Chocolate-Covered Cashew Butter Stuffed Dates
A naturally sweet, healthy snack that you can grab any time of the day. These cashew butter stuffed dates are super delicious, 100% plant-based, gluten-free, free of added sugar, and incredibly easy to make.
Dates are often referred to as “Nature’s Candy,” but the big question is are they healthful or just another sugar-filled treat to satisfy our sweet tooth?
Are Dates Nature’s Candy?
Dates are incredibly sweet and have a deep rich flavor that might remind you of caramel. Although these delicate, soft, and chewy gifts of nature contain a lot of sugar, dates are exceptionally nutrient-dense, making them a good snack in moderation.
Unlike sugary, empty-calorie snacks that contain heaps of refined sugar, these sweet little treats can satisfy your sweet tooth while providing essential nutrients, such as vitamin B-6, iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese, protein, antioxidants, and fiber,
However, if you are trying to manage your blood sugar level, eat them in moderation. Even though science says that dates are a low glycemic food and when eaten in moderation they should not dramatically impact a person’s blood sugar.
Did you know that there are over 3,000 varieties of dates, with Medjool, Ajwa, Khalas, and Deglet Noor being the most common ones? And a fun date fact I only found out recently, dates are not dried fruits!!!! Can you believe this? Dates are fresh fruits that lose about 70% of the moisture while they ripen on the tree. During this ripening/drying process, their sugar content becomes more concentrated as is their good-for-you nutrients! Fascinating, right?
Servings
18-20 stuffed dates
Ready In:
20-25 min
Calories:
94 (per date)
Good For:
Snack
Introduction
About this Recipe
By: Amy Goodrich
I have talked about this before, but if you choose your sweet snacks wisely, they can be an important part of your diet. They give you the energy boost you might need to finish your work in the afternoon or might decrease hunger and prevent overeating at main meals.
If you are taking them to work make sure to store them in the fridge as they melt fast, especially when you live in a tropical country just like us.
If you are taking your health seriously you might want to invest in a small lunch cool box and ice packs to keep your favorite foods and snacks from turning bad or melting. See notes for more info.
Ingredients
- 18-20 dates
- ¼-⅓ cup unsalted cashew butter
- ½-1 cup roasted walnuts
- ¼-⅓ cup unsweetened dark cacao powder
- ¼-⅓ cup extra virgin coconut oil (melted)
FYI: this recipe doesn’t use exact measurements as how much of the stuffing and chocolate sauce you will need will depend on how big your dates are. If you make too much, no prob! You will just have more than 18-20 stuffed dates and believe me this is not something you will regret. They always go super fast at our home and I always wish I had made some more!
Meet the powerhouse rock stars of this dish
Nutrition
Small nutrient-dense sweet treats. These stuffed dates might seem to add a lot of calories but believe me they are so filling and rich that you will only need 1 or 2 to get your sweet, mid-morning or afternoon energy kick.
Unlike the normal candy bar you would grab at these energy-needing moments, cashew butter stuffed dates come with a host of health-promoting nutrients instead of just adding empty calories and yucky additives.
- Dietary fiber 8%
- Carbs 3%
- Fat 9%
- Protein 4%
- Calories 4.7%
NOTE:
The DRI (Dietary Reference Intake) for protein is 0.36 grams of protein per pound (0.8 grams per kg) of body weight.
This amounts to:
56 grams per day for the average sedentary man
46 grams per day for the average sedentary woman
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1 – Roast walnuts for extra favor
Roast/toast walnuts in the oven or a dry pan. I roasted mine in the oven this time. Though you could skip this step, roasting the walnuts will give the cashew butter stuffed dates extra flavor.
Allow to cool and crush the roasted walnuts. Set aside.
Step 2 – Make Chocolate sauce
Make the chocolate sauce by mixing equal parts of cacao powder and coconut oil. Stir well until you got a smooth chocolate consistency.
I love the bitter taste of dark chocolate and dark cacao powder. However, if you like it sweeter you can add maple syrup or any other sweetener of your choice. This will also help to thicken the chocolate sauce. If the chocolate sauce seems to liquid add more cacao powder, if it is too thick more coconut oil.
Step 3 – Stuff the dates
If you are using dates with a pit, remove them by making a slit along each date and carefully remove the pit.
Depending on how big your dates are, add about ½ to 1 heaped teaspoon of cashew butter inside each date.
Sprinkle each date with a good pinch of crushed walnuts.
Step 4 – Cover the dates with chocolate
Line a tray or flat dish/plate with parchment paper.
To cover the dates in chocolate, use a toothpick or skewer to dip each date into the chocolate sauce until completely covered. Place the chocolate-covered dates on the tray lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with some extra crushed, roasted walnuts.
Place the tray with cashew butter stuffed dates in the freezer or fridge to allow the chocolate to set.
Step 5 – Eat and Store
Store leftover chocolate-covered dates in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week or two.
Notes: Storage Tips For Work or On The Road
Eating healthy while going to work or on the road is not always easy but it is totally doable. I own a small mobile food truck in Cambodia, Se-Asia. Though the town I am living in is growing fast and more healthy options are popping up, most street food or food that can be delivered to my small little food truck is either unhealthy or very limited.
BUT this doesn’t mean I have to go hungry or eat crappy food. A long time ago I bought a reusable cooler bag and ice packs. Depending on your needs and how much food you need to cool, these bags come in many different sizes.
I live in the tropics and a bag with a few reusable ice packs like these (see below) keep my lunch salad and snacks cooled way past my lunchtime.
Here are a few examples on Amazon:
Easy, Printable Recipe Card
Chocolate-Covered Cashew Butter Stuffed Dates
A yummy sweet treat the whole family will love. These cashew butter stuffed dates are sugar- and gluten-free!
Ingredients
- 18-20 dates
- ¼-⅓ cup cashew butter
- ½-1 cup roasted walnuts
- ¼-⅓ cup unsweetened dark cacao powder
- ¼-⅓ cup extra virgin coconut oil (melted)
Instructions
Roast walnuts in the oven or a dry pan.
To make the chocolate sauce, mix equal parts of cacao powder and coconut oil. If you like it sweeter you can add a little maple syrup or any other sweetener of your choice.
Remove the pit of the dates by making a slit along each date and carefully remove the pit. Make sure to not cut all the way through the date as we still need to be able to fill them up.
Depending on how big your dates are, add about ½ to 1 heaped teaspoon of cashew butter inside each date.
Crush the roasted walnuts. Sprinkle each date with a good pinch of crushed walnuts.
Using a toothpick or skewer, dip each date into the chocolate sauce until completely covered. Place the on a tray lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with some extra crushed, roasted walnuts.
Place the dates in the freezer or fridge to allow the chocolate to set.
Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Notes
This recipe doesn't use exact measurements as how much of the stuffing and chocolate sauce you will need will depend on how big your dates are. If you make too much, no prob! You will just have more than 18-20 stuffed dates and believe me this is not something you will regret. They always go super fast at our home and I always wished I had made some more!
