Skip Sugar And Use Dates to Create These 8 Yummy Healthy Desserts

Check out these 8 yummy and healthy recipes! 

1. Caramel Date Cookies

Recipe and image credits: nutriciously.com

Ingredients:

Cookie layer

White flour (205 g)

⅓ cup dates, pitted & soaked (100 g)

3 tbsp full-fat milk

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Date caramel

⅓ cup peanut  butter (60 g)

1 cup dates, pitted & soaked (120 g)

4 tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp salt

Chocolate layer

1 cup dark chocolate (about 150 g), melted

Topping

Almonds, crushed

Salt

Steps:

Make the cookie layer

1- Place the drained dates and milk into a food processor and pulse to obtain a smooth puree.

2- Add the flour and pulse a couple of times to incorporate, then transfer the mixture to a lined baking dish. Spread it into an even layer.

Make the caramel

1- Blend dates and milk for a couple of seconds until smooth, then add the rest of the ingredients.

2- Blend or pulse everything until you achieve a smooth consistency, then pour your date caramel on top of the bottom layer in the baking sheet. 

3- Spread evenly with a spatula or large spoon, then cover and freeze for at least 1 hour.

Add chocolate layer

1- Remove the baking sheet from the freezer. Pour the dark melted chocolate over the hardened caramel layer and sprinkle with salt and crushed almonds.

Chill & serve

- Cover again and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before cutting into slices and serving.

The caramel slices can be stored in the fridge for up to a week or covered in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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2. Fudgy Brownies

Recipe and image credits: nutriciously.com

Ingredients:

½ cup dates, soaked & drained (75 g)

2 tbsp molasses

3 tbsp peanut butter

½ cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups black beans, drained & rinsed (340 g)

¼ cup and 1 tbps white flour (50 g)

2 tsp espresso powder

1 tbsp flax seeds, ground

⅔ cup dark cocoa powder (57 g)

1 tsp baking powder

½ cup dark chocolate, cut into chunks (70 g)

½ cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped (50 g)

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Chocolate Drizzle

½ cup dark chocolate, melted (70 g)

Steps:

1- Preheat the oven to 350° F (180° C) and line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper.

2- Add the dates, molasses, peanut butter, milk, and vanilla extract into a food processor and mix to obtain a creamy puree.

3- Add the black beans and process until really smooth. Finally, put the flour, espresso powder, flax seeds, cocoa powder, and baking powder in your food processor jar. Process to obtain a homogeneous, smooth mixture.

4- Transfer the brownie batter into a large bowl, add the chocolate chunks and hazelnuts and gently stir with a spoon to incorporate.

5- Transfer the batter into the lined pan and spread it into an even layer.

6- Place your pan into the oven and bake for 20 mins. Check after 15 mins to see whether your brownies are almost done and test with a toothpick.

7- Once done, remove your freshly baked brownies from the oven and let them cool.

8- Drizzle with melted chocolate, cut into squares and serve.

3. Date and Nut Bars

Recipe and image credits: greedyeats.com

Ingredients:

1 cup dates (grounded)

¾ cup mixed nuts, chopped (You can use walnuts, cashews, almonds, and pistachios)

1 tbsp clarified butter/ Coconut Oil

Steps:

1- Lightly roast all the chopped nuts for 3-4 minutes on medium flame.

2- Now add grounded dates in the pan and add in a tablespoon of clarified butter.

3- Stir and mix dates with nuts for another 4-5 minutes over medium-high heat.

4- Invert the mixture in a parchment or foil lined mini square/rectangle pan. Press using a spatula or spoon to set the mixture covering the whole pan. Garnish with a few chunks of nuts (optional).

5- Cover the pan and let it sit in the refrigerator for 2 hours minimum. (To speed up this process, freeze the bars for 30 minutes.)

6- Cut using a sharp knife. Leftovers can be saved at room temp. or in the refrigerator (Covered at all times).

4. Raisin Date Bread Pudding

Recipe and image credit: tasteofhome.com

Ingredients:

4 cups whole milk

5 cups cubed old bread

¾  cup honey

8 large eggs, room temperature, beaten

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup chopped dates

1/4 cup raisins

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Dash salt

Dash ground nutmeg

Optional: Cinnamon sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg, and whipped cream

Steps:

- In a large bowl, pour milk over bread. Add honey, eggs, butter, dates, raisins, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg; stir to mix well. Pour into a greased baking dish. If desired, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Bake at 180° C until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. If desired, serve warm with whipped cream.

5. Chocolate Truffles

Recipe and image credits: pinchofyum.com

Ingredients:

14 medjool dates, pitted

1/2 cup nuts (any kind)

3/4 cup finely ground nuts

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cocoa, sprinkles, and flaked coconut for topping

Steps:

1- Soak the dates in hot water for a few minutes to soften. Drain and squeeze out excess water.

2- Pulse the nuts, ground nuts, and cocoa in a food processor until finely ground. Add the dates, vanilla, and salt and pulse until a thick, sticky dough ball forms. Remove the dough ball from the food processor – taste and add any salt or other flavors you want.

3- Roll the dough into small balls – you should be able to get 18-24 balls. Roll the balls in toppings of your choice like cocoa powder, chocolate sprinkles, or flaked coconut, or you can just leave them without any toppings. Place on a baking sheet and store in the freezer until they are hard enough not to stick together. Transfer to an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator or freezer.

6. Snickers Stuffed Dates

Recipe and image credits: eatingbirdfood.com

Ingredients:

10 medjool dates

2 Tablespoons peanut butter

¼ cup chopped or crushed peanuts

½ cup dairy-free dark chocolate chunks or chocolate chips

1 teaspoon coconut oil

Steps:

1- Cut a slit in each date and remove the pit.

2- Fill each date with peanut butter (about ½ teaspoon) and a sprinkle of crushed peanuts. Set aside.

3- Place the dark chocolate and the coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl and melt in the microwave for 30 seconds.

4- Using a toothpick, dip each date into melted chocolate and use a spoon to coat the date until completely covered. Place chocolate covered dates on a platter lined with parchment. Sprinkle remaining crushed peanuts on top of each date.

5- Place the dates in the fridge to allow the chocolate to set.

6- Keep leftover chocolate covered dates in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week.

7. Vanilla Date Ice Cream

Recipe and image credit: proportionalplate.com

Ingredients:

5 large egg yolks

300 g Medjool Dates pitted

1 ½ cups whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 ½ cups heavy cream

Roughly chopped pistachios optional

Steps:

1- Whisk the yolks together and set aside.

2- Add half of the dates to a food processor with the milk. Run until well combined, 3-4 minutes. Rough chop the remaining dates.

3- Warm the milk & date mixture with the vanilla and rough chopped dates until it just lightly simmers. Use a whisk to break up the chunks of dates.

4- Temper the egg mixture with the milk/date/vanilla mixture.

5- Return to the saucepan and cook until thickened, stirring slowly and constantly.

6- Remove from heat. Add the cream. Let cool then blend everything together with a mixer.

7- Transfer to a container you can freeze, cover with parchment paper, and freeze for at least 4 hours.

8- Optional: Top with roughly chopped pistachios before serving!

8. Salted Caramel Tahini Cups

Recipe and image credits: runningonrealfood.com

Ingredients:

1/3 cup melted coconut oil (65 g)

1/2 cup smooth, drippy tahini (120 g)

1 cup packed, pitted dates (220 g)

1/4 tsp sea salt

3 tbsp honey

Steps:

1- Soak the pitted dates in hot water for 15 minutes then drain well and set aside.

2- White the dates are soaking, gently mix the melted coconut oil, tahini, and honey together in a bowl until smooth and creamy.

3- Prepare 9 muffin liners or silicone baking cups and add 1 tbsp of the mixture into each one. 4- Place them in the freezer to harden. They should take about 10 minutes to harden completely.

4- In a food processor, blend the soaked dates with the sea salt until smooth and creamy like a thick paste. You may need to stop a few times to scrape down the sides.

5- Pull the hardened cups from the freezer and divide the date mixture by spoonfuls into each one. Evenly spoon the remaining tahini mixture onto each one. Spreading around a little so they’re flat.

6- Place back in the freezer until hardened, about 20-30 minutes.

7- Store in the freezer in a sealed container for up to 2 months.