This stuffed dates recipe is a lush combination of bitter chocolate, sweet juicy medjool dates, creamy peanut nut butter and flakey sea salt.
These stuffed dates are divine… it’s near impossible to stop at just one. They’re what I call ‘low-key fancy’: quick and easy enough to enjoy as a weekday pick-me-up, yet gorgeous enough to serve guests when entertaining.
The caramel-like Medjool dates serve as the perfect canvas for the creamy nut butter, while bitter dark chocolate and flaky sea salt tie it all together. While I can’t quite vouch they taste like a Snickers Bar (that would be tomfoolery), the peanut-date-caramel flavours are really, really good together. All-in-all, a lovely little sweet treat.
As a Registered Nutritionist, I love using dates in my kitchen. They’re great as a fruit-based sweetener (case in point: this fruit-sweetened banana date bread!), that also offers good nutrition back-for-buck with fibre, antioxidants, vitamins and more.
Ingredient Lineup
- Medjool dates. In New Zealand, these are typically found in the fresh produce section of the supermarket. They’re large, dark and sold dried, not dehydrated – making them soft and sticky. They come pitted (pit removed) or with the pit still in which you have to remove yourself (super easy to do).
- Peanut butter. A pantry essential, at least in my kitchen. Opt for a natural peanut butter featuring just peanuts and salt on its ingredients list – it’s all that’s needed👌.
- Dark chocolate for its bitterness, texture and deliciousness. Go for a high percentage dark chocolate. If you’re vegan or dairy free, check the ingredients panel for the presence of milk products – most true dark chocolates are dairy-free.
- Flakey sea salt. Salt is one of my favourite ingredients in the kitchen. It has its own particular taste, while both balancing and enhancing the flavours of other ingredients. Flaky sea salt is great as a finishing salt (a salt not used in cooking), because of its light, fine and crunchy texture.
If you have a peanut allergy, you could substitute peanut butter for another nut butter. If you want a nut-free version, tahini is ace🤙.
Serving Suggestion
These are best enjoyed at room temperature. Allow them to sit for a few minutes before serving – the peanut butter and date will soften, melding the flavours together nicely.
Flavour Variations
The world’s your oyster when it comes to stuffed Medjool dates, with plenty of flavour ideas to springboard off to. Here are ideas:
- Honeyed Goat’s Cheese. Stuff dates with creamy goat cheese and a drizzle of honey for a sweet-and-savoury easy appetiser idea.
- Nutella. Fill dates with hazelnut butter (or Nutella spread!), then garnish with finely chopped hazelnuts and dark chocolate *swoon*.
- Tahini Cardamon. Stuff with tahini, then cover in melted cardamon-infused dark chocolate and a garnish of sesame seeds. Harden in the fridge.
- Almond Joy. Mix coconut cream, shredded coconut and a sweetener together to taste, then fill each date. Garnish with a whole almond.
- Maple Pecan. Stuff with pecan nut butter mixed with a dash of maple syrup. For total fall vibes, sprinkle a pinch of pumpkin spice overtop.
- Bacon-Wrapped. Wrap dates in bacon and bake until crispy for a delicious blend of sweet-and-savoury flavours.
Nutrition Q&A
Medjool dates are celebrated for their natural sweetness. They’re a good source of dietary fibre and an array of minerals, like potassium, manganese and copper.
Being a dehydrated fruit, their natural sugars are more concentrated. However, they’re also rich in dietary fibre, which slows the release of these sugars into your bloodstream. This is so much so that they’re considered a low glycemic fruit!
By pairing dates with slow-to-be-digested protein, fibre and fat-rich nut butter, this helps further reduces blood sugar spikes.
Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoy this recipe. Are you a peanut butter fan? Try this peanut butter chocolate date bark.
Peanut Butter Stuffed Medjool Dates
Rating:
Ingredients:
- 6 medjool dates *
- 3 tsp peanut butter **
- A couple of small squares of dark chocolate
- 6 small pinches of flakey sea salt
Method:
- Finely slice down the middle of each date lengthways, cutting about half way down the date. Gently open by pulling apart.
- Remove inner pit if needed and discard.
- Spoon nut butter into date.
- Using a knife chop dark chocolate. Sprinkle overtop of the nut butter.
- Sprinkle with a small pinch of sea salt. Enjoy!
Notes:
*Medjool dates are a large variety of date famed for their caramel-like taste, and superbly soft, moist and chewy inner texture. They have a high fructose content, making them pretty sweet. They can be found in the chilled produce section of the supermarket.
** Feel free to sub peanut butter for another nut butter of your choice e.g. hazelnut, almond…
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