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Home » Diet » Vegan

Double Chocolate Date Bites

By Traci · Jump to Recipe

These little Double Chocolate Date Bites are chocolatey, sweet, crunchy and oh so satisfying! Packed with superfoods, this date squares recipe will soothe your sweet tooth, and chocolate cravings; the perfect grab and go snack. vegan + gluten free

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A few pieces of dates

Seems like when I talk to people about dates, they either love em’ or hate em’.  More often than not, I get the scrunched up face look when I talk about date recipes.  I was a hater when my cousin tried to convince me otherwise. She swore that dates were good in her various concoctions…

…and I scrunched my face and balked.  But one beautiful Saturday afternoon, I tried a delectable snack my cousin prepared, similar to these chocolate date bites. I was converted. So I started perusing date recipes. 

Perhaps it was fear of more fiber, like after you’ve changed to a plant based diet and begin integrating liberal amounts of beans and greens into your diet. What is that going on in my bowels??!  

Quick & Easy Chocolate Date

Nevertheless, I overcame my concern of bloat, and my body adjusted to eating copious amounts of fiber.  So I headed her advise and started incorporating natures candy into my repertoire. Now I see dates with wanting eyes and a smile… no more scrunchy face. 

Ingredients for chocolate date bites

You’re going to love these date bites. Really. Even if you’re a bit squeamish, just do it! They’re quick and easy to pull together, heart healthy and did I say SWEET? They accomplish two things; satisfy your sweet tooth AND chocolate cravings.

Ingredients for Date Squares Recipe

With just a few ingredients, these chocolate date bites will be ready in no time! Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Walnuts 
  • Dates
  • Raw Cacao Powder 
  • Almond Flour
  • Vanilla Beans or 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • Coconut Oil
  • Mini Chocolate Chips

How to Make Chocolate Date Bites

Super quick to whip up, here’s how to make them: 

  • First, line an 8×8 inch pan with parchment paper.
  • Second, in a food processor, chop the walnuts. Remove from the bowl and set aside.
  • Third, to the food processor, add the pitted and soaked dates, cacao, almond meal, and vanilla beans. Pulse 10 times. Then, with the machine running, add the coconut oil. 
  • Next, dump ingredients into a clean bowl and add the chopped walnuts and mini chocolate chips. Using your hands, incorporate all the ingredients until the dough is uniformly mixed.
  • Last, press the mixture into the prepared pan. 

Freeze the chocolate date bites for about 45 minutes, then cut.  Store in the refrigerator for several weeks or in the freezer for longer. 

        Ingredients formed into a dough in a metal bowl    The formed mixture in a container lined with baking paper    The mixture pressed in a pan lined with baking paper

Dates are power houses of nutrition because they are packed full of dietary fiber, iron, magnesium, potassium and B vitamins. Also because they are high in vitamin K and A, they protect the eyes and help keep skin healthy.

But dates are not the only superfood in this delicious recipe.  There’s also coconut oil, cacao and walnuts.

Cacao is a raw superfood that is truly amazing. It’s different from baking coco powder in that it’s far less processed and retains more nutrients than the baking variety. It has nearly four times the antioxidant power of dark chocolate which is more than 20 times that of blueberries. Essential fatty acids, protein and calcium, among many other nutrients are also present. Eat your chocolate!

Chocolate date bites cut into small squares

A Few Recipe Notes

  • Look for Medjool dates to use in this recipe. They’re larger than Deglet Noor and have a richer flavor. 
  • Dried dates need to be soaked in hot water prior to whipping these up in the food processor. After soaking, squeeze out excess water and pat dry before processing.
  • Cut the date bites after freezing them for 45 minutes. As they warm to room temperature they become more difficult to cut because they’re sticky. Pop them back in the freezer to firm them back up. Then, get back to cutting. 

More Date Recipes to Love

  • Pumpkin Kasha Energy Bites
  • Bourbon Date Nut Truffles
  • No Bake Vegan Chocolate Almond Date Bars
  • K.I.S.S. Brownies – from Kitchen Confidante
  • Healthy Mocha Shake
Chocolate date bites cut into small squares
Print Recipe

the recipe

Double Chocolate Date Bites

Prep Time:30 minutes
Total Time:30 minutes
Servings:35 1x1 Pieces
Calories:37kcal
Author:Vanilla And Bean
These little date bites are chocolatey, sweet, crunchy and oh so satisfying! Packed with superfoods, these snacks will soothe your sweet tooth, and chocolate cravings; the perfect grab and go snack. This recipe is vegetarian, vegan and gluten free.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 C Walnuts shelled
  • 12 Medjool Dates pitted, soaked hot water for 10 minutes and drained. Pat dry.
  • 1/4 C Raw Cacao Powder
  • 1/3 C Almond Flour aka Almond Meal
  • 1/2 tsp Vanilla Bean Pod beans scraped out or 1/2 Vanilla Extract
  • 3 Tbs Coconut Oil melted and cooled
  • 1/4 C Mini Chocolate Chips vegan

Instructions

  • Line an 8"x8" baking pan with parchment. Clip the sides down if needed. Set aside.
  • In a food processor add the walnuts. Pulse until walnuts are roughly chopped. Remove from bowl and set aside.
  • Add the pitted dates, cacao, almond meal, and vanilla beans to the food processor bowl. Pulse 10 times. Then, with the machine running, add the coconut oil. Switch to pulse until all the ingredients are of uniform texture and hold together. Dump ingredients into a clean bowl and add the chopped walnuts and mini chocolate chips. Using your hands, incorporate all the ingredients until the dough is uniformly mixed.
  • Place mixture into lined 8x8 baking pan. Use your hands and/or the bottom of a measuring scoop to spread date mixture evenly into the bottom of the pan. Make sure to press the mixture into the corners.
  • Place the double chocolate date mixture into the freezer for about 45 minutes. Once out of the freezer, remove the mixture from the pan. Trim the edges as needed so that there are no jagged edges. Use a ruler to measure out 1"x1" bite size pieces. Use a chef's knife to score the date mixture if you need to, then cut. As date mixture warms up it will become sticker and more difficult to work with. If needed, just pop it back in the freezer for 10 minutes so it'll be easier to cut.
  • Store the date bites in a covered container, in the refrigerator between parchment or wax paper for up to two weeks. Freeze for longer storage.
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
Calories: 37kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 22mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 3IU | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg
Made It? Be sure to leave a comment below! The most helpful comment may include recipe rating, feedback, any modifications and/or helping other commenters. On Instagram? Take a snap of your make and share, tagging @VanillaAndBean #VanillaAndBean!

You might also like:

Bourbon Date Nut Truffles in a bowl.

Bourbon Date Nut Truffles

Mocha Shake in two glasses topped with cherries and chopped chocolate.

Vegan Mocha Shake

No Bake Vegan Chocolate Almond Coconut Bars from my newly released ebook Grab-n-Go Snacks: healthful eats for crazy busy days . Quick and easy, have on the ready when you are! GF

No Bake Vegan Chocolate Almond Coconut Bars

Chewy Peanut Butter Fruit and Nut Granola Bars on parchment paper.

Chewy Peanut Butter Fruit and Nut Granola Bars

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Reader Interactions

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  1. Catherine

    June 7, 2020 at 12:39 pm

    These taste awesome! But I’m pretty sure I did something wrong. How much / how many dates are we supposed to use? I tried 12 dates and it didn’t seem enough. I doubled it and it’s not even close to the thickness shown on the photos. They taste great nonetheless! Thanks!

    Reply
    • Traci

      June 8, 2020 at 4:37 pm

      Hi Catherine! Thank you for your note. So happy to hear you’re enjoying the bites! 12 dates is the right amount. They should be Medjool dates (much larger then the smaller deglet noor dates – I’ll clarify in the recipe). The photos are a close up of the little bites, so while they look thick, they are indeed bites. I hope this helps!

      Reply
  2. Jessica Doyle

    June 24, 2019 at 12:23 pm

    I tried these at my brother’s gf’s house and loved them. So I made them today. They came out thin and didn’t hold together well. Did anyone double the recipe or add an extra tablespoon of coconut oil? I’m wondering what I did wrong.

    Reply
  3. MariaMay

    March 14, 2018 at 9:27 pm

    I love this share

    Reply
  4. Jason

    February 2, 2018 at 9:08 am

    These look amazing. Can’t wait to make them. Thanks.

    Reply
    • Traci

      February 6, 2018 at 8:02 am

      Thank you Jason! I hope you enjoy the recipe!

      Reply
  5. Emma {Emma's Little Kitchen}

    March 3, 2016 at 9:02 am

    Same here, reformed date-hater! As a child I lumped them in with dried fruit, which I detested. Now I eat them all the time (they make wonderful running fuel!). These bars look wonderful, gutted I just used up all of my almond flour, or I would have been baking them tonight :)

    Reply
  6. Kevin | keviniscooking

    September 2, 2014 at 7:09 am

    Traci, these were so darn good. I made these with a few tweaks like pecans and dried cherries. They are my new favorite sweet tooth fix! Just 2 or 3 does the trick. Thanks for sharing. I also Instagram so you can see the results.

    Reply
    • Traci

      September 2, 2014 at 12:43 pm

      Hi Kevin! Thanks for posting here and sharing your beautiful photograph on Instagram at #VanillaAndBean! Your modifications are fantastic and I can’t wait to try dried cherries in this recipe! And Oh MY! The pecans! Delicious!

      Reply
  7. ATasteOfMadness

    June 2, 2014 at 9:01 pm

    I have never tried dates, so I don’t really have an opinion on them :( These look so good though, I think I’ll go out and buy some soon!

    Reply
    • Traci

      June 2, 2014 at 9:36 pm

      Oh thats great! I find that people either love em’ or don’t. Dates have a mellow sweetness that grows on you with each bite. I hope you enjoy the recipe!

      Reply
  8. Allison @ Clean Wellness

    May 24, 2014 at 5:15 am

    Uh, yum!!! I love keeping sweets like this in the fridge for an afternoon pick-me-up! Dates are seriously magical ingredients. Haha, that’s funny how you mention the fibre -definitely an adjustment when you start eating more of it! lol. I chuckled ;)

    Reply
    • Traci

      May 26, 2014 at 12:41 pm

      I agree about the afternoon pick me up! It only takes a few of these to satisfy the afternoon hunger and cravings. Cheers to dates!

      Reply
  9. Amber

    May 22, 2014 at 7:46 pm

    ahhh…what a wonderful cousin to inspire you with such deliciousness. I’m sure you’ve inspired her quite a bit too, so touche. :)

    These look divine and I just love your food photography!

    Reply
    • Traci

      May 22, 2014 at 10:22 pm

      Thank you, for your kind comments, Amber!

      Reply
  10. Carrie

    May 22, 2014 at 11:34 am

    Hey Jen, I envy you. You have a cool and FUN sister. :)

    Reply
    • Traci

      May 22, 2014 at 10:23 pm

      Thank you, Carrie!

      Reply
  11. Jennifer Caldwell

    May 22, 2014 at 7:13 am

    Traci has knocked it out of the ballpark again!

    Not only do I have the joy of being her sister and neighbor but, also, the lucky recipient to much of her wonderful cooking.
    When she first presented these to me, I squealed with delight… “Oooh! A raw brownie!!”
    Well, no. …Almost, but not quite.
    These do have the deliciousness of a brownie – melt-in-your-mouth chocolate, the fantastic crunch of walnuts, and a subtle yet ample sweetness — but made with completely wholesome ingredients and can be enjoyed through the day guilt-free. Genius!!

    Reply
    • Traci

      May 22, 2014 at 10:24 pm

      Awwh, thank you, Jen. I love that part about guilt-free enjoyment! Indeed!

      Reply

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