This delicious and oh-so-easy Halva-Stuffed Date recipe can be served with afternoon tea, as a side dish, or as a special holiday treat.
We love stuffed dates for the incredible punch of sweet and fabulous flavor that they deliver in bite-size portions. Plus, we love the fact that whenever we serve our Halva Stuffed Dates, a chorus of oh’s and ah’s emanate from the table right after the very first bite.
You’ll have the same effect on your guests with these chewy, chocolate-covered stuffed dates that take minutes to prepare with just a simple handful of ingredients. 
Our Halva Stuffed Date recipe features tahini, powdered sugar, and roasted sesame seeds blended into a delicious cream filling. Once the halva mixture is blended and the dates are stuffed, we freeze them before dipping half in dark chocolate and a sprinkling of sesame seeds. We then return the dates to the freezer until ready to serve.
Freezing gives the stuffed dates a wonderfully chewy texture because the natural sugars in the fruit prevent them from hardening when frozen. What’s great is that you can always have a batch on hand for easy meal planning or last-minute special occasions!
Easy Variations for Every Palate
This recipe is so quick and easy, you’ll want to experiment with other flavors. Try stuffing the dates with a blend of:
Pistachios and Maple Syrup
Almond flour, Sugar, and Orange Blossom Water
Walnuts (you can find the recipe in our cookbook TAHINI & TUMERIC: 101 Middle Eastern Classics Made Irresistibly Vegan )
Cashews
We have collected a great variety of Middle Eastern-style gold-leafed glass dishes that make a beautiful serving tray for the Stuffed Dates. Any serving piece will do, though, and we encourage you to serve the dates alongside rows of plain dried fruit like apricots, figs, pears, or apples; a small dish of pistachios, and a pot of mint tea.
Halva-Stuffed Dates
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: Makes 22 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian, Gluten-Free
Description
Sweet Medjool dates get a creamy tahini filling, then a dunk in dark chocolate. A perfect bite-sized dessert.
Ingredients
- 22-24 Medjool Dates
- 2/3 cups (150 ml) Tahini
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp (75 ml) powdered sugar
- 1/8 -1/4 tsp cardamom
- 3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1/2 cups (118 ml) chocolate chips
- 2 tsp refined coconut oil
Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet with wax or parchment paper. Set aside.
- Using a sharp paring knife, carefully score the dates vertically, open them, and carefully remove the pit and any hard end.
- Whisk the tahini and sugar in a medium bowl. Stir in the cardamom and toasted sesame seeds.
- Stuff each date with about 1 to 1 1/4 tsp of tahini mixture and place them on the lined baking sheet.
- Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 15–20 minutes.
- Combine the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a heatproof bowl and melt (you can use a microwave in 20-second increments or a double boiler).
- Remove the dates from the freezer. Dip each date halfway into the melted chocolate and place them back on the baking sheet. Sprinkle some sesame seeds over the chocolate and return to the freezer until ready to eat.
Notes
- For easier pitting, use kitchen shears to snip the dates open lengthwise.
- If tahini is too thick, add a teaspoon of water at a time until desired consistency is reached.
- Store the stuffed dates in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 date
- Calories: 100
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 10
- Fat: 7
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Unsaturated Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 2
- Cholesterol: 0
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different type of nut instead of sesame seeds for the stuffing?
Yes, you can experiment with other nuts like pistachios or walnuts for the stuffing, but keep in mind that the flavor and texture will change.
Is it necessary to freeze the stuffed dates before dipping them in chocolate?
Freezing the stuffed dates is important as it helps achieve a chewy texture and prevents them from hardening when dipped in chocolate.
What type of chocolate works best for dipping the dates?
Dark chocolate is recommended for dipping, as it complements the sweetness of the dates and the halva filling.
