DATE BLISS BITES
As I thought about an adult friendly recipe featuring dates, my mind naturally leaned into my Middle Eastern heritage. As a child, I always cringed at the thought of eating dates in any form, and didn’t understand why my family treated them as such a delicacy. As I grew older, I’ve learned to embrace all of the richness and purity the date has to offer. These Date Bliss Bites are my new take on the ‘stuffed date’.
Pistachio butter is by far my favorite nut butter, and of course, cream cheese gives a velvety tanginess that balances well with the sweet date essence. Most recipes will stop at stuffing the date, but to make it truly indulgent in my mind, chocolate is almost always a must.
Whether you are treating yourself, bringing it to a dinner party, or sharing it with loved ones, the crisp chocolate shell paired with the burst of sweet, tangy and nutty flavors is what makes this recipe and exploring the world of dates such a joyful adventure, all while sharing and remembering a piece of my heritage.
Date Bliss Bites
Equipment
- 1 Food Processor
- 1 Sheet Pan
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
Pistachio Butter & Cream Cheese Filling Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup de-shelled pistachios reserve a couple of tablespoons crushed for the topping
- 1/4 cup cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Chocolate Coating Ingredients:
- 1 cup of your favorite chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoons of coconut oil
- 1 cup of pitted dates make sure they are dry
- Sea salt to sprinkle on top optional
- Store bought caramel drizzle optional
Instructions
Start with the Pistachio Butter & Cream Cheese Filling:
- Add pistachios to the food processor and puree on high for ~5 minutes. Allow time for the pistachios to release their own oils and create the buttery texture. No need to add any additional oil!
- Add the cream cheese and puree until combined.
For the Chocolate Coating:
- While the food processor is going, add the chocolate and coconut oil to a microwave safe dish or pyrex.
- Microwave on high and stop to stir every 15-20 seconds. Once the chocolate mixture is almost melted, take it out of the microwave and stir until completely melted and smooth.
- Set aside to cool slightly.
Stuffing the Dates:
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Split the side of the date and using a small spoon or your hands, fill the mixture into each of the dates and place on the baking sheet.
- ***Do not overstuff the dates so the filling doesn’t fall out in the next steps.
For Assembly:
- Dip the stuffed dates into the chocolate mixture using a fork until fully coated.
- Place back on the baking sheet to harden and sprinkle with your favorite topping immediately, such as more crushed pistachios, sea salt and/or caramel. Enjoy!
