Medjool dates are gorgeously soft, sweet and sticky. They pair beautifully with bitter dark chocolate and when you add golden chopped nuts, you get an easy yet show-stoppingly beautiful chocolate dates recipe that everyone will love.
To give these dates an extra special appearance, you'll spray the chopped nuts with edible gold spray. I love how decadent it makes this dish look. Once that's done, preparing the dates is simply a case of dipping them in melted dark chocolate and then rolling them in the chopped nuts before leaving to set.
These are perfect snacks to share and each bite is a glorious combination of crunchy, chewy and creamy; bitter, earthy and sweet.
This chocolate dates would also make fantastic gifts, don't you think?
Here's how to make them.
Ingredients
- 500 g (1.1 lb) Medjool dates chilled (pits removed or see notes)
- 150 g (5.3 oz) dark chocolate melted
- 100 g (3.5 oz) walnuts or any other unsalted nuts
- Edible gold spray
Equipment
- Small microwave-safe bowl
- Small plate
- Tray
Instructions
We're using Medjool dates here, which tend to come with the pit still in the centre. You can leave the pits in place and simply let your guests know they're there, or you can remove them by making a small cut in the side of each date with a knife, lifting the pit out and then pressing the sticky edges together again to seal again.
Chop the walnuts so that the pieces are quite small. Put them in a sieve and shake to remove any fine dust. Transfer to a small plate.
Hold your can of gold spray about 10cm (4 inches) away from the plate and spray the nuts gold, stirring to make sure they're completely covered. I like to stand my plate in the sink to do this so that I don't spray my whole kitchen gold!
Place your chocolate in a small, microwave-safe bowl.
Heat in 30-second blasts, stirring between each blast until the chocolate is completely melted.
Take a date and dip it about half way into the chocolate. Allow any excess to drip away.
Gently roll the chocolate-coated end of the date in the gold-sprayed nuts.
Make the sure the nuts evenly coat the chocolate.
Rest the date on baking paper to set. Repeat with the remaining dates.
Place the whole tray in the fridge if you'd like your dates to set more quickly.
Enjoy your dates as a snack or dessert. They don't last long in our house!
Will you give my chocolate dates recipe a go? If you do, I'd love to hear how you get on.
Pointers, tricks and troubleshooting tips for the perfect chocolate dates
Are chocolate dates easy to make?
Yes! These eye catching little dates are so easy to make, and the sprayed gold nuts bring a bit of sparkle to any festive spread.
You'll just spray chopped nuts gold with edible gold, then dip the dates in melted dark chocolate before rolling them in the nuts to produce these elegant and delightful little treats.
Will I need any special equipment for this recipe?
You should be able to easily find all you need to make these chocolate dates in the average kitchen: a chopping board and knife to chop the nuts, a sieve to remove any small dusty bits, and a bowl to melt the chocolate in.
You'll also need a lined baking sheet or board to rest the finished dates on to set. The full list of equipment can be found on the recipe card below.
Where can I buy Medjool dates?
You should be able to easily find Medjool dates in the supermarket, or online. They are particularly popular around Christmas and Ramadan.
Medjool dates are usually larger, softer, and juicer than regular dates which is why I'm using them for this recipe. It's easier to get a good dip into the chocolate with a larger date and their distinctive caramel taste goes beautifully with the walnuts and chocolate.
If you can't find Medjool dates you can use any other type of dates, it might be helpful to use a toothpick or skewer to help to dip smaller dates into the chocolate and nuts.
How can I tell if Medjool dates have gone off?
As with most dried fruit, and particularly dates, the low moisture and high sugar content helps to preserve them. This means, if kept correctly, they can last quite a long time.
Medjool dates are a soft variety of date so will go off more quickly than harder dates.
Medjool dates should keep for about 2 months when stored in an airtight container in a cool dark place. Pack them into the container tightly so that there is little air surrounding the dates.
You can also keep them in the fridge or freezer where they will last for up to a year.
Older dates have a tendency to form sugar crystals just under the skin as they dry out. These are still ok to eat, they just don't look as pretty. Any with visible mould should be discarded.
You can also check your dates by smelling them. If they smell rotten or rancid then throw them out.
Are chocolate dates suitable for vegetarians or vegans?
Yes, these delightful chocolate dates are suitable for both vegans and vegetarians as they contain no animal derived products.
If you are making these dates for vegans, make sure to use dark chocolate that is labelled dairy-free. You should also double-check the shimmer spray.
Are chocolate dates gluten-free?
The recipe should be naturally gluten-free but it's always best to check the labels (particularly the chocolate and the gold spray) to be certain when you are cooking for someone who needs to avoid gluten in their diet.
Are chocolate dates keto-friendly?
These chocolate dates are not suitable for a ketogenic diet. This is because dates have a high sugar content making the recipe too high in carbohydrates to be considered keto-friendly.
Are chocolate dates healthy?
Chocolate dates are a festive indulgence. Up to 80% of a date is made up of natural sugars, so although dates are a good source of potassium they should be treated as any other sweet treat and eaten in moderation.
Are chocolate dates safe to eat while pregnant?
Yes, there isn't anything in this recipe that should pose a risk to pregnant women, as long as the chocolate dates are made safely and hygienically.
A Mummy Too does not offer medical advice. If you have any questions or concerns please speak to a health professional.
What goes well with chocolate dates?
Chocolate dates are the perfect companion to an after-dinner coffee. They look beautiful stacked up on a plate, or arranged on a serving board.
They make a nice change from other sweet treats often offered around in the festive season since the natural sweetness from the dates is much gentler.
Can I make chocolate dates without nuts?
Yes, you could definitely make these dates without nuts.
You could serve them simply as chocolate-dipped dates, or you could try coating them in something else.
Sesame seeds could be a great alternative to nuts, or you could try rice crispies, cake sprinkles or anything small and crunchy that can be easily sprayed to create the golden nuggets. Honeycomb also works well if you break it up into small pieces.
If someone who'll be enjoying them has a nut, seed or other allergy, don't forget to check the labels on all the ingredients to ensure they're safe to serve.
I haven’t got dates can I use something else?
If you haven't got dates you can use any small fruits really.
Dried apricots or figs will work well, or you could fresh fruit like strawberries or orange segments but they they will need to be eaten right away.
Can I add extra nuts to this recipe?
The ratio of nuts to dates is already pretty generous, but if you you wanted to cover the whole date in chocolate and nuts you would simply need to double the quantity of chocolate and nuts in the recipe.
This will be a little fiddlier than just dipping an end because it's harder to get the chocolate and nuts evenly all the way around.
I recommend using one hand to dip in the chocolate and the other hand to roll in the dates, so that things don't get too messy. Using a toothpick or cocktail stick to hold the date as you dip it in the chocolate and nuts will help too.
Bear in mind too that you'll lose the lovely contrast of the rich brown dates with the golden nuts if you coat them entirely.
How should I store chocolate dates?
As Medjool dates are quite juice, it's best to keep them in an airtight container in the fridge. You might also want to layer them up with pieces of baking paper in between to stop them sticking together.
How long do chocolate dates keep?
If you've used a fresh packet of dates and nuts, they will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple of weeks.
Can I leave chocolate dates out on the counter?
You can leave these chocolate dates out for serving, and on the counter for a few hours but they are best kept in an airtight container in the fridge for storage, as this will keep them fresher for longer.
Can I make chocolate dates ahead?
Yes, these chocolate dates last well when stored correctly so can be made a few days in advance.
They even make a lovely little homemade gift. Line a suitable container with some baking paper, cut to size, and carefully arrange the chocolate dates = inside.
Place a piece of baking paper between each layer and a final piece on top to protect them before putting the lid on.
Can I keep chocolate dates in the refrigerator?
Yes, make sure to store these chocolate dates in an airtight container, they will keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks.
Can I freeze chocolate dates?
I wouldn't recommend freezing these chocolate dates. All the ingredients freeze well individually, but the golden nut layer is quite delicate so might not hold up in the freezer.
If you have leftover uncoated dates, you can keep them in the freezer to extend their life. Once thawed they can't be re-frozen.
Do I need to remove the pits/stones before dipping my dates in chocolate?
If you like you can remove the pits, or just leave them in if you don't have time, as long as you let people know they are still inside.
To remove them simply slice into the date lengthways and pull out the pit, you can then press the hole you've just made back together.
If you wanted you could add a small piece of walnut inside to replace the pit and have a nut surprise inside as well as out.
Can I make these chocolate dates in a different quantity?
Yes, it's really simple to make more or fewer of these chocolate-covered dates. If you head down to the recipe card below you'll see the number of servings is set to 20 dates, which is about 500g (17.5 oz) worth.
Click or hover over the servings and a slider will pop up that you can move up or down to get the number you want to make. The ingredient quantities will all update automatically.
Can I make chocolate dates with a food processor?
You could use a food processor to chop the nuts for you. Make sure to only pulse them for a few seconds or the pieces will be too small or may even turn into a paste.
Another way to break up walnuts is to use a rolling pin. Put the nuts on a large chopping board and roll over them a few times.
Can I use white chocolate instead?
If you prefer white chocolate then go right ahead. I think the combination of dark chocolate contrasting with the sweet caramel dates works really well, and white chocolate might be a bit softer and messier, but could look very pretty and taste with chopped pistachios or macadamia nuts.
I don't have a microwave, how can I melt the chocolate?
If you don't have a microwave, don't try to melt your chocolate directly in a saucepan as it will probably burn. Instead, you'll need to use the bain-marie method.
To make a bain-marie, fill a small pan with 2-3cm (1 inch) of boiling water. Find a heat-safe bowl that fits on top of the pan without touching the water.
Put the chocolate into the bowl and warm the pan over a medium heat so it simmers gently. The steam will rise up, heating the bowl and gently melting the chocolate. Once the chocolate has started to melt, you can turn off the hob as the residual heat from the water will continue to melt the chocolate.
Be careful as the bowl will be hot, and hot steam will be released when you come to lift the bowl off.
Where can I get edible gold spray?
Most large supermarkets will stock edible spray in the baking section, or you should be able to find it online, sometimes it's called shimmer spray, or glitter spray.
It comes in other colours too - usually silver, bronze or copper. I think gold works best for this recipe as it complements the natural tones of the dates and chocolate, and has a sense of luxury but of course, you can use a different colour if you like, or skip the spray entirely.
When you come to spray the chopped nuts, it's a good idea to do so in a confined area as the tiny glitter particles have a tendency to spread in the air and may coat your entire kitchen in a golden glow.
I find it easiest to do this in the sink so you can rinse away any flyaway sparkles once you've finished.
How can I add/change the flavours in this dish?
You can use milk or white chocolate in place of the dark chocolate if you like, and any nuts will work in place of the walnuts.
Walnuts or pecans pair particularly well with dates, but almonds or pistachios would be lovely too.
If you're using pistachio,s you could leave them without the gold spray as the intense green colour would look great.
You can also coat things other than dates, such as dried figs or apricots. You could even try using chocolate-dipped brazil nuts, or fresh fruits like strawberries.
What is the origin of this chocolate date recipe?
The natural sweetness of dates has been enjoyed at times of celebration in many different cultures for centuries.
There is archaeological evidence of the cultivation of dates from thousands of years ago, so people have been indulging in these delightful sweet fruits for a long time, including with chocolate and nuts.
This recipe adds some glamour with glittering walnuts, but it's a beautifully simple recipe perfect for any celebration.
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Chocolate dates recipe
Ingredients
- 500 g (1.1 lb) Medjool dates chilled (pits removed or see notes)
- 150 g (5.3 oz) dark chocolate melted
- 100 g (3.5 oz) walnuts or any other unsalted nuts
- Edible gold spray
Equipment
- Small microwave-safe bowl
- Small plate
- Tray
Instructions
- Chop the walnuts so that the pieces are quite small. Put them in a sieve and shake to remove any fine dust. Transfer to a small plate.
- Hold your can of gold spray about 10cm (4 inches) away from the plate and spray the nuts gold, stirring to make sure they're completely covered. I like to stand my plate in the sink to do this so that I don't spray my whole kitchen gold!
- Place your chocolate in a small, microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 30-second blasts, stirring between each blast until the chocolate is completely melted.
- Take a date and dip it about half way into the chocolate. Allow any excess to drip away.
- Gently roll the chocolate-coated end of the date in the gold-sprayed nuts. Make the sure the nuts evenly coat the chocolate.
- Rest the date on baking paper to set. Repeat with the remaining dates.
- Place the whole tray in the fridge if you'd like your dates to set more quickly.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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