Stuffed dates are delicious, but samoa cookie stuffed dates are even better! These little babies are filled with an nutty coconut mixture and then drizzled with chocolate and sea salt! Plus they take just minutes to make!
Girl Scout cookie season is here babes! And I don’t know about you, but as soon as I see one of those green vests standing outside a grocery store with all their boxes lined up in a row, my taste buds are only thinking one thing… “GAME ON!” But then I start thinking to myself 1) That’s a lot of money to spend (considering the amount of boxes I would want to buy… 😉 ) and 2) That’s also a ton of sugar that I probably don’t need right now… So more mature Caitlin doesn’t even go near those sweet baby girls and instead heads right on home sad and cookie-less… Well not anymore loves! Today I’m sharing with you all my new found FAVORITE snack/dessert that is not only healthier but tastes just like my FAVORITE girl scout cookie – samoa cookie stuffed dates!
Ingredients
So here’s the deal, these dates only consist of 4 ingredients! (All of which I’m sure you already have in your house right now!) And they’re completely refined sugar free, gluten free and dairy free/vegan (depending on the type of chocolate you use.) Check out the ingredients below!
- Dates
- Unsweetened Shredded Coconut: I would try to find finely shredded coconut for this recipe. (I just think it fits better in the dates.) But if you can’t find finely shredded, then simply place your coconut shreds in a food processor and pulse them a few times until it resembles fine shreds.
- Cashew butter: You can use a different type of nut butter too but keep in mind that it may slightly alter the flavor. (Cashew butter is much more mild than almond butter or peanut butter so it really let’s the flavor of the coconut shine through.)
- Chocolate: I used dark chocolate for my dates but you can also use milk, semi-sweet or even sugar free.
What type of dates are the best to use for this recipe?
I almost always use choice medjool dates that ARE NOT pitted for this recipe. (It’s so easy to pit the date yourself that there’s really no need to pay extra for pitted dates.) But for those of you that don’t know, there are actually 2 different types of dates: deglet and medjool. Deglet dates are usually smaller and are a little more firm, whle medjool dates tend to be much larger and have almost a caramel-like flavor to them. By using these medjool dates, they act as the caramel filling that’s found in samoa cookies but without all the added processed sugar!
How do I pit a date?
This is so easy! Honestly loves, after you do it once you’ll never go back to buying pitted dates again!
- Take your date and cut through it lengthwise until you hit the pit.
- Then open up the date and take the pit out with your fingers.
- Some dates also have a “stem” at the top which is very easy to take off so make sure to discard that too.
Done! How easy was that?!
How do I toast my shredded coconut?
This is an essential part to making our samoa stuffed dates because it really adds that “toasted” flavor you get when eating a samoa cookie. Just follow these easy directions below:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spread your shredded coconut out in a single layer on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 4-5 minutes or until it’s golden brown. Let the coconut sit for a few minutes to cool before using.
How to store your Samoa Cookie Stuffed Dates
I would suggest storing them in an airtight container in the fridge. Do not leave these dates out at room temperature uncovered! The air can cause the dates to become dry and make them very tough and chewy. They should last for about 1 week in the fridge. (If they make it that long! 😉 )
And that’s all there is to it babes! Honestly, this snack/dessert couldn’t be any easier! I can’t wait to hear what you all think about them. 🙂
Happy Thursday!
More recipes like this:
- Chocolate Raspberry Hazelnut Cups
- Edible Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (On of my most popular recipes on the blog!)
- Double Chocolate Butternut Squash Brownies
- Chocolate Hazelnut Butter Brownies
[Made one of my recipes? Make sure to tag my social media @kalefornia_kravings – I love seeing what you create!]
Samoa Stuffed Dates
Ingredients
- 13-14 dates, pitted
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (finely shredded works the best)
- 4 Tbsp cashew butter
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spread the coconut out in an even layer on your baking sheet and bake for 4-5 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Pour your coconut into a bowl when it's done.
- Add the cashew butter to bowl with the coconut and stir until their fully combined. Spoon this mixture into your pitted dates and place the filled dates on a tray that's been lined wth parchment paper.
- Place the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and heat the chips in the microwave at 30 second intervals until it's completely melted. (Stir in between each interval.) Once melted, drizzle the chocolate over your dates or spoon enough chocolate over them to completely cover the dates.
- Place the dates in fridge for at least one hour to "set" before eating.
