Stuffed dates make for eye-catching appetizers and quick, healthy snacks. They’re also super meal prep-friendly! Find the best 6 recipes here.
Dipped in melted chocolate, stuffed with cream cheese, topped with fresh herbs, and featuring a creamy center — there are so many delicious ways to make stuffed dates!
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From 3-ingredient peanut butter dates to chocolate-covered snickers dates, holiday-approved pecan or cream cheese stuffed dates, there’s nothing you can’t do with these healthy dried fruits.
No matter if you want to meal prep some healthy snacks or need some ideas for appetizers, this recipe collection is here to help!
Check out more date recipes like these peanut butter bliss balls on our website.
Why you’ll love them
- Super easy to make (let the kids help!)
- Endlessly customizable
- Wonderfully sweet without added sugar
- Unusual & exciting flavor combinations
- Suitable for many different dietary needs
- Little equipment & few ingredients needed
Excited to make your own stuffed dates? Keep on reading to find out more.
Making stuffed dates
Let’s go over the best stuffed date combinations and how to make them! The main ingredient for all of these recipes is, of course, dates.
We prefer to use Medjool dates due to their taste and size, but any variety works if you want to create stuffed dates!
Peanut butter dates
The quickest and most straightforward way to make stuffed dates is to fill them with peanut butter!
If you’re feeling fancy, top them with crushed almonds, chopped dark chocolate, and a pinch of coarse salt.
Pecan stuffed dates
This savory version requires you to combine vegan cream cheese with sundried tomatoes and fresh basil.
Use it to stuff your pitted dates, then add a pecan nut into the cream cheese filling.
Almond pistachio dates
For this version, almond butter is mixed with desiccated coconut and lemon zest. Use this mixture to generously fill each date.
Refrigerate for an hour, then garnish with chopped pistachio, more desiccated coconut, and lemon zest.
Cream cheese dates
Since cream cheese works so well as a date filling, let’s use it to create more versions! Mix the vegan spread with fresh rosemary and toasted, crushed walnuts to make holiday-approved appetizers.
Distribute this mixture evenly between the pitted dates, then chill and garnish with chopped walnuts, drizzled maple syrup, and freshly chopped rosemary before serving.
Chocolate-dipped dates
This sweet version is something special! Pitted dates are filled with peanut butter and a crunchy almond for an exciting center, then dipped into melted chocolate.
Once they are chilled in the fridge, they taste very similar to snickers bars! You’ll love this healthy and vegan-friendly treat.
Walnut ricotta dates
Don’t miss out on these flavorful walnut ricotta dates! For this recipe, almond ricotta is mixed with garlic powder and fresh thyme.
Use this mixture to stuff your dates, then refrigerate and garnish with more fresh thyme just before serving!
Storing & meal prep
Stuffed dates are very meal prep-friendly as they are best served chilled from the fridge. You can make them up to a day in advance and garnish them just before serving them at your party!
Any leftovers need to be stored in a lidded container in the fridge — some varieties, like chocolate-dipped dates or peanut butter dates can also be frozen for months and enjoyed at your convenience!
Stuffed dates keep well in the fridge for at least a few days (depending on the variety), some for up to 2-3 weeks.
Serving suggestions
Serve the savory stuffed dates on your next appetizer platter alongside a vegan cheese ball, hummus, chutney, and baked chips.
They are usually one of the first canapés to be gone! They work for New Years, Thanksgiving, Christmas, potlucks, and regular dinner parties.
The sweet varieties with nut butter and chocolate can be used as kid-friendly snacks or healthier treats. They work well straight from the fridge or freezer as a summer dessert alongside an iced almond latte!
Tips & adjustments
- You can use plant-based yogurt as a filling for your dates if you’re going to eat them right away; this is especially tasty during summer!
- If you can’t have nuts, try seed butter or other spreads.
- Be careful not to slice all the way through the date, you just want to create a wide opening.
- When creating your own versions, add different layers of texture to make your stuffed dates more exciting!
- Charm any non-vegan by filling the dates with some mature vegan cheese and vegan bacon bits!
- Use colorful freeze-dried fruit or edible flowers for a beautiful topping; this makes for lovely edible gifts.
Related recipes
Did you make this recipe and enjoy it? Be sure to let us know in the comments below! Give the recipe a rating and Pin it here.
Ingredients
- 10 Medjool dates
Almond butter pistachio
- 3 tablespoons almond butter
- 5-6 pistachio nuts toasted and crushed
- 2 teaspoons desiccated coconut
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Savory pecan dates
- 3 tablespoons vegan cream cheese
- 10 pecan nuts toasted
- 1 sundried tomato finely diced
- 2-3 fresh basil leaves chopped
Peanut butter dates
- 2-3 tablespoons peanut butter
- 5-6 almonds lightly toasted, crushed
- 1 oz dark chocolate chopped (28 g)
- ⅓ teaspoon coarse salt
Walnut ricotta dates
- 3-4 tablespoons almond ricotta
- 5-6 walnuts toasted and crushed
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
Snickers dates
- 3-4 tablespoons peanut butter
- 10 almonds lightly toasted
- 2.5 oz dark chocolate melted (70 g)
- ⅓ teaspoon coarse salt
Cream cheese dates
- 3 tablespoons vegan cream cheese
- 5-6 walnuts toasted and crushed
- 2-3 sprigs of 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.
- Fill each date with nut butter or the cream cheese mixture (made by combining the cream cheese with herbs and crushed nuts).
- The snickers dates need to be stuffed with one almond each, then dipped in melted chocolate and placed on a cooling rack. This will allow any excess chocolate to drip off.
- Sprinkle with coarse salt if wanted, then refrigerate for an hour before serving.
- Some ingredients like fresh herbs, maple syrup, or additional crushed nuts are best added as toppings just before serving the stuffed dates!
Notes
- Feel free to freestyle with your favorite ingredients!
- Stuffed dates usually keep well in the fridge for at least 5 days. Sweet varieties with nut butter can also be frozen!
- Nutrition information has automatically been calculated for cream cheese dates.
- Find more tips and instructions in the article above.
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.
These recipes look so yummy. I did notice though, you got the herbs mixed up in your gorgeous shots. The rosemary and thyme are in the wrong recipe picture ;)
I’m a nerdy herby girl. Can’t wait to try these!!!!!
haha, thanks! you could use the herbs interchangeably anyway ;)