Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Make the peanut butter/date spread:
- Add the pitted and halved dates to a bowl and cover with hot water. Soak for 30 minutes, then drain.
- To a small food processor*, add the dates and 2 tablespoons of warm water. Blend until smooth and no large chunks remain. If it's having trouble blending, add another tablespoon of water.
- Add in the peanut butter and vanilla extract and continue blending until smooth. Add an additional 1 tablespoon of water if needed to blend. It should be a smooth, spreadable paste.
Assemble the apples:
- Add the chocolate and coconut oil to a heatproof bowl and heat in 30-second intervals in the microwave, stirring well between each interval, until fully melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Slice off a little bit of the apple on each side. Cut the apple into two ½-inch slices on each side of the apple core, for 4 total slices per apple. If your apples are on the smaller side, you may not be able to get 4 slices.
- Carefully insert a popsicle stick into the bottom of each apple slice. Note: if your apples aren't sliced thick enough, this will be very difficult! You can also skip this step, it just makes these easier to coat in chocolate.
- Use paper towel to pat each apple slice dry on both sides.
- Spread an even layer of date spread on one side of the apple. Top with a layer of peanuts.
- Working over the bowl of melted chocolate, use a spoon to spread the chocolate on the back side and edges of the apple slices, then flip it over and spread chocolate on top over the peanuts. Let the excess chocolate drip off before placing it down on the parchment paper. Repeat with all apple slices.
- Refrigerate until the chocolate is set (about 30 minutes), then enjoy! Keep these stored in the fridge in an airtight container for 3 days.
Notes
*Use a small food processor. This is a small batch of dates, and a full-size food processor has a hard time blending it smooth. If you don't have a small food processor, just mash the dates up with a fork until they're super smooth, then stir in the peanut butter and vanilla.
Storage: These will keep fine in the fridge for 3 days, but are best within the first 48 hours. After that, the apple will start to soften a bit. These do not freeze well - the apple gets mushy when defrosted.
Chocolate: You can use semisweet, dark or milk chocolate. If you're vegan/dairy free, use nondairy chocolate chips.
Coconut oil: Though technically optional, it helps thin out the melted chocolate so it's both easier to coat the apples, and you don't end up with a super thick layer of chocolate.