A recipe for a simple homemade candy: chocolate covered date recipe with almonds. Pitted medjool dates, stuffed with roasted almonds and covered in chocolate. The perfect no-bake gluten-free and vegan dessert (or edible gift)!
A few months ago, I made this recipe for no-bake dessert bars with dates and honey, and with it, my lengthy “Ode to dates” where I talked about their nutritional benefits; dates as an energy-boosting snack; and the connection between dates and Middle Eastern hospitality. You can read all about why dates are one of my favorite snacks in this article about the Health Benefits of Dates.
Nature’s candy, dates remain the best way I sweeten my life. I continue to eat a couple of mejdool dates before working out, and I have also used medjool dates in salads and my tahini date shake.
The idea for today’s chocolate-covered date recipe came to me at a Middle Eastern grocery store–I had spotted a rather pricey box of these treats; I put them down two seconds later and decided to make them at home instead.
What makes these homemade candies special is the intensity of semi-sweet chocolate combined with the melt-in-your mouth sweet medjool dates. The stuffed almonds inside each date and the little almond-pistachio garnish add crunch and texture, while balancing the sweetness.
These chocolate covered dates are an easy option for a gluten-free dessert, and depending on the kind of chocolate, it can be a vegan dessert. And I think they would make a special holiday edible gift for friends and family!
Here is the step-by-step for today’s chocolate covered date recipe with almonds:
Cut a slit in each date and remove the pit. In place of the pit press in an almond. Enclose the dates to completely cover the almonds and set aside in a bowl or tray.
Place the chocolate chips, canola oil and ground cinnamon in a heat-safe bowl that fits tightly on top of a pot with barley simmering water. 
Stir regularly until the chocolate is completely melted. Remove from the heat. Drop the the dates, one-at-a-time, in the melted chocolate, and roll gently to coat the dates. Remove with a spoon and carefully set on a tray lined with parchment paper.
Once you have the chocolate-covered dates assembled on the tray, sprinkle each lightly with the mixture of crushed almonds and pistachios.
Chill in the freezer for about 1 hour or until the chocolate hardens. Leave at room temperature for 10 minutes before ready to serve. Enjoy!
Chocolate Covered Date Recipe With Almonds
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: serves 24 1x
Description
A recipe for a simple homemade candy: chocolate covered date recipe with almonds. Pitted medjool dates, stuffed with roasted almonds and covered in chocolate. The perfect no-bake gluten-free and vegan dessert (or edible gift)!
Ingredients
- 24 medjool dates
- 24 unsalted roasted almonds
- 1 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 tsp canola oil
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp crushed almonds and pistachios
Instructions
- Cut a slit in each date and remove the pit. In place of the pit press in an almond. Enclose the dates to completely cover the almonds and set aside in a bowl or tray.
- Place the chocolate chips, canola oil and ground cinnamon in a heat-safe bowl that fits tightly on top of a pot with barley simmering water. Stir regularly until the chocolate is completely melted. Remove from the heat.
- Drop the the dates, one-at-a-time, in the melted chocolate, and roll gently to coat the dates. Remove with a spoon and carefully set on a tray lined with parchment paper. Once you have the chocolate-covered dates assembled on the tray, sprinkle each lightly with the mixture of crushed almonds and pistachios.
- Chill in the freezer for about 1 hour or until the chocolate hardens. Leave at room temperature for 10 minutes before ready to serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- Visit our store to browse our spices, olive oils and bundles!
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
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How ‘in advance’ of my event can I make these? Thanks.
Hi, Carrie! They should keep well up to a week in the refrigerator as long as you store them in an air-tight container. Enjoy!
Loved this recipe! Thank you so much, I will definitely be making it again, as it is so good and so easy.
I put pretty sprinkles on top instead of the crushed nuts. Which made them super pretty.
Great idea, Merel!