These Chocolate Covered Dates are the ultimate pantry staples dessert recipe! These sweet treats are also vegan, gluten free, and have no added sugars.
Between planning meals for the family, sometimes desserts can get the short end of the stick. I always try to have something simple like a frozen pie or grab ingredients for a simple rice pudding but sometimes I’m caught empty handed when those dessert cravings hit. Luckily these delicious chocolate covered dates are only a pantry door away.
Why This Recipe Works
Like I mentioned above, these chocolate covered dates are made out of pantry staples. We almost always have these ingredients on hand so whipping up a batch isn’t difficult.
These chocolate covered dates are also super easy. It only takes a couple minutes to put together. The part that takes the longest is freezing them for 20 minutes and that’s all hands-off work.
These sweet little bites are also gluten free and vegan if you’re looking for an accommodating dessert to serve. There’s also no added sugar as the dates are sweet enough on their own.
Table of contents
Key Ingredients
Dates — I do recommend medjool dates because they tend to be the juiciest and softest. Plus you can’t make chocolate covered dates without the dates!
Tahini — This is a pantry staple for me and something I always have WAY too much of since I find all of these tahini containers are HUGE. I love hummus, but man, I don’t eat THAT much of it.
Pistachios — They add crunch, flavour, nutrition (healthy fats) and a pretty colour.
Sesame seeds — This is just a garnish and totally optional.
Fleur de sel — Another garnish but man, does it ever kick these up a notch. I do recommend some salt, even if you just have kosher salt (not table salt).
Dark Chocolate — This is for dipping and keeping the tahini filling sealed in, and yes, it’s mandatory LOL
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1: Carefully pit the dates by opening up a slit but not breaking them fully in half.
Step 2: In a bowl, mix together the tahini and pistachios and a pinch of salt.
Step 3: Using a small teaspoon, stuff the dates with the tahini mixture and close shut.
Step 4: Transfer to a baking dish lined with parchment paper or a silpat and freeze for 20 minutes.
Step 5: Meanwhile, melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a double boiler or in the microwave. For the double boiler, place the chocolate and oil in a glass bowl over a small saucepot filled one inch high with simmering water over medium heat. Stir until melted and take off the heat. If using the microwave, place the chocolate and oil in a microwave safe dish and microwave for 60 seconds on 50%. Stir, then put it back in the microwave for another 30 seconds. Stir and repeat until melted. Set aside.
Place the sesame seeds, finely minced pistachios and salt in three bowls.
Step 6: Remove the dates from the freezer and dip 2 or 3 at a time into the chocolate. You don’t have to fully immerse them if you don’t want to, the important thing is you cover up the slit where the tahini was put in. Place back on the baking sheet and quickly sprinkle with the sesame, pistachios and salt. Continue with the remaining dates. The chocolate should firm up very quickly but if you go too slow and the dates are no longer cold, then you can pop them in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes until the chocolate is fully set. Keep the chocolate covered dates refrigerated until ready to eat.
Expert Tips
My biggest tip for nailing these chocolate covered dates is to dig to the bottom of your tahini jar so that you get mainly the more firm part of your tahini, not so much the oil on the top. Too much oil from the tahini and you’re going to end up with a huge mess and not a lot of tahini filling.
As for reducing the mess in general, I suggest when you’re dipping the dates in the chocolate to designate one hand for dipping, and the other clean hand for sprinkling with the toppings. I recommend dipping and sprinkling just 2-3 at a time and having a little assembly station ready so you can get the toppings on before the chocolate dries.
I also would suggest avoid leaving these chocolate covered dates at room temperature for too long. You want to serve them chilled and leave them in the fridge if you’re not enjoying them straightaway.
If you’ve got a small freezer, try using a quarter sheet pan to freeze your stuffed dates on as they take up less room.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, in fact they are DELICIOUS slightly frozen. I recommend placing them on a baking sheet lined with parchment until frozen before you transfer them to a freezer bag.
Totally, this is the most versatile recipe of life. Use milk chocolate, white chocolate, chocolate chips, chocolate bars, whatever you’ve got in your pantry!
Yes, and in fact, I’ve made them that way too. It’s a different flavour, and reminds me a bit of my peanut butter cup recipe, but equally delicious so go for it!
Absolutely use whatever nuts you want for sprinkling and stuffing for these chocolate covered dates.
Kids would definitely love these as a no added sugar treat. A toddler could also enjoy these with some precautions — I would make sure they’re not frozen, and I would probably cut them into smaller pieces so they’re easier and safer for them to eat. Dried fruit (especially with a sticky filling) is a choking hazard so I would only give these in slices to my toddler.
I would think these would be fine in a sealed container for up to a week, but after that, I would transfer them to the freezer for longer storage. There’s no way they would last that long in my house though.
You bet! Kids will love helping with the dipping and sprinkling, and even with the filling if they have good dexterity. Note: You will have a mess, and a lot of chocolatey fingers, but messes are fun when you’re a kid.
More Recipes You Might Like
If you’re looking for more sweet treats like these chocolate covered dates, try some of my favourites down below!
- No Bake Nutella Cheesecake Cups (Vegan & Gluten Free)
- Vegan Oreo Cheesecake (Gluten Free)
- Raw Vegan Cheesecake with Caramel Apples
- Easy Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans (Vegan & Gluten Free)
What sweet treats have you made with your pantry staples? Leave me a comment below with your thoughts!
Chocolate Covered Dates with Tahini Filling (No Sugar Added)
Ingredients
- 1 dozen medjool dates
- 3 tbsp tahini trying not to get too much oil from the jar
- 2 tbsp minced shelled pistachios
- 4 oz dark chocolate dairy free, no added sugar if desired, finely chopped
- 1 tsp coconut oil
Toppings:
- Fleur de sel or sea salt
- Sesame seeds
- Finely minced shelled pistachios
Instructions
- Carefully pit the dates by opening up a slit but not breaking them fully in half.
- In a bowl, mix together the tahini and pistachios and a pinch of salt.
- Using a small teaspoon, stuff the dates with the tahini mixture and close shut.
- Transfer to a baking dish lined with parchment paper or a silpat and freeze for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a double boiler or in the microwave. For the double boiler, place the chocolate and oil in a glass bowl over a small saucepot filled one inch high with simmering water over medium heat. Stir until melted and take off the heat. If using the microwave, place the chocolate and oil in a microwave safe dish and microwave for 60 seconds on 50%. Stir, then put it back in the microwave for another 30 seconds. Stir and repeat until melted. Set aside.
- Place the sesame seeds, finely minced pistachios and salt in three bowls. Remove the dates from the freezer and dip 2 or 3 at a time into the chocolate. You don’t have to fully immerse them if you don’t want to, the important thing is you cover up the slit where the tahini was put in. Place back on the baking sheet and quickly sprinkle with the sesame, pistachios and salt. Continue with the remaining dates. The chocolate should firm up very quickly but if you go too slow and the dates are no longer cold, then you can pop them in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes until the chocolate is fully set. Keep refrigerated until ready to eat.
Notes
- My biggest tip for nailing these chocolate covered dates is to dig to the bottom of your tahini jar so that you get mainly the more firm part of your tahini, not so much the oil on the top. Too much oil from the tahini and you’re going to end up with a huge mess and not a lot of tahini filling.
- As for reducing the mess in general, I suggest when you’re dipping the dates in the chocolate to designate one hand for dipping, and the other clean hand for sprinkling with the toppings. I recommend dipping and sprinkling just 2-3 at a time and having a little assembly station ready so you can get the toppings on before the chocolate dries.
- I also would suggest avoid leaving these chocolate covered dates at room temperature for too long. You want to serve them chilled and leave them in the fridge if you’re not enjoying them straightaway.
Abbey Sharp is a Registered Dietitian (RD), regulated by the Ontario College of Dietitians. She is a mom, YouTuber, Blogger, award winning cookbook author, media coach specializing in food and nutrition influencers, and a frequent contributor to national publications like Healthline and on national broadcast TV shows.
Emily R says
Delicious, nutritious and easy to make!
Abbey Sharp says
Thanks Emily 🙂 So glad you loved it.
Christie Gagnon says
I love dates and these look absolutely amazing! Can’t wait to give them a try!!
Abbey Sharp says
They’re delish!