Add chocolate, nuts or coconut to naturally sweet dates so they taste amazingly similar to your favorite bars – Snickers, Milky Way, Almond Joy, Baby Ruth and Twix.
There was a point in my life where I ate a candy bar almost every day. I reluctantly worked the cash register at my family’s hardware store, and the only bright spot was the candy perks. Whenever I was bored, hungry, or both, I’d grab a candy bar from the stand by the register and wolf it down.
Now that I’m an “adult,” I rarely indulge in a candy bar — my tastes have shifted towards dark chocolate and away from super-sweet confections. And while I’m fine with munching on a few pieces of chocolate as a treat, I wish there were more affordable candy bars that would please my grown-up taste buds.
What are Snickers Dates?
Snickers dates are a trending snack that’s been floating around on Tiktok and social media for the past year or two. It’s hard to say where they started, but they keep popping up — and with good reason. The peanut butter-filled, chocolate-dipped dates are winners.
Beyond Snickers Dates: Endless Variations
I created my own version of Snickers dates and then started expanding the scope. Why stop at Snickers when you can mimic any number of popular candy bars? I’ve made countless versions of candy bar dates and tried different combinations to emulate brand name candy bars. Think Almond Joy, Twix, Milky Way and more.
To make candy bar dates, remove the pits from soft, chewy dates and add a filling to the now hollow center. Nut butter, a whole toasted nut, coconut, caramel – these are just a few options. Seal the sticky date and dip in melted chocolate. Sprinkle with a topping like chopped nuts or salt flakes and refrigerate to set before serving.
Think of these as grown-up, less sugary versions of the classics. The date stands for caramel or nougat in each of the variations and provides rich sweetness.
Don’t stop at my suggestions in the following recipes. Try your own combinations to create your perfect candy bar date. Caramel, chopped almonds and flaky salt are a delicious combination, or stuff your dates with Nutella and sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts. Experimenting is half the fun.
Lots of options
nut butter: Natural nut butters like peanut butter, almond butter, and sunflower butter all work well in this recipe, as do no-stir nut butters like Jif or Skippy.
nuts: While peanuts are traditional for Snickers and Baby Ruth and almonds are traditional for Almond Joy, any nuts will do. Roasted hazelnuts or pecans are particularly good.
chocolate: I prefer to use dark chocolate as I like that type of chocolate these days, but use what you like best, be it semi-sweet chocolate, milk chocolate or even white chocolate. Use vegan chocolate for a completely vegan treat.
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Candy Bar Dates
ingredients
For all candy bar dates
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1 lb (about 30) Eventslike Medjool
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8th ounces chopped semisweet or dark chocolate or 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
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1 teaspoon flaky sea-salt (Optional)
For Snickers dates (makes 30 dates)
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1/3 Cup crispy or smooth peanut butter
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1/4 to 1/2 Cup chopped roasted peanuts
For Milky Way dates (makes 30 dates)
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1/3 Cup Caramel sauce
For Baby Ruth dates (makes 30 dates)
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1/3 Cup Caramel sauce
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1/4 to 1/2 Cup chopped roasted peanuts
For Twix dates (makes 30 dates)
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1/3 Cup Caramel sauce
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1 (2.47–ounce) package Chocolate Pocky
For Almond Joy dates (makes 30 dates)
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3 tablespoon sweetened grated coconut
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1/4 to 1/2 Cup chopped roasted almonds
method
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Prepare the data:
Peel the stalk from each date and peel it open to remove the pit, while still leaving the date in one piece. It’s okay if you end up tearing the dates—they’re easy to weld back together—but avoid tearing them into separate pieces.
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Add filling:
If using natural nut butters, stir well.
For Snickers dates: Place about 1/2 teaspoon of crunchy or creamy peanut butter in the center where the kernel used to be.
For Milky Way Dates: Add about 1/2 teaspoon caramel sauce to the center where the pit used to be.
For Baby Ruth Dates: Add about 1/2 teaspoon caramel sauce and a pinch of chopped peanuts to the center where the kernel used to be.
For Twix appointments: Add about 1/2 teaspoon caramel sauce to the center where the pit used to be. Break the pocky sticks into pieces shorter than the date and press 1 or 2 pieces into the caramel.
For Almond Joy dates: Fill the center with crushed, sweetened coconut and chopped almonds.
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Seal the date:
Shape the dates back into their original shape around the filling. Since dates are sticky, you should be able to seal them without much effort.
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Melt the chocolate and dip the dates:
Place parchment or wax paper on a sheet pan or plate.
Place the chocolate in a medium-heatproof bowl and microwave in 30-second increments, stirring each time until melted. Alternatively, place bowl over 1 inch saucepan of gently simmering water and stir until melted.
How to melt chocolate chipsCONTINUE READING:
Add a date to the melted chocolate and flip to coat. Lift them out of the chocolate with a fork and gently shake them up and down a few times to allow the excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. Scrape the bottom of the fork along the side of the bowl a few times, then place the date on the prepared sheet or plate.
Repeat with the remaining dates, keeping them apart so they don’t touch.
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Scatter the tips:
For extra crunch or a little saltiness, top the dates while they’re still moist.
Top the Snickers and Baby Ruth Dates with chopped peanuts and the Almond Joy Dates with chopped almonds and/or grated coconut. Some or all of the candy bar dates are deliciously topped with salt flakes, especially the Milky Way and Twix dates.
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Cool:
Place dates in refrigerator and allow to cool until chocolate is set, at least 30 minutes. Serve or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
You can also freeze candy bar dates for up to 2 months. Thaw for a few minutes in the fridge or on the counter before enjoying.
Did you like the recipe? Let’s star down!
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 4480 | calories |
| 277g | Fat |
| 599g | carbohydrates |
| 41g | protein |
