Growing up in Mississippi, I lived in a huge subdivision, chock full of kids my own age. We were given free range of the neighborhood and allowed to roam on our own, as long as we were home by the time the street lights came on.
Some of my fondest memories of living in that neighborhood were those of Halloween. My sister and I would dress up in our homemade Halloween costumes and hit every house within a two mile radius, until our feet were sore and our plastic pumpkin buckets were overflowing with candy. Once home, we would sort our candy by type, trading likes and dislikes with one another, and giving the candy neither of us liked (malted milk balls!) to my dad.
One of my favorite candies as a kid, flavors I still adore as an adult, are the well-known chocolate covered coconut candy bars that come with or without almonds. I’ve recreated that candy bar in this recipe, but with a healthy twist. I use dates to give this candy a natural sweetness and cover each candy in dark chocolate dusted with a pinch of flaky sea salt. The end result is fantastic and much better than those candy bars I ate as a kid.
To make these candies, add ¾ cup of shredded unsweetened coconut and 2 ½ tablespoons of softened (not melted) coconut oil to a bowl. Mix with hands until incorporated. You are aiming for a coconut mixture that is tacky and sticks together when you press it between your fingers. Set the mixture aside and melt the chocolate next.
In a double boiler or microwave, slowly melt one cup of dark chocolate (70% or darker) with two teaspoons of coconut oil. Mix until smooth and glossy. Set aside.
Pit each date by slitting the date down one (long) side. I like to use Medjool dates in this recipe. They have a soft, creamy texture and a lovely rich caramel flavor. Make a pocket with each date and stuff fully with coconut mixture. I find it easiest to use a ¼ teaspoon to scoop up the coconut mixture and pack into each date. Pack as much coconut into each date as possible.
Once dates are stuffed, cover entirely in melted chocolate. To do this, jab a toothpick into the side of a date and use a spoon to pour chocolate over the open (coconut-stuffed side) of the date. This will seal the date and hold the coconut mixture in place. Next dip the bottom of the date into the chocolate to coat the underneath side. Shake off excess chocolate, then gently place the date on a sheet pan that has been lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle each chocolate covered date with flaky sea salt and a dusting of unsweetened coconut. Place dates in the refrigerator or freezer to cool and harden. Enjoy! These candies store well in the refrigerator for up to one week, but I doubt that they will last that long.
Healthy Coconut Chocolates
Ingredients
- 24 Medjool
- 3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 2 1/2 tbsp coconut oil +2 teaspoon, divided
- 1 cup dark chocolate
Instructions
- Add ¾ cup of shredded unsweetened coconut and 2 ½ tablespoons of softened coconut oil to a bowl. Mix with hands until incorporated. Set aside.
- In a double boiler or microwave, melt one cup of dark chocolate (70% or greater) with two teaspoons of coconut oil until smooth. Set aside.
- Pit each date by slitting the date down one (long) side. Make a pocket with the date and stuff fully with coconut mixture. Pack as much coconut into each date as possible.
- Once dates are stuffed, cover entirely in melted chocolate. To do this, jab a toothpick into the side of a date and use a spoon to pour chocolate over the open (coconut-stuffed side) of the date. This will seal the date and hold the coconut mixture in place. Next dip the bottom of date into the chocolate to coat the underneath side. Shake off excess chocolate, then gently place date on a sheet pan that has been lined with parchment paper.
- Sprinkle each chocolate covered date with flaky sea salt and a dusting of unsweetened coconut. Place dates in the refrigerator or freezer to cool and harden.
- Enjoy! These candies store well in the refrigerator for up to one week, but I doubt that they will last that long.
