These chocolate-covered dates are a simple yet indulgent treat that delivers on flavor, texture, and versatility. With minimal ingredients and a straightforward process, they’re a perfect choice for anyone looking for a healthy Christmas dessert that takes very little effort but still looks impressive and festive enough for holiday parties.

Their combination of natural sweetness, creamy filling, and rich chocolate coating makes them ideal for special occasions, gifting, or a satisfying everyday snack. Not only are they super easy, but you also don’t need any fancy tools or special skills to make them.

And they’re naturally gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan! Swap out sunflower seed butter for a nut-free version and cashew or almond butter for paleo.

Ingredients

Here’s an overview of what you’ll need to make these chocolate-covered dates.

Medjool dates – these large, soft, and naturally sweet dates are ideal for stuffing and coating in chocolate. Regular dates also work, but their texture and flavor may not be as rich.
Dark chocolate – high-quality chopped dark chocolate or dark chocolate chips add a rich, bittersweet flavor. Substitute with milk or white chocolate if you prefer something sweeter. But those are going to be super sweet. I would definitely go with semi-sweet before I’d go with milk or white chocolate.
Peanut butter – this creamy filling adds richness and pairs beautifully with the dates. Almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter are great alternatives. You can use regular peanut butter like Jif or Skippy or 100% peanuts + salt peanut butter. Here’s → How to Make Peanut Butter in just 5 minutes!
Roasted salted peanuts – these add a crunchy texture and a salty balance to the sweetness. You can replace them with chopped almonds, pistachios, cashews or shredded coconut for variety.

The benefit of using chopped chocolate

I used chopped chocolate when making these, but the photographer used chocolate chips. You can use either.

But there are some good reasons to opt for chopped chocolate!

Uniform melting – chopped chocolate melts more evenly than chocolate chips because it has a larger surface area and lacks the stabilizers that chocolate chips contain to help them hold their shape during baking.
Better texture and consistency – chocolate chips often contain additives like lecithin or wax to maintain their shape, which can result in a thicker, less smooth coating when melted. High-quality chopped chocolate typically produces a smoother and more luxurious coating.
Flavor quality – chopped chocolate, especially from a high-quality chocolate bar, usually has a purer and richer flavor compared to most chocolate chips.

How to make them

The full recipe can be found at the bottom of this page.

This section is just here to give you a quick idea of how to make these chocolate-covered dates.

Slice each date lengthwise and remove the pits.
Stuff the dates with a dollop of peanut butter and a sprinkle of chopped peanuts. Gently press each one closed.
Place the stuffed dates on a parchment-lined tray and freeze them for about 30 minutes. This makes dipping them in chocolate much easier.
Melt the dark chocolate in the microwave or over a double boiler until smooth and glossy.
Dip each stuffed date into the melted chocolate, letting the excess drip off. Place them back on the tray.
Sprinkle finely chopped peanuts over the chocolate-coated dates while the chocolate is still wet.
Refrigerate until the chocolate is fully set. Enjoy!

Tips

Here are a few tips to help you make the best peanut butter dates.

Use room-temperature peanut butter for easier stuffing and spreading.
If you prefer a thinner chocolate coating, add a teaspoon of coconut oil to the melted chocolate.
For a neat finish, use a fork to dip the dates and tap it gently on the side of the bowl to remove excess chocolate.
Experiment with toppings like sea salt flakes, crushed pretzels or sprinkles for special occasions.

Troubleshooting

If you run into any issues, here’s how to solve them.

Dates tearing apart while stuffing? Avoid overfilling them, and use a small spoon or butter knife to handle delicate dates.
Chocolate too thick for dipping? Stir in a little melted coconut oil or shortening to thin it out.
Chocolate not setting properly? Allow enough time for the coating to firm up in the refrigerator.

How to make ahead, store and freeze

They’re fine at room temperature for up to 3 days if it’s not too warm, or you can refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to a week.

You can also freeze them for up to 3 months.

Gluten-free/vegan/paleo versions

These stuffed dates are naturally gluten-free and vegan. Just check the labels on your chocolate, peanut butter and any toppings you plan to use.

Peanut butter that’s 100% peanuts is gluten-free and vegan, but if you use regular peanut butter or “natural” peanut butter that, for some reason, has added fat and sugar, you’ll want to check the label.

For paleo, use almond, cashew or sunflower seed butter that’s 100% nuts or seeds + salt. Same with the nuts that are sprinkled on top. Peanuts aren’t paleo, but all other nuts and seeds are.

Dark chocolate is usually vegan, but it’s not always. I always use these dark chocolate chips
And if you’re paleo, make sure you use a compliant chocolate like these paleo chocolate chunks.

I hope you’ll enjoy these chocolate-covered dates! If you try them out, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. Thanks! 🙂

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