Pistachio Butter Date Bark

I have a love/hate relationship with the date bark trend.

Love: it’s absolutely delicious. Dates + chocolate? Sign me up.

But hate: WHY is it always marketed as a “healthy Snickers” or some other candy replacement. Because it’s definitely not that.

A Snickers bar is a Snickers bar. And I don’t know about you, but when I’m craving one, dates and chocolate just don’t do the trick.

In fact, if you’re craving a Snickers bar and eat dates and chocolate instead, chances are, not only will you not feel satisfied, but also, you’ll keep eating more and more of the dates to try to feel satisfied.

The result is often that you end up eating way more than you would’ve if you just had the candy bar in the first place. And, eventually, you end up eating the candy bar anyway once you realize that endless dates aren’t satisfying you.

And don’t get me wrong: I love both options! Both a candy bar and date bark are absolutely delicious. But there’s a time and place for each one. And we’ve gotta stop acting like they’re interchangeable.

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way (phew)…. let’s talk about the time and place for this date bark.

It’s perfect for when you want something sweet that’s also a little substantial. This is more filling than a traditional candy bar and, because it’s full of fiber too, won’t give you the same blood sugar – or energy – crash that you may feel after eating a candy bar.

I love grabbing a piece (or a few) of this date bark when I want a sweet snack. Or when I want something sweet after dinner and am still feeling like I’ve got room in my stomach – more than just wanting the taste of something sweet to end a meal.

Pistachios are truly an underrated nut. They’re full of fiber and rich in micronutrients. Dates are also a great way to add fiber and micronutrients to your diet.

Together, dates and pistachios make this date bark more filling than a typical candy bar, and also, just so delicious.

Add a little flaky salt on top, and the sweet and salty combo truly cannot be beat.

Notes

• Pistachio butter: This is super easy to make. It just requires a good food processor and some patience 🙂 I like to add a little maple syrup for sweetness and a little olive oil to make the pistachio butter super smooth and drippy. When processing, you’ll first see the pistachios turn into a small crumb, then a ball, and then into a smooth pistachio butter. I find it best to add the olive oil once it starts to get smooth. If your food processor gets hot, give it a break to cool down for a minute or so, and then continue to process.
• Dates: Make sure these are pitted with any leftover stem removed. Flatten them using your hands and really try to press them together.
• Chocolate chips: I used semi-sweet. Dark chocolate would also be delicious!
• Coconut oil: A little bit really helps the chocolate to melt smoothly.
• Storage: Store this date dark in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Sammi Brondo

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Inactive Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Ingredients  

• 2 cups roasted & salted pistachios
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 20 pitted dates
• 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• To top: crushed pistachios flaky salt

Instructions 

• Add the pistachios, maple syrup, and salt to a large food processor. Process on high until smooth – depending on the strength of your food processor, this may take around 10 minutes. The pistachios will first turn into a fine crumb, then into a large ball, and then become a smooth butter. If you need to, stop your food processor to scrape down the sides and let the machine cool down every few minutes.
• Optional: once smooth, add the olive oil to the pistachio butter and process again until smooth and cohesive. This will yield a smoother, more drippy pistachio butter. Set aside.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice dates in half and spread them on the baking sheet, making sure they overlap each other slightly so that there’s no empty space. Arrange them into 4 to 5 rows.
• Add another piece of parchment paper on top of the dates and use the bottom of a glass to flatten the dates and firmly press them together.
• Spread the pistachio butter evenly on top of the dates (you may have extra! Store it in an airtight container in the fridge).
• Add the chocolate chips to a bowl with the coconut oil. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, stirring halfway through, until melted.
• Pour the chocolate on top of the pistachio butter and spread until even and smooth. Top with crushed pistachios and salt and place in the freezer for at least 1 hour to harden.
• Using a knife, cut the date bark into pieces and serve.

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