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Sweet Vegan Baklava Stuffed Dates

These tasty treats were inspired by the Middle Eastern delight, baklava, a sticky-sweet, nutty dessert that punctuates the end of a delicious meal. Baklava is made with layers of phyllo dough but in this much simpler recipe, the flavors of this beloved dessert are stuffed into tender, sweet dates which provide a gentle sweetness. This recipe calls for finishing the dates in two different ways; wrapped in puff pastry drizzled with chocolate and dipped in melted chocolate and chilled for a caramel-like result. You can also enjoy the stuffed dates without either treatment and not be disappointed. If you prefer to make all of the dates wrapped in pastry, you’ll need two sheets of pastry dough (Pepperidge Farm is vegan).
Course Desserts
Cuisine Middle Eastern

Ingredients
  

  • 18 to 20 Medjool dates
  • 1 cup whole raw or roasted almonds, pistachios, or walnuts - or a combination, divided use
  • ¼ cup smooth unsalted almond butter
  • 2 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup vegan chocolate chips
  • 2 teaspoons coconut oil refined or unrefined
  • 1 sheet puff pastry dough thawed but chilled

Instructions
 

  • Slice the dates lengthwise to remove the pits. Set aside. Place the nuts on a cutting board and finely chop them: pieces should be small but not dust. Place them in a small bowl, reserving a couple of tablespoons for sprinkling. Stir in the almond butter, syrup, lemon zest, cinnamon, and salt. Use a teaspoon to fill the dates with the nut mixture, packing it firmly inside.
  • To wrap the dates in pastry, set out a small bowl with a little water. Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Lay the sheet of puff pastry on a counter or large cutting board. Roll it out so that it’s about 1 inch wider on all sides. This sheet will wrap 9 dates. Cut along the 2 folded seams, creating three long pieces. Cut each piece into three equal pieces, one for each date. Place one date on one pastry square. Use a finger dipped in water to moisten the edges. Roll the date in the pastry then pinch the seams together to seal. Gently twist and pinch the ends so they stay together. Arrange on the baking tray and bake for 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
  • Melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a small pot over low heat. Turn the heat off while there are some chocolate chips still visible, then stir to melt completely. Line a large plate with parchment paper. Use a spoon to gently lower the dates one at a time into the pot. Spoon chocolate over to cover. Lift out and set on the plate. Sprinkle with chopped nuts. Transfer the plate to the refrigerator and chill for about 30 minutes or until the chocolate has set. Serve chilled.
  • Use remaining chocolate to decorate the pastry-wrapped dates. Use a spoon to drizzle a little chocolate over the cooled pastry-wrapped dates. Sprinkle with nuts and let sit for about 10 minutes until the chocolate has set. These are better served at room temperature, do not refrigerate to set the chocolate.
Keyword vegan
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