Craving a sweet treat but want to keep it healthy? This date snickers recipe is a remake of a classic snickers bar, but made for better-for-you ingredients. And honestly, I think they taste better than the real candy bar.
Creamy peanut butter and crunchy peanuts are stuffed into chewy sweet dates, and then are dipped in chocolate. A sprinkle of flaky sea salt adds a sweet-and-salty finish that ties it all together.
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They’re great for both kids and adults, and they make a perfect sweet-tooth-satisfying snack. Whip up a batch to keep on hand, or double (even triple!) the recipe and stash some in the freezer when craving something sweet.
Why you’ll love this date snickers recipe
- quick and easy recipe
- made with 5 simple ingredients
- a healthy spin on a classic candy bar
- perfect for adults and kids!
Are date snickers healthy?
This date snickers recipe is a healthy alternative to your standard snickers bar. They are made from whole food ingredients consisting of naturally sweet dates providing fiber and micronutrients, all-natural peanut butter and peanuts, providing healthy fats and a little protein, and dark chocolate. That being said, they can be calorie-dense for such a small snack, so if monitoring your calorie intake, be mindful of how many you consume.
Ingredients
- medjool dates – I suggest dates with a pit, as they are juicier.
- natural peanut butter – creamy or crunchy will work.
- peanuts – I like dry roasted.
- dark chocolate – I like using a chocolate bar, but chips will also work.
- flaky salt – of course, for topping!
How to make date snickers
For the complete directions, ingredient amounts, serving size, and accurate nutrition breakdown, scroll down to the recipe card below.
Prep dates.
Remove pits from the dates, opening them up, but making sure they are still stuck together at the bottom. Spread them out evenly on the parchment paper lined plate.
Stuff with peanut butter.
Stuff each date with about 1 teaspoon of peanut butter. Sprinkle chopped peanuts on top of each one. Place in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to harden.
Sprinkle with peanuts.
Sprinkle chopped peanuts on top of the peanut butter in each date. Place in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to harden.
Make the snickers.
Dip the top half of each date into the melted chocolate. Place back on the plate and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Repeat with the remaining dates.
Melt your chocolate.
In a small microwave-safe bowl, add the chocolate. Microwave in 15-20 second increments until melted.
Refrigerate.
Place in the fridge for 15-20 minutes until the chocolate layer is hardened.
How long to freeze date snickers?
Date snickers need to freeze only for 15-20 minutes. This is enough time for the ingredients to set and harden. They can also be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Storage
Substitutions
- medjool dates – I suggest dates with pits, as they are juicier.
- natural peanut butter – creamy or crunchy peanut butter will work. If you can’t have peanut butter, any kind of nut butter or seed butter will work. Try almond butter, cashew butter, sunflower seed butter, or tahini. This will change the flavor, though.
- peanuts – I like to use roasted peanuts, but you can also swap them out with another nut like walnuts, pecans, or almonds. This will change the flavor somewhat.
- dark chocolate – I like dark chocolate to cut the sweetness, but semi-sweet chocolate or milk chocolate will also work. I like to use a chocolate bar, but chocolate chips will also work.
- flaky salt – you can leave this off if you don’t have it, but it adds the perfect saltiness to balance the sweetness.
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Date Snickers
ingredients
- 12 medium medjool dates, pits removed (225 grams – I suggest dates with pits as they are juicier)
- 1/4 cup natural peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons peanuts, roughly chopped
- 2 ounces dark chocolate, broken into pieces
- flaky salt, for topping
instructions
- Line a plate or small baking sheet with parchment paper. Make sure the plate will fit in your freezer.
- Remove pits from the dates, opening them up, but making sure they are still stuck together at the bottom. Spread them out evenly on the parchment paper lined plate.
- Make dates. Stuff each date with about 1 teaspoon of peanut butter. Sprinkle chopped peanuts on top of each one. Place in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to harden.
- While the dates set, melt your chocolate. In a small microwave-safe bowl, add the chocolate. Microwave in 15-20 second increments until melted. Make sure to stir after each time so the chocolate doesn’t burn. You can also use the double-boiler method by adding the chocolate to a small glass bowl over a saucepan with simmering water.
- Make the snickers. Dip the top half of each stuffed date into the melted chocolate. Place chocolate-covered dates on the plate and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Repeat with the remaining dates.
- Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes until the chocolate layer is hardened.
- Enjoy! Store in the fridge.
nutrition
Recipe by Kelly Nardo, Eat the Gains | Photography by Sierra Inn
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