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Date bark is a viral trend that blew up across social media and for good reason! Homemade chocolate date bark takes about 5 minutes to make and just a handful of simple ingredients. The best part? They’re like an ooey-gooey twist on peanut butter cups with chewy dates, molten walnut butter, and crunchy dark chocolate in every bite. Decadent and delicious!
I already love dates with their sweet, caramel-like flavor and chewy texture. They’re basically like candy and really satisfy a sugar craving!
When I saw this viral recipe over and over again on social media, I knew I had to try it and share it with you, too.
The dates turn into a sweet, chewy layer nestled underneath homemade walnut butter and creamy melted chocolate. Sprinkle it with sea salt and some chopped walnuts, then freeze and enjoy! It’s truly that simple.
Why you’ll love this easy date bark recipe
- Super simple sweet treat to satisfy any sweet tooth
- Uses homemade walnut butter for extra flavor
- Can be made with any type of nut butter or chocolate
- Sets up in the freezer in about 10-15 minutes
- Tastes like chocolate covered caramel (at least to me!)
- Made with simple, wholesome ingredients
- Made without any added sugar (and can be made dairy-free with the right chocolate!)
Ingredients
Fresh dates – I bought whole dates at the grocery store and removed the pits myself. Sweet Medjool dates are a great option for this and easy to find. Make sure to use soft dates that can easily be opened and pressed flat.
Walnut butter – You can either make a batch from scratch (just roast and blend) or use some that you made previously.
Dark chocolate chips – These will be melted and spread over the date bark to create a sweet chocolate shell.
Coconut oil – To melt with the chocolate for a nice snap.
Garnishes – I used a little sea salt and extra chopped walnuts.
Equipment
To make this easy chocolate bark, you’ll need:
- 2 sheet pans (one to smash on top of the other)
- 2 sheets of parchment paper
- Microwave-safe bowl
- Spoon
How to Make Date Bark
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Spread the pitted dates open and place them with the inside facing up, forming a rectangle shape. I made a grid of 5 columns and 4 rows. Try to get them rather close to avoid having gaps between them. (I used about 20 for mine, but the size of the dates will vary. )
- Cover the top of the dates with another sheet of parchment paper, then place the second sheet pan on top. Press firmly over the sheet pan to help squash the dates into a thin layer. You can also use a rolling pin or the bottom of a sturdy jar to help you out.
- Remove the second sheet pan and piece parchment paper, then spread the walnut butter generously over the smashed date layer.
- Add the chocolate chips and coconut oil to a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 30 second intervals, stirring after each one. Once melted, spread the chocolate over the walnut butter layer.
- Sprinkle with chopped walnuts and salt, then freeze solid for 10-15 minutes
- Remove from the freezer and use a sharp knife to trim into pieces. Enjoy!
Storing Suggestions
To keep the walnut butter a little firm, I like to store the bark in an airtight container in the freezer for several weeks. This will make the dates super hard and chewy though, so let them rest on your plate at room temperature for a few minutes before enjoying. They can also be kept in the fridge.
Tips & Variations
- Use any type of nut butter or even sunflower seed butter. My roasted cinnamon pecan butter would be perfect here!
- A lot of people like to use creamy peanut butter and crushed peanuts for a homemade Snickers bar.
- Make stuffed dates: Instead of making a bark, fill each pitted date with a little nut butter, then coat with melted chocolate. So good! These have the same flavor, but it’s much easier to make them in bark form
Related Recipes
- Date Walnut Scones
- Air Fryer Roasted Walnuts
- Chocolate Covered Pecans
- Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Clusters
- 2-Ingredient Chocolate Truffles
If you made this recipe, please leave a comment or ask a question below! I’d love to hear what you think or troubleshoot any issues.
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Viral Date Bark {with Walnut Butter}
Equipment
- 2 sheet pans
- 2 Parchment paper
- 1 microwave-safe bowl
Ingredients
- 20 fresh dates, pitted; I used Medjool
- 1/2 cup walnut butter
- 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2 tbsp chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Spread the pitted dates open and place them with the inside facing up, forming a rectangle shape. I made a grid of 5 columns and 4 rows. Try to get them rather close to avoid having gaps between them. (I used about 20 for mine, but the size of the dates will vary. )20 fresh dates
- Cover the top of the dates with another sheet of parchment paper, then place the second sheet pan on top. Press firmly over the sheet pan to help squash the dates into a thin layer. You can also use a rolling pin or the bottom of a sturdy jar to help you out.
- Remove the second sheet pan and piece parchment paper, then spread the walnut butter generously over the smashed date layer.1/2 cup walnut butter
- Add the chocolate chips and coconut oil to a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 30 second intervals, stirring after each one. Once melted, spread the chocolate over the walnut butter layer.3/4 cup dark chocolate chips, 1 tbsp coconut oil
- Sprinkle with chopped walnuts and salt, then freeze solid for 10-15 minutes2 tbsp chopped walnuts, 1/2 tsp sea salt
- Remove from the freezer and use a sharp knife to trim into pieces. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Did you try this recipe?
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