These Chocolate Dates are easy to make with Medjool dates, a creamy cookie dough filling and dairy-free chocolate. A healthy homemade candy recipe and make the perfect kid-friendly snack or appetizer. Perfect for parties or when you’re craving something sweet after dinner. Freezer-friendly, naturally gluten-free, refined sugar-free, vegan and paleo-friendly.
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Healthy Chocolate Dates Recipe
Looking for an easy no bake treat for fall? These Chocolate Dates are easy to make with Medjool dates, an edible cookie dough filling and are naturally sweetened with maple syrup. The cookie dough center is soft, chewy and coated in dairy-free dark chocolate chips to satisfy that Halloween candy craving.
Not only is this no bake recipe easy and tasty, but it’s also a healthier dessert option for any holiday party or game day festivities. They are dairy-free, gluten-free, grain-free, vegan and paleo-friendly!
What are Stuffed Dates
These Chocolate Stuffed Dates are a popular Mediterranean inspired snack made with dates that you cut open and stuff with a paleo cookie dough filling. They are easily customizable using whatever you have in your kitchen pantry and they make the perfect easy and healthy snack or appetizer.
Plus, these dates are not only super quick and simple to prepare they’re completely kid-friendly too! My kids love helping me make them on our meal prep day. They make the perfect healthy snacks for school lunchboxes!
Want more tasty date ideas? Check out our Stuffed Dates post to make them 8 different ways!
Ingredients you need
Wondering what to put in dates? Traditional stuffed dates are usually made with goat cheese and bacon. Since we are trying to keep these stuffed dates vegan, you will need:
- Medjool dates: you’ll need 10-12.
Cookie Dough Filling:
- Unsalted Creamy Cashew Butter: You can also use almond butter or peanut butter (if not paleo) for different flavors! Be sure to use drippy or fresh nut butter and not near the bottom of the jar.
- Pure maple syrup: You can also use coconut nectar syrup, organic agave or honey, if not vegan. For low carb keto pumpkin truffles, use Organic Yacon Syrup, Lakanto Sugar-Free Maple Syrup or another liquid sweetener.
- Vanilla extract: you’ll need 1 teaspoon to add flavor.
- Almond Flour: be sure to use superfine almond flour and not almond meal.
- Cinnamon: just a teaspoon for flavor.
- Fine Sea Salt: balances out the sweetness and adds amazing flavor.
- Dairy-free mini chocolate chips
For the topping:
- Dairy-Free Dark Chocolate Chips: Use a good quality brand – we like Pascha’s Organic, Hu’s Kitchen Gems OR Lily’s Sweets. You could also use chopped chocolate if that’s easier.
- Coconut oil: just a tablespoon to help the chocolate melt smoothly.
- Flakey sea salt: for garnishing
How to make Chocolate Dates
These healthy dates come together easier than you think! Be sure to follow the step-by-step instructions:
- Prepare the baking sheet: Line a plate or baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Cut slits: Use a knife to make a lengthwise slit into each of the dates and remove the pits.
- Make the filling: In a medium bowl, whisk together the cashew butter, maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon together. Add the almond flour and salt until a thick cookie dough batter forms. Add more flour / nut butter / maple syrup / dairy-free milk as needed until you get a thick cookie dough batter. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Fill the dates: Stuff each date with cookie dough and squish the dates together to close them up a bit. Place dates on the plate or baking sheet.
- Make the chocolate coating: Melt chocolate chips and coconut oil either in the microwave, or using the double boiler stovetop method.
- Coat or drizzle with chocolate: Dip each date into the chocolate coating or drizzle with melted chocolate and sprinkle each date with coarse salt
- Chill in the fridge to set: Place in the fridge to set up for about 10 minutes and then transfer to a covered dish and store in the fridge or freezer until ready to serve.
Variations
- Nut butter: not a fan of cashew butter, you can use almond butter, peanut butter (not paleo), tahini or sunflower seed butter to keep these nut-free.
- Cookie dough: feel free to swap the cookie dough with just nut butter to make this chocolate coated date recipe even easier!
- Pumpkin: want to add a taste of fall? Add 1 1/2 tablespoons pumpkin puree and swap the cinnamon with pumpkin spice to make Pumpkin Cookie Dough Stuffed Dates for Halloween.
- Nuts: Top with some chopped nuts for a Healthy Snicker Stuffed Dates
- Savory Stuffed Dates: Wrap with bacon and stuff with goat cheese for Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Dates
Make ahead and storage instructions
How to store: Chocolate covered dates can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
How to make ahead: Simply cut your dates open and remove the pits. Make the edible cookie dough and fill each date.
Drizzle with melted chocolate right before serving.
Freezer instructions
How to freeze: Place the dates on a single layer on a baking sheet and store in the freezer. Transfer to an airtight container with the lid for up to 3 months.
Thawing and Reheating
Transfer the dates from the freezer to the fridge 24 hours before you wish to serve. Sprinkle with toppings of choice.
Serving suggestions
- lunchboxes or snack-plates
- cheeseboards
- game day or holiday parties as an appetizer
More delicious date recipes:
Chewy Granola Bars with Almond and Dates
These Chocolate Dates are easy to make with Medjool dates, a creamy cookie dough filling and dairy-free chocolate. They're a healthy homemade candy recipe and make the perfect kid-friendly snack or appetizer. Perfect for parties or when you're craving something sweet after dinner. Freezer-friendly, naturally gluten-free, refined sugar-free, vegan and paleo-friendly.
- 10-12 Medjool dates
- 3 tablespoons creamy cashew butter OR sub any nut or seed butter
- 2-3 tablespoons pure maple syrup , or to taste. You can also use coconut nectar syrup, organic agave or honey, if not vegan. For low carb, use Organic Yacon Syrup, Lakanto Sugar-Free Maple Syrup or another liquid sweetener.
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tbsp pumpkin puree , optional for a cozy fall twist. Leave out for a classic version or you can also sub with unsweetened applesauce.
- 1/4 cup superfine almond flour , plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon , can sub with pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice for a cozy fall twist.
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
- 1-2 tablespoons dairy-free mini chocolate chips , we like Pascha's Organics, Hu's Kitchen Gems or Lily's Sweets
- 1/2 cup dairy-free dark chocolate chips , we like Pascha's Organics, Hu's Kitchen Gems or Lily's Sweets
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- Flakey sea salt for garnishing
- Line a plate or baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Cut a slit down the middle of each date and remove the pits.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the cashew butter, maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon together. Add the almond flour and salt until a thick cookie dough batter forms. Add more flour / nut butter / maple syrup / dairy-free milk as needed until you get a thick cookie dough batter. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Stuff each date with cookie dough and squish the dates together to close them up a bit.
Place dates on the plate or baking sheet.
Melt chocolate chips and coconut oil either in the microwave, or using the double boiler stovetop method.
Drizzle with melted chocolate and sprinkle each date with coarse salt.
Place in the fridge to set up for about 10 minutes and then transfer to a covered dish and store in the fridge or freezer until ready to serve.
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