Date Snickers

You may have seen some other recipes online that call for stuffing a WHOLE date with peanut butter and then dunking the whole thing in melted chocolate. I tried it that way, and I’ll be honest… it’s just too much.

It’s too sweet on the outside, and not enough crunch on the inside. Dates act as the caramel in this recipe, and Snickers bars don’t have a double-caramel layer.

That’s why this recipe works better. The pieces are perfectly portioned and one layer doesn’t overpower the others!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review

“These are insanely good! I thought there is no way they taste like Snickers. They are way better! I will be making these often.”

– Christine

Date Snickers Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Medjool dates. Shop for Medjool dates that look plump, like they could be easily split apart with your fingers. (I find these in the grocery store’s produce section, rather than the bulk bins.) These mimick the chewy texture and flavor of caramel.
• Nut butter. This mimicks the nougat layer, without extra effort. I like the flavor of salted peanut butter in these, but almond butter or cashew butter would work, too.
• Peanuts. Snickers bars have peanuts inside, so these do, too! But you can use any other nuts or seeds for added crunch. (For a nut-free idea, rice cereal could work as a crunch bar idea, perhaps?)
• Chocolate Chips. Melted chocolate is used as a topping here, to add the chocolate bar flavor, but we’re not using enough to coat the entire date — just the top! The dates are already sweet enough. Use dark chocolate for a less sweet flavor.
• Flaky salt. I use Maldon salt, which has big flakes. A pinch of salt on top of the melted chocolate is optional, but makes the flavor pop.

How to Make Date Snickers

Step 1:

Split the dates in half and remove the pits in the center. Arrange the date halves with the cetner facing up on a plate or baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Each date will create two fun-size treats, so prepare as many as you’d like to have on hand. (I tend to use 9 large dates at a time.)

Step 2:

Spread about a half teaspoon of nut butter on each date half. The amount will vary depending on the size of each date, but feel free to be generous. 

Next, sprinkle chopped or crushed peanuts on top of the nut butter. This will add a nice crunch to each piece!

Step 3:

Melt roughly a 1/4 cup of chocolate chips for every 8 large Medjool dates you plan on using. I make a double boiler to do this by filling a small saucepan with 1-inch of water.

Bring the water to a boil on the stove top and cover the top of the pot snugly with a heat-safe bowl. Add the chocolate chips and stir often until they have melted. 

Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate chips in a heat-safe bowl in the microwave using 30-second intervals.

Step 4:

Use a spoon to drizzle the melted chocolate on top of each date half. There’s no need to fully dip these in the chocolate because the date is already sweet! I think these taste best with only chocolate on top. 

While the chocolate is still warm, sprinkle some flaky sea salt on top for a sweet and salty treat. Repeat the process until all of the dates have been topped with chocolate. Place the plate or pan in the fridge or freezer to help the chocolate harden faster.

As soon as it’s firm, these are ready to eat! 

Snickers Dates Storage Tips

Because these ingredients are shelf stable, they can be stored at room temperature for several days. This means you can make them for a party and they won’t melt while sitting out on the counter.

With that being said, we really enjoy these chilled. I like to store them in an airtight container in the fridge to keep the chocolate topping crisp. These should keep well chilled for up to a month, so feel free to make a larger batch if you want to!

More Recipes to Try

• Date Brownies
• Healthy Birthday Cake
• Vegan Latte

If you try these Date Snickers, please leave a comment and a star rating to let me know how you like them.