Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Turtle Dates
Healthy Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Turtle Dates are ready in minutes and taste just like candy! Rich chocolaty flavor, chewy, sweet and salty. These little candies are healthy, refined sugar free, vegan and gluten free.
Servings 10 dates
Equipment
- parchment paper
- Plate
- small sauce pan
- stove top burner
- spoon
- microwave
Ingredients
- 10 medjool dates pitted
- 20 pecan halves
- 1 bar 72% of more dark chocolate
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
optional ingredients
- 2 tablespoons shredded coconut
- 10 teaspoons peanut butter, almond butter or cashew butter
Instructions
- Line a small plate with parchment paper and set aside. Take each date and make sure to remove the pit (if not already pitted).
- Take 2 pecan halves and stuff them in the middle of one date. Smoosh each side of the date closing up the gap and molding around both pecan halves until the pecans are nice and secure within the date. Repeat until each date is stuffed with at least 2 pecan halves. Set pecan stuffed dates aside on the plate with parchment paper.
- To make chocolate coating, begin breaking up the bar of dark chocolate into small pieces and place into a small sauce pan with coconut oil. Place sauce pan onto stove top and melt on low heat. Consistently stir until chocolate is melted down into a liquid, then remove from heat. (You can also melt chocolate in microwave- refer to notes for instructions).
- Using a small spoon, immediately begin to drizzle melted chocolate over each date until fully coated. After all the chocolate is used, sprinkle with sea salt and (optional) coconut. Chill in refrigerator for 5 minutes and enjoy!
Notes
To make chocolate coating in microwave, begin breaking up the bar of dark chocolate into small pieces and place into a small glass jar/ bowl. Add coconut oil to the broken-up chocolate bar and melt in microwave for 30 second intervals. Stir each time 30 seconds ends until chocolate is all the way melted. Immediately drizzle over pecan stuff dates. Sprinkle with sea salt and optional coconut and set in refrigerator to harden for 5 minutes.
Optional Nut Butter- I LOVE adding a dollop of nut butter to the inside of my dates. Feel free to add 1 teaspoon of nut butter to the inside of each date before adding the pecan halves. I personally love adding almond butter, but feel free to add peanut butter for a great "snickers" like flavor.
Pecans- if you don't happen to have pecans on hand feel free to swap out with any other nut. You can easily use almond, cashews, walnuts, brazil nuts or peanuts (even though peanuts are considered legumes).