These peanut butter cheesecake stuffed dates will quickly become your new favorite healthy treat! These no bake goodies are incredible, while being made with a handful of nourishing ingredients. Creamy yogurt cheesecake-like filling is stuffed into Medjool dates and then covered in chocolate. When frozen, the dates become caramel-like and are absolute heaven! Think, natures Snickers Bar!
Stuffed dates are the best, whether they are sweet or savory. Not only are they incredibly easy to make but the stuffing possibilities are endless. My favorite stuffing combinations are dates with peanut butter or almond butter and dates with tahini. I always top mine with some dark chocolate and sea salt. It’s the perfect marriage of sweet, salty, slightly nutty, and so, so delish. Dates also pair well with apples and cheese and some people love them wrapped in bacon, but today were focusing on somethin’ sweet!
Why you’ll love These stuffed dates
- Natures candy! Dates become caramel-like when frozen. They’re ooey, gooey, sweet, and curb any sweet tooth!
- Easy to make – Stuffed dates can be made in 10-15 minutes and only require a handful of ingredients.
- They keep well – Store stuffed dates in the freezer as a healthy meal prep snack/treat for the week!
- They are vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, refined sugar-free, and can be made nut-free!
What type of dates work best?
These can be made with Medjool dates or Deglet Noor dates. My personal favorite are Medjool. They are more gooey and caramel-like but Deglet Noor dates are typically more cost-effective.
Are dates healthy?
More tender and juicier than prunes and raisins, dates are not only delicious but packed with nutrients. They are a great source of Copper, Magnesium, Manganese, Iron, Potassium, and Vitamin B6. They also pack in some fiber, with 7g per serving (the same amount of fiber as half a cup of lentils!). Shockingly, a serving of Medjool dates contain over 3g protein as well.
The antioxidants in dates can fight free radicals, which can help prevent chronic disease. The fiber content has been shown to improve hearth health, keep blood sugar levels steady, prevent weight gain and obesity, and reduce the risk of colon cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Dates have also been shown to improve gut health, skin health, and brain health. So, long story short, they’re a delicious way to boost your health!
Ingredients to make cheesecake stuffed dates
- Medjool dates: Medjool dates are the variety of dates for making stuffed dates. They’re larger, soft, and sweet.
- Coconut yogurt or greek yogurt: The trick is to use THICK yogurt. I wouldn’t use a low-fat regular option. Coconut yogurt (I love Culina & CocoJune) and thicker greek yogurts work great. I use unsweetened vanilla yogurt.
- Peanut butter: If you have a peanut allergy, you can also use cashew butter or almond butter – both are equally delicious! I love using fun flavors from Ground Up to make them even better!
- Maple syrup or honey: We use just a tad to sweeten the filling, but this is also totally optional.
- Protein powder: This is totally optional, but I love adding a tablespoon or two of Macro Mike’s cheesecake protein. It makes them taste even more decadent! You can use my code “amb-dani” for a discount!
- Vanilla extract & sea salt
- Chocolate: Chocolate chips or chopped chocolate bars both work. I Love using Hu Kitchen chocolate bars. They make vegan dark chocolate and grass-fed milk chocolate varieties! You can use my code “Danishealthyeats” for a discount!
How to make stuffed dates
Steps
- At one side of the date, rip it open and remove the pit (you can also buy already pitted dates). Gently open up the center of the date, without ripping it in half. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet or plate.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the filling ingredients until smooth. You can taste it and decide if you want to add more sweetener/if at all. Add a little to the center of each date. Press a few nuts into the yogurt to hold them in place.
- Place the baking sheet or plate in the freezer for an hour or two until the filling is completely firm.
- In a small bowl, melt the chocolate until smooth. You can either drizzle the chocolate over top or working quickly, dip each date into the chocolate mixture, removing it with a fork, allowing the excess chocolate to drip off. Then place them back on the baking sheet. Top with sea salt. Return to the freezer for another hour or so (the longer they’re in the freezer, the more caramel-like the dates become. They get super gooey!).
- Store in an air-tight container in the freezer.
FAQ’s, Tips, & Tricks
- If you want a softer/gooier date center, let the dates thaw for 10 minutes at room-temp before enjoying.
- How to store leftover dates: Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the freezer. They will last up to a month!
- Can cheesecake stuffed dates be made vegan? Yes! If you use coconut yogurt, they’ll be vegan.
- Give the dates enough time in the freezer! The longer they are frozen, the more caramel-like and sticky/gooey they become! Be patient!
More healthy snacks and treats to try
- Birthday cake frozen yogurt bites
- Healthy tiramisu pudding cups
- Snickers ice cream cake (healthy, dairy-free)
- Healthy almond joys
- Cosmic brownie protein bites
Peanut Butter Cheesecake Stuffed Dates
Ingredients
- 12 Medjool dates, pitted
- 1/4 coconut yogurt or greek yogurt *make sure it's THICK
- 2 1/2 tbsp peanut butter *can sub other nut/seed butter
- 2-3 tbsp vanilla protein powder (or your favorite flavor) *optional!
- handful chopped peanuts *I used dry roasted, unsalted
- 1/2 – 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey *optional. See notes!
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract *you can omit if your yogurt is vanilla
- good pinch of sea salt
- cup chocolate chips or chopped chocolate bars
Instructions
- At one side of the date, rip it open and remove the pit (you can also buy already pitted dates). Gently open up the center of the date, without ripping it in half. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet or plate.
- In a small bowl, combine the filling ingredients until smooth. You can taste it and decide if you want to add more sweetener/if at all. Add a little to the center of each date. Press a few nuts into the yogurt to hold them in place.
- Place the baking sheet or plate in the freezer for an hour or two until the filling is completely firm.
- In a small bowl, melt the chocolate until smooth. You can either drizzle the chocolate over top or working quickly, dip each date into the chocolate mixture, removing it with a fork, allowing the excess chocolate to drip off. Then place them back on the baking sheet.
- Top with sea salt. Return to the freezer for 2-3 hours (the longer they're in the freezer, the more caramel-like the dates become. They get super gooey!). Store in an air-tight container in the freezer.