Chocolate Covered Dates Almond Butter (Printer-friendly)

Sweet Medjool dates filled with almond butter, coated in dark chocolate and topped with almonds and sea salt.

# What you'll need:

→ Dates

01 - 12 large Medjool dates, pitted

→ Filling

02 - 6 tablespoons almond butter, smooth or crunchy

→ Chocolate Coating

03 - 5 oz (150 g) dark chocolate, 70% cocoa or higher, chopped
04 - 1 teaspoon coconut oil (optional, for shinier coating)

→ Toppings (optional)

05 - 2 tablespoons chopped roasted almonds
06 - Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

# Method:

01 - Slice each date lengthwise on one side and gently open to remove the pit, keeping the date intact.
02 - Fill each date with approximately 1/2 tablespoon of almond butter, then gently pinch the date closed around the filling.
03 - Melt the dark chocolate and coconut oil (if using) in a heatproof bowl over simmering water using a double boiler or microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring until smooth.
04 - Dip each stuffed date into the melted chocolate using a fork or dipping tool, allowing excess chocolate to drip off. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
05 - Immediately sprinkle the coated dates with chopped almonds and/or flaky sea salt, if desired.
06 - Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or until the chocolate coating is set.
07 - Serve chilled or at room temperature. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They look fancy enough to serve at a dinner party but take barely fifteen minutes to assemble.
  • The natural sweetness of dates means you're not loading these with refined sugar, yet they taste like pure indulgence.
  • They're vegan and gluten-free without feeling like a compromise on taste or texture.
  • Once you master the basic version, you can play endlessly with different nut butters and chocolate percentages.
02 -
  • Don't skip the coconut oil unless you want matte, slightly grainy chocolate; it transforms the coating from okay to glossy restaurant-quality.
  • Room-temperature almond butter spreads infinitely easier than cold almond butter straight from the jar, so take it out five minutes before you start.
  • If your chocolate seems too thick for dipping, you've likely gone too cold; warm it gently for another ten seconds rather than overheating, which breaks the emulsion.
03 -
  • A fork is genuinely the best dipping tool because the tines let you cradle the date securely while chocolate drips through, far better than a spoon.
  • If you mess up the chocolate temperature or it seizes, start over rather than trying to save it; chocolate temper matters more than most home cooks realize, and fresh melting takes two minutes anyway.

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