These Chocolate Covered Dates taste just like snickers! All you need for these gut-friendly tasty sweets is chocolate, dates, nut butter, and sea salt. Learn how to make them in just a few simple steps!
When we first heard that combining dates, peanut butter, chocolate, and flaky sea salt tastes like snickers, we didn’t believe it. But we were so surprised at how similar they are! Not only is this combination surprisingly delicious, it is also gut-friendly.
The dates have a natural caramel flavor and sticky texture, just like real caramel! This allows the recipe to have zero refined sugar. If you are looking for other healthy chocolate covered fruits, check out chocolate covered strawberries, blueberries, oranges, and bananas.
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About Chocolate Covered Dates
- Taste – Chocolate covered dates are the perfect balance of sweet dates, savory peanut butter, and rich chocolatey goodness.
- Texture – The dates and peanut butter are firm while the chocolate shell provides a nice crunch.
- Effort – All you need to do is temper the chocolate, dip the dates, then wait for them to chill.
- Time – It takes about 5 minutes to temper the chocolate, a few minutes to dip the dates, then about 20 minutes to chill them.
Are Regular Snickers Vegan?
No, store-bought snickers contain dairy, lactose, and egg whites. Our vegan snickers contain no animal products but don’t sacrifice any flavor. They are also gluten-free.
Ingredients
- Dates – Medjool dates are great for this recipe because they are perfectly sweet and firm.
- High-quality chocolate or baking chips – We prefer semi-sweet chocolate or dark chocolate chips because they are the perfect balance of sweetness and richness. These types of chocolate also have less sugar which is better for ulcerative colitis and gut issues.
- Peanut butter – A dollop of peanut butter in each bite adds a creamy nuttiness.
- Coconut oil – Coconut oil is optional, but adds a nice shine to the chocolate dates.
- Flaky sea salt – Sea salt balances the sweetness and brings out the rich chocolate flavor.
Optional Toppings
- Shredded coconut – Add shredded coconut for extra sweetness.
- Chopped nuts – Chopped nuts like peanuts, almonds, or walnuts add a hearty crunch.
- Sprinkles – Cover the dates in sprinkles for extra flare.
- Chocolate – Drizzle milk, white, or ruby chocolate over the dates for more chocolatey goodness.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Chocolate – This recipe will also be delicious with dark chocolate, white chocolate, ruby chocolate, or milk chocolate depending on your preference.
- Caramel – Add caramel for extra rich sweetness.
- Nut Butter – This recipe will also be delicious with almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower butter if you prefer the taste.
Instructions
- Prepare dates – Slice the dates lengthwise without cutting all the way through to create a pocket and remove the pit. (Photo 1 and 2)
- Fill dates – Then, add about a half teaspoon of nut butter inside each date pocket. (Photo 3)
- Close the dates – Finally, gently squeeze the date back together to enclose the nut butter. Place the filled dates on a parchment-paper lined plate and set aside. (Photo 4)
- Melt chocolate (double boiler or microwave) – Use a double boiler or microwave to melt ⅔ of the chocolate and coconut oil, if using. If you microwave the chocolate, place the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and heat in the microwave in 30 second increments at 50% power and stir in between each interval until melted and smooth. This will help melt the chocolate and prevent the chocolate from burning. Gradually stir in the remaining ⅓ chocolate in small amounts at a time until the chocolate is completely melted. This will temper the chocolate and give the dates a nice shine. See double-boiler instructions if using. (Photo 5 and 6)
- Dip the dates – Submerge a peanut butter stuffed date in the chocolate until thoroughly coated and use a fork to lift the date out of the chocolate. Tap the fork on the edge of the bowl and allow the excess chocolate to drip in the bowl. Then place the date on the parchment paper and continue the process until all the dates are dipped. Alternatively, you can place the dates on a parchment-paper lined plate and drizzle with chocolate for less chocolate. (Photo 7)
- Chill the dates – Finally, top each date with flaky sea salt and/or chopped nuts. Place the dates in the refrigerator to set the chocolate and chill in the freezer for at least 20 minutes until the chocolate is set. (Photo 8)
Pro tip – Only use high-quality chocolate. Cheap chocolate chips have fillers and do not melt well. Use Ghirardelli, Lily’s, Guittard, or Trader Joe’s baking chocolate or chocolate chips for the best results.
Storage
Refrigerate leftover chocolate dates in an air-tight container for up to 5 days. You can also freeze them in an air-tight freezer container for up to 1 month. If you have multiple layers of refrigerated or frozen dates, place wax paper in between the layers so the chocolate doesn’t stick together.
Top Tips
- Chocolate and water do not work well together. Make sure your surface area is completely dry or the chocolate will seize and not stick.
- If the melted chocolate for dipping starts to harden, warm the chocolate in the microwave for a few seconds or place it back onto the double boiler for a few seconds and stir to reuse.
- If using chopped chocolate, make sure the chocolate pieces are about the same size to ensure even melting.
- If using a glass bowl to double boil, it will take longer to cool and temper than a metal bowl. Only use glass in a microwave as metal is not microwave safe.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! The key is to use semi-sweet or dark chocolate because they will balance the sweetness of the dates perfectly.
Yes, these dates snickers are a healthy protein packed dessert. If you want to make them healthier, be sure to use a darker chocolate with lower sugar and all natural peanut butter.
The main difference is their texture and taste. Medjool dates are soft while regular dates, also called degler noor dates, are drier and less sweet. Medjool dates work best for this recipe because of their sweetness and chewier texture.
Glass bowls are best because they stay hotter for a longer period of time. Plastic also retains moisture and can make the chocolate seize.
Related Recipes
- Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- Baci di Dama (Italian Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies)
- Heart Shaped Valentines Cookies (Chocolate Dipped)
- Chocolate Covered Pecans
Did You Like This Recipe?
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Chocolate Covered Dates (Vegan Snickers)
Equipment
- 1 parchment paper
- 1 baking sheet
- 1 measuring cup
- 1 mixing bowl
- 1 saucepan
Ingredients
- 12 dates pitted
- 2 tbsp nut butter of choice
- 10 oz high-quality chocolate or baking chips i.e. Ghirardelli, Guittard, etc.
- 2 tsp coconut oil optional
- flaky sea salt
Optional Toppings
- Chopped nuts optional
- Shredded coconut optional
- 2 oz Melted white chocolate, ruby chocolate, or milk chocolate optional
Instructions
- Prepare dates – Slice the dates lengthwise without cutting all the way through to create a pocket and remove the pit. Add about a half teaspoon of nut butter inside each date pocket. Gently squeeze the date back together to enclose the nut butter. Place the filled dates on a parchment-paper lined plate and set aside.
- Melt chocolate (double boiler or microwave) – Use a double boiler or microwave to melt ⅔ of the chocolate and coconut oil, if using. If you microwave the chocolate, place the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and heat in the microwave in 30 second increments at 50% power and stir in between each interval until melted and smooth. This will help melt the chocolate and prevent the chocolate from burning. Gradually stir in the remaining ⅓ chocolate in small amounts at a time until the chocolate is completely melted. This will temper the chocolate and give the dates a nice shine. See double-boiler instructions if using.
- Dip the dates – Submerge a date in the chocolate until thoroughly coated and use a fork to lift the date out of the chocolate. Tap the fork on the edge of the bowl and allow the excess chocolate to drip in the bowl. Place the date on the parchment paper and continue the process until all the dates are dipped. Alternatively, you can place the dates on a parchment-paper lined plate and drizzle with chocolate for less chocolate. Finally, top each date with flaky sea salt and/or chopped nuts.
- Chill the dates – Place the dates in the refrigerator to set the chocolate and chill in the freezer for at least 20 minutes until the chocolate is set.
Notes
- Use a saucepan and a heat resistant glass or metal bowl to make a double-boiler.
- Fill the saucepan with 1-2 inches of water and bring to a simmer. You do not need the water to boil to warm the bowl. The bowl should fit on the saucepan without touching the water, or the bowl will get too hot. Place the bowl on top of the saucepan and add the ⅔ of the chocolate. Stir the chocolate until melted then remove from the heat. If using a thermometer, the chocolate should register around 115°F and no higher than 120°F.
- Carefully wipe the bottom of the bowl with a dish towel to ensure no condensation or water drips onto your work space or in the chocolate.
- Gradually stir in the remaining ⅓ chocolate in small amounts at a time until the chocolate is completely melted. This will temper the chocolate and give the strawberries a nice shine. At this point, the chocolate should be between 84°F and 89°F.
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- Use high-quality chocolate such as Ghirardelli, Lily’s, Guittard, or Trader Joe’s baking chocolate or chocolate chips for best results. Cheap chocolate chips have fillers and do not melt well.
- Chocolate and water do not work well together. Make sure your surface area is completely dry or the chocolate will seize and not stick.
- If the melted dipping chocolate starts to harden, warm the chocolate in the microwave or place it back on the double boiler for a few seconds and stir to reuse.
- If you are using chopped chocolate, make sure the chocolate pieces are about the same size to ensure even melting.
- If using a glass bowl to double boil, it will take longer to cool and temper than a metal bowl. Only use glass in a microwave as metal is not microwave safe.
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