Chocolate Date Balls
A delicious treat that can be made dairy-free by using dark chocolate chips.
Equipment
- Food processor
- Small, microwave safe bowl- for melting down the chocolate (or double boiler)
- Spoon or small rubber spatula
- Parchment paper (or wax paper)
- Cookie Sheet
Ingredients
- 8 ounces of chopped dates
- 2-3 tablespoons of peanut butter can be adjusted for stickiness
- 6 ounces of dark chocolate for dipping
- Sea salt or any other type of garnish you'd prefer (optional)
Instructions
- Start by adding the chopped dates to a food processor.
- Then add in the peanut butter. Start with 2 tablespoons and add more tablespoons of peanut butter if needed.
- Blend the dates and peanut butter together until it turns into a uniform mixture, and then roll the mixture into ping-pong sized balls.
- Next, melt your chocolate chips according to the directions on the package either in a double boiler or in the microwave. Then, dip the date balls into the chocolate and set them onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Once all of the date balls have been dipped in chocolate, add the sea salt or any other garnishes you'd like and place them into the fridge or the freezer to cool and harden.
- After the date balls have hardened to your liking, you can remove them from the fridge or the freezer and enjoy!
Notes
How to store chocolate date balls
Room Temperature:
Store in an air-tight container out of direct sunlight and in a cool, dry place for 3-5 days.
Refrigerator:
Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks in an air-tight container. Be sure to let the chocolate date balls sit out at room temp for about 10 minutes to soften before eating.
Freezer:
Store in the freezer in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Be sure to set the chocolate date balls out at room temp for about 20 minutes before enjoying.
Tips and tricks
*If stacking the date balls to store them, use a piece of parchment paper between the layers to prevent sticking.
*No food processor? No problem! Just be sure to really finely chop up the dates. This will distribute the sweetness and prevent big clumps of dates.
*When rolling the dates, you can lightly wet your hands to prevent the peanut butter, date mixture from sticking to your hands.
*If using natural peanut butter, be sure to mix very well before measuring and using.
*You could also use a cookie scooper to make the date balls more uniform in size before dipping them into the chocolate.
*Not sure how to melt your chocolate? You can use a microwave. Add your chocolate chips to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave at 15-20 second intervals. Between the 15-20 second intervals, remove the bowl and mix the chocolate. Be sure to do this step every time! Repeat the microwave process until the chocolate becomes smooth when mixed.