If you’re loving all the viral stuffed date and date bark recipes, you’re going to love this one, too! While I love the rendition that makes it tastes just like a Snickers bar, I also had this idea of using dates as a base for a caramel apple vibe during the fall season. I swear you can trick anyone in to eating a ton of this. The medjool dates lend a natural deep caramel flavor. When it’s coated in dark chocolate.. oof, it’s the perfect pairing. It’s then topped with my favorite caramel apple toppings - shredded coconut and crunchy peanuts. Biting into this Caramel Apple Date Bark is much better than biting into a hard, crunchy whole apple where the caramel ends up all over your face and the toppings are on the ground. I joined Natural Delights in September 2023 for their date harvest in Yuma, Arizona where I even won a competition for the best date bark. We were challenged to make bark with at least a dozen different ingredients. The judges are experts in all things dates, so I knew I had to get this recipe on my site immediately. I mean, it’s an award-winning recipe!
Why you’ll love this Recipe
Personally, I am obsessed with this recipe and am definitely keeping date bark in the freezer for a quick, nutritious snack.
This date bark topped with apples tastes just like a caramel apple! It’s a perfect snack made with only a few whole ingredients, plus a little chocolate. This is a no-bake dessert, so it comes together really fast. You don’t have to use peanuts or coconut. It can easily accommodate any dietary restrictions by making it nut-free or using vegan chocolates. It’s also naturally gluten-free.
Ingredients - Notes and Substitutions
How to make Date Bark
Start with prepping all the ingredients -
Pit the dates if they don’t come pitted. Chop half an apple into small cubes. Melt the dark chocolate and white chocolate with a half tablespoon of coconut oil each. I do 15-30 second intervals in the microwave until it’s fully melted. Chop the peanuts, if desired.
Line a ⅛ sheet tray with parchment paper, with enough hanging over so that it can be removed. Split the dates open and lay them out close together on the tray. Cover the dates with more parchment paper and smash them with the bottom of a bowl or glass. Tip: Ensure that the dates overlap with little to no holes. The stickyness will help bind them together to make it more enjoyable as you eat the bark. Slather the dark chocolate all over the surface of the dates. This will be the glue for your toppings. Then, cover the chocolate with your toppings - in this case, shredded coconut and diced apples. Drizzle the melted white chocolate all over. Top it with a sprinkle of flaky salt. Then, pop the tray into the freezer for a minimum of 15 minutes. Once the chocolate has hardened, take the tray out of the freezer. Lift the bark out by using the excess parchment paper. Use a large chef’s knife to cut the bark into desired slices. The bark is ready to enjoy! It’s best enjoyed cold so that the chocolate doesn’t melt all over your fingers.
Tips and Tricks
Quality of dates - Medjool dates are typically larger, sweeter, plump, and soft compared to deglets that are also readily available in store. If the dates are older, they’ll also be a bit drier and harder. It’s ideal to use fresher dates. Softening the dates - A great hack for softening the dates is to leave them in warm water for 10 minutes. You can also wrap them in a damp paper towel and warm it up for 10 seconds in a microwave.
Storage Instructions
Keep the bark in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days in a sealed container. After that, the apples will have browned and shriveled. It’s best to keep the bark in the freezer for up to 3 months in a sealed container. The dates will be pretty hard, so it wouldn’t hurt to leave them at room temperature for a few minutes to soften.
Variations
Caramel Apple Variations - There are a million and 10 variations to a caramel apple, which makes this recipe super fun! You can top it with just about anything you can think - chopped nuts, crushed graham crackers, marshmallows, sprinkles, M&Ms, cereal, etc. Use your favorite chocolate as a glue for the toppings. Peanut free - For peanut allergies, use almond butter or chopped pistachios. Vegan - A lot of dark chocolate is already vegan, but vegan dark and white chocolate can be easily found. The white chocolate can also be omitted or substituted with coconut yogurt.
The medjool dates are sweet and have a natural deep caramel flavor that make them the perfect base for anything!
More No-Bake Desserts to try
If you love dates, give this Banana Date Latte and Cardamom Date Shake a try!
Recipe
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