hold up to 1 (maybe 2 weeks) when covered well in chocolate (to seal the dates and peanut butter filling) but again, it will depend on the conditions of delivery and climate. Hope this helps.
Hi! How far ahead can I make these? – will they last a week if stored in an airtight container in the fridge?
I’m looking to make these as one of the desserts with some filling variations for my Papa’s 80th birthday party. One will be similar to your filling, and then other will be cream cheese, orange and pistachio filling coated in white chocolate and pistachios. Thanks :-)
Hi Riya. Yes, these will last a week without a problem. However, I have no idea how long the ones with cream cheese can last. I would guess only a day or two because of the cream cheese there. Hope this helps.
Thanks Julia! I’ve decided not to coat in chocolate on this particular occasion, but will definitely be trying it in the future. Cheers, Priya.
No problem, Priya! :)
I love this idea! I love peanut butter and chocolate and I love that these are vegan and gluten free!
This is my most favorite snack and dessert as well, Chenee. It’s so good and I would say it’s best when sprinkled with the lavender. I also think they are more delicious enjoyed right from the freezer. So good :)
Love this incredible and so easy to make recipe!!! I didn’t have dark chocolate on hand so had to substitute milk chocolate. I was worried they would turn out too sweet but my housemates loved them and devoured them in one siting :-) Thank you xx
Thanks so much for your feedback!
Do you use fresh dates or dried in this recipe?
Hi Melissa. You will need dried dates.
I made this for my dance group and had very positive feedback. One person commented how she loved the different textures as you bit through, going from the hard chocolate, to the softer date and finally the peanut butter.
That’s excellent, Arnold! Thanks so much for the positive feedback and star rating. We love these and I make them quite often so it’s always good to hear when our readers enjoy our recipes too!
This is such a healthy delicious treat!
What a beautiful treat! And I love the sprinkling of lavender! I’m pretty sure my kids would gobble a few of those right up!
Thanks, Iryna!
Loving the color the lavender gives to these cuties! Such a great gift idea!
It’s the perfect gift for healthy foodies :)
Man, oh, MAN, do these look perfect. My hubby loves dates and he’s going to go ga-ga over these. I too will have to sacrifice and eat a bunch. You know, just to keep him company! ;)
Enjoy! :)
This looks so yummy. It an unusual combo but it works because of the sweet and saltiness.
Thanks!
what a great flavor combination! and the lavender on top! yum!
Thank you, Rebecca!