Stuffed Dates (Easy Four-Ingredient Recipe)

Name: Stuffed Dates (Easy Four-Ingredient Recipe)
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 20 Medjool dates; 20 walnut halves; ¼ tsp cardamom powder; ⅓ cup shredded coconut

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Easy Four-Ingredient Stuffed Dates recipe that you can make at home. Dates stuffed with nuts are an excellent gluten-free snack option, especially when you're in the mood for something sweet that's actually good for you. Check out my Honey Nuts Clusters recipe for another healthy snack option!

dates stuffed with nuts and sprinkled with coconut

Can you think of any fruit that is more Middle Eastern in origin than dates? Dates have been cultivated in the Middle East for thousands of years. This delicious fruit is also regularly referred to in the Bible.

Before cupcakes, candy, and desserts were a thing, dates were being enjoyed in the Middle East as a healthy, and naturally sweet snack which provided the energy required for everyday living.

Assyrian relief of date cultivation — *Assyrians have been cultivating dates for thousands of years as depicted in this Assyrian relief*. The relief shows the Sacred Tree of Life, which is a date palm. According to the Brooklyn Museum website: "the tree itself is associated with the goddess Ishtar, a fertility deity and goddess of the date harvest."

Why This Recipe Works

If you don't want to completely blow your diet by enjoying a date shake, I get it. Have a healthier alternative, this stuffed dates recipe!

It's true that dates are amazing on their own, but you can easily dress them up to impress your family and friends.

Although you can find recipes for mascarpone, blue cheese, and bacon stuffed/wrapped dates, I like to keep it simple. All you need to do is replace the date pit with a walnut, or almond, and sprinkle or dip the date in shredded coconut.

As an alternative, brush the inside of the date with tahini paste, stuff with almonds or walnuts, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. No matter which method you use, I promise it will be easy and delicious!

How to Make Stuffed Dates

STEP 1: Use a sharp paring knife to make a slit into the dates and remove the pit. You can either stuff the whole date or spit it into two. Fill the date with a walnut half.

STEP 2: Mix cardamom with shredded coconut. Sprinkle coconut over the dates, one at a time. Press the coconut into the dates, if necessary.

Other Stuffed Dates Ideas

Mix cardamom with softened Date Paste and shape around a walnut or an almond. Roll the stuffed dates in shredded coconut or sesame seeds.
Brush the inside of the split dates with tahini paste, peanut butter, cashew butter, or favorite nut butter before adding a nut.
Drizzle stuffed dates with honey or melted chocolate.
To stuff dates with cheese choose goat cheese, plain cream cheese, or vegan cream cheese.
Some people even stuff dates with other fruit and fresh herbs including raspberries, bananas, basil, rosemary, and thyme!

Recipe FAQs and Expert Tips

Are Dates Good For You?

If you want a sinfully-sweet snack to satisfy your sweet tooth, look no further. Dates are loaded with Polyphenols (antioxidants, that protect your body from inflammation).

They are high in fiber, potassium, and B-6. Dates are also loaded with minerals like copper, magnesium, calcium, and iron. So in comparison to other empty-calorie snacks, dates win hands down.

There is one downside to consuming too many dates, as they are high in carbohydrates. Keeping this in mind, you'll have to eat them in moderation, and pay attention to those macros.

What Dates are best for Stuffing?

All dates are not created equal. My favorite dates to stuff are Medjool dates. I usually find them at Costco, but they can be purchased elsewhere, including on Amazon.

What makes Medjool dates my favorite? They are plump, moist, and larger than other dates.

To see what I mean, just look at the pictures below to see a comparison between Deglet Noor dates, and Medjool dates.

Medjools are very easy to stuff, whereas you can barely fit the walnuts inside the Deglet Noor dates.

Medjool Dates in comparison to Deglet Noor dates. Notice how tiny Deglet Noor dates are. Which would you rather stuff?

To make your own paste, check out my Date Paste and date Kileche recipes. However, I won't judge you if you buy premade Date Paste.
Stuffed dates are perfect to serve at parties or potlucks. They can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to serve.
Cardamom adds a delicious flavor to stuffed dates, but you can leave it out if you have to. Instead, use a pinch of cinnamon.
You can also use dates to make your own Date Syrup/Molasses.
Stuffed Dates can be stored in the fridge or left on the counter. However, I recommend storing the stuffed dates in an air-tight container. Dates stored in the refrigerator will still be good to eat for months!

dates stuffed with nuts and covered with shredded coconuts and sesame seeds

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