Date snickers is a healthy, sweet and salty treat made using a handful of healthier, better for you ingredients such as medjool dates, peanut butter, melted chocolate and chopped nuts. Whether you choose to make this date snickers recipe as date bark or as stuffed chocolate covered dates, one thing is for sure, they’re even better than a snickers candy bar.
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Why Should You Make This Recipe
I love taking a classic treat and making it a bit healthier without sacrificing taste or satisfaction. My Almond Flour Brownies and Almond Flour Chocolate Cake are a couple of my favorite healthier recipes on the blog. This snickers date recipe has quickly become a new favorite and I know you’ll love it just as much as I do.
- It’s quick, easy and fun to make. This dates snickers treat takes about 5 minutes to make and another 15 - 30 to set. It’s beyond easy to make and tastes even better than a snickers candy bar.
- It’s delicious and versatile no bake dessert. With only a handful of simple ingredients, you can customize the way you make it and even swap out ingredients to meet your specific dietary needs and tastes.
Ingredients
This dates dessert calls for only a handful of simple pantry staple ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need to make this healthy snickers bar.
Gather Medjool dates, peanut butter, chopped peanuts, your choice of chocolate chips or chunks, coconut oil (optional) and flaky salt (optional).
Substitutions
These peanut butter chocolate dates are meant to be quick and easy, but sometimes you may not have everything on hand. If you need them, here are my recommended substitutions for this recipe:
- Peanut Butter: I like to use regular peanut butter that’s been stirred really well. Feel free to use your favorite peanut butter, salted peanut butter, crunchy peanut butter or creamy peanut butter. If needed, use cashew butter for the closest tasting nut butter that’s not peanut butter. Use sunflower butter for a non nut spread that tastes similar to peanut butter.
- Medjool Dates: This is the only ingredient that can’t be swapped for another one. I like using the pitted Medjool dates from Trader Joes. Feel free to use pitted or whole dates. You will be removing the pits before stuffing or pressing into a layer for snickers dates bark.
- Chocolate: Use your favorite brand and type of chocolate. I find that dark chocolate pairs really well with the sweetness of the dates and the savory flavors of the peanut butter. If needed, use a vegan or dairy free chocolate. Just make sure the chocolate melts well.
- Coconut Oil: This is optional to help aid in melting the chocolate. The coconut oil also helps give the chocolate a bit of shine after it has resolidified.
- Chopped Peanuts: These are included to mimic the same crunch found in a traditional snickers bar. Feel free to use the same type of nut as found in the nut butter you used, use a crunchy peanut butter or simply omit.
- Flaky Salt: A little salt makes the peanut butter date bars taste even sweeter and more flavorful. I like using Maldon’s Flaky Salt. Just remember that a little goes a long way, so a pinch or two is enough for the entire dates dessert.
Variations
- Nut Allergy: Use sunflower seed butter and roasted sunflower seeds in place of the peanut butter and chopped peanuts for a nut friendly dates candy bar.
- Snickers Stuffed Dates: Gather all the same ingredients listed in the recipe. Follow this method.
- Gently split open the dates and remove the pits. Be careful not to fully split the date in half.
- Spoon about 1 teaspoon of peanut butter into the space where the pit was before.
- Stuff another teaspoon of chopped nuts into the center of the date. Close the date by pushing the open sides together.
- In a microeave safe bowl, melt the chocolate in 30 second increments, stirring in between each one. Continue until the chocolate is smooth and fully melted.
- Gently drop the peanut butter stuffed dates into the melted chocolate. Fully coat the date in the melted chocolate.
- Use a fork to lift the peanut butter date out of the chocolate. Gently shake the excess chocolate off.
- Transfer to a parchment or wax paper lined plate or baking sheet. Top with flaky salt if desired and chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes to set.
How To Make
Learn how to make snickers dates in a few easy steps.
- Line a small baking sheet or large plate with parchment paper or wax paper. Remove the pits from all the medjool dates. I like to buy pitted dates to make this step go faster. Open the dates in the center and gently pull apart the sides so the date can easily lay flat. Lay the date on the line parchment paper. Repeat with all the remaining dates, lining each one up next to the previous date. Essentially this is the first layer of the snickers bar bark. Place another parchment paper on top of the layer of dates. Using your hand or the bottom of the cup, press the dates into a single layer. Try to fill as much of the space in between each date as possible.
- In a microwave safe bowl, heat the chocolate and coconut oil (if using), in 30 second increments, stirring in between each increment. Repeat 2 - 3 times until the chocolate is fully melted. Set aside for a moment.
- Time to layer the peanut butter, chocolate and chopped nuts on top the dates. Evenly spread the peanut butter on top of the layer of smashed dates. Drizzle the chocolate on top of the peanut butter layer. Use a spoon, flexible spatula or icing knife to spread the chocolate on top of the peanut butter layer. Top the chocolate with chopped peanuts and a pinch of flakey salt.
4. Transfer the snickers date bark to the fridge for 1 hour or the freezer for about 20 - 30 minutes to chill and set. Once the snickers crunch bar is set, remove the bark from the fridge or freezer, use a sharp knife to cut the bar into your desired number and sized pieces. This healthy snickers candy bark is best enjoyed served from the fridge.
How To Store, Freeze and Thaw
- Store: Transfer any leftover pieces of date snickers into an airtight container to be stored in the fridge or freezer. These snickers dates keep well in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Freeze: Prepare the snickers date bark or stuffed snickers dates according to the recipe. After cutting the bark to your desired number or pieces, transfer the pieces to a freezer safe container. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Thaw: Transfer your desired number of pieces into the fridge to thaw overnight. Enjoy straight from the fridge.
M’s Expert Tips
- Decide on your preferred method. I have made and enjoyed both the stuffed dates and the snickers dates bark. I personally find the bark a bit faster to make, but it is messier to eat. The stuffed versions taste and look like little bite sized snickers bars. Either way, you will love this healthier version.
- Use your preferred ingredients. The wonderful thing about this recipe is that you can customize to your preferred tastes and dietary needs. It’s easy to make these date snickers vegan, diary free or nut free.
- Use medjool dates. Thankfully these little caramel tasting gems are becoming more accessible. I like to get mine from Trader Joes when possible.
- Line the baking sheet or plate. This makes clean up a breeze and also allows the snickers dates to easily transfer into a storage container.
- Store and serve cold. Due to the ingredients used to make these healthy homemade snickers, it’s best to serve them from the fridge. This is mostly because they melt easily at room temperature.
FAQs
How to make dates taste like snickers?
Snickers is made up of chocolate covering a caramel and peanut filling. Date snickers takes the taste of regular snickers and uses healthier ingredients to get a similar taste and texture to a traditional snickers candy bar. Dates provide the structure and caramel flavor, while peanut butter provides the creamy interior, chopped peanuts the crunchy texture and the whole thing is covered in chocolate, just like the candy bar.
Do snickers have dates in them?
No, the classic snickers candy bars is made with a nougat, caramel and peanut filling covered with chocolate.
Date Snickers Recipe
Date snickers is a healthy, sweet and salty treat made using a handful of healthier, better for you ingredients such as medjool dates, peanut butter, melted chocolate and chopped nuts. Whether you choose to make this date snickers recipe as date bark or as stuffed chocolate covered dates, one thing is for sure, they’re even better than a snickers candy bar.
Equipment
- 1 small baking sheet or large plate
- 1 sheet parchment paper or wax paper
- 1 microwave safe bowl
Ingredients
- 20 pitted medjool dates
- 12 oz. (340 g) chopped chocolate or chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil, optional
- ¼ - ½ cup (64 - 128 g) natural peanut butter, well stirred
- ½ cup (60 g) chopped peanuts
- ½ teaspoon flaky salt, optional
Instructions
- Line a small baking sheet or large plate with parchment paper or wax paper. Remove the pits from all the medjool dates. I like to buy pitted dates to make this step go faster.20 pitted medjool dates
- Open the dates in the center and gently pull apart the sides so the date can easily lay flat. Lay the date on the line parchment paper. Repeat with all the remaining dates, lining each one up next to the previous date. Essentially this is the first layer of the snickers bar bark. Place another parchment paper on top of the layer of dates. Using your hand or the bottom of the cup, press or smash the dates into a single layer. Try to fill as much of the space in between each date as possible.
- In a microwave safe bowl, heat the chocolate and coconut oil (if using), in 30 second increments, stirring in between each increment. Repeat 2 - 3 times until the chocolate is fully melted. Set aside for a moment.12 oz. (340 g) chopped chocolate or chocolate chips, 1 teaspoon coconut oil, optional
- Time to layer the peanut butter, chocolate and chopped nuts on top the dates. Evenly spread the peanut butter on top of the layer of smashed dates. Drizzle the chocolate on top of the peanut butter layer. Use a spoon, flexible spatula or icing knife to spread the chocolate on top of the peanut butter layer. Top the chocolate with chopped peanuts and a pinch of flakey salt.¼ - ½ cup (64 - 128 g) natural peanut butter, well stirred , ½ cup (60 g) chopped peanuts, ½ teaspoon flaky salt, optional
- Transfer the snickers date bark to the fridge for 1 hour or the freezer for about 20 - 30 minutes to chill and set. Once the snickers crunch bar is set, remove the bark from the fridge or freezer, use a sharp knife to cut the bar into your desired number and sized pieces. This healthy snickers candy bark is best enjoyed served from the fridge.
Notes
Store: Transfer any leftover pieces of date snickers into an airtight container to be stored in the fridge or freezer. These snickers dates keep well in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
See Variations section of the blog post to make these as stuffed date snickers.
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