Whether you’re planning a dinner party, potluck, or just want to prepare some nutritious and tasty snacks, stuffed dates are always a win!
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You can make them sweet and indulgent with the help of peanut butter or holiday-approved and savory by filling them with pecans and herbs. Find all of our stuffed dates here!
They are ready to enjoy in about 10-15 minutes, work well for meal prep, and are endlessly customizable!
For more date recipes, check out our peanut butter bliss balls, mini fruit tarts, or coconut almond balls
Ingredients needed
- Medjool dates — we highly recommend this variety due to its size and taste!
- Vegan cream cheese — homemade or store-bought, plain or flavored; your choice.
- Walnuts — toasted and crushed, they add such lovely taste and texture to our appetizer.
- Rosemary — wonderful in combination with nuts and cream cheese!
Drizzle with some maple syrup just before serving and sprinkle with extra walnuts for a pretty topping and you’ll be done in only 10 minutes.
How to make stuffed dates
Pit the dates
Using a sharp knife, carefully slice each date lengthwise without cutting all the way through them.
Pry the sides open with your thumbs, and push the back of the date with your index fingers to expose the pit. Pull it out and put it aside to compost later.
Place the pitted dates on a large plate next to each other.
Make the filling
Place your vegan cream cheese, rosemary and walnuts in a small bowl and mix with a spoon until well combined.
Adjust to your preferences with a sprinkle of salt or other flavorings.
Stuff the dates
Using a small spoon, distribute the cream cheese filling evenly between all dates. Transfer them to a container and refrigerate the dates for an hour.
Garnish with some extra chopped walnuts, rosemary and a touch of maple syrup before serving!
Storing & serving suggestions
The stuffed dates should be refrigerated for an hour before serving to become firmer. However, you can enjoy them immediately if you’re looking for a quick snack!
The assembled dates can be kept at room temperature for several hours if you serve them at a party!
You can place stuffed dates on a vegan appetizer platter alongside a herbed almond cheese ball, green goddess hummus, mango chutney, and oven-baked tortilla chips.
Tips & adjustments
Meal prep stuffed dates
You can pit and stuff your dates with the cream cheese mixture ahead of time (about half a day before serving them) and store them in an airtight container in the fridge.
Within an hour of serving them, remove the stuffed dates from the fridge and decorate them with your desired toppings.
Recipe variations
- Vegan cream cheese can be replaced with almond ricotta or soft vegan cheese.
- Instead of rosemary, you can use thyme, basil or any other herb of your choice.
- If you don’t have any walnuts, simply use almonds, cashews, or seeds.
Other topping ideas include lemon zest or orange zest, balsamic reduction, vegan bacon bits, pistachios and cracked pepper.
Related recipes
- Carrot Cake Bites
- Pistachio Bliss Balls
- 25 Vegan Appetizers
- Crispy Vegetable Chips
- 22+ Ways to Eat Hummus
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Ingredients
- 10 Medjool dates
- 3-4 tablespoons vegan cream cheese
- 5-6 walnuts toasted and crushed
- 2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary chopped
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup to drizzle
Instructions
- Cut the Medjool dates open lengthwise and remove the pits. Arrange them in a single layer on a large plate.
- In a small bowl, mix vegan cream cheese with fresh rosemary and walnuts (save some crushed walnuts to garnish.)
- Using a small spoon, fill all dates with the cream cheese mixture, distributing it evenly.
- Place the dates in a container and refrigerate for an hour. Garnish with chopped walnuts, drizzled maple syrup and freshly chopped rosemary before serving.
Notes
- You can also use unsweetened vegan ricotta instead of cream cheese.
- Feel free to use any herbs of your choice or omit them completely!
- The dates can be stored in the fridge for a couple of days in a sealed container.
Alena Schowalter is a Certified Vegan Nutritionist who has been a vegetarian since childhood and vegan since 2012. Together with her husband, she founded nutriciously in 2015 and has been guiding thousands of people through different transition stages towards a healthy plant-based diet. She’s received training in the fields of nutrition, music therapy and social work. Alena enjoys discussions around vegan ethics, walks through nature and creating new recipes.
You’ll love these sweet and savory cream cheese stuffed dates! They are the perfect quick and healthy appetizer or snack for your next get-together.