Spooky Date Monsters

Spooky Stuffed Chocolate-Coated Date Monsters

Makes 30 to 40 Date Monsters

Looking for a spooky, kid-friendly treat? These chocolate-coated date monsters are filled with gooey fluffernutter and store-bought raspberry jam. You could also stuff with peanut butter for Snickers style treat – your imagination is the only thing holding you back here: Make dark chocolate-dipped mummies with a white chocolate drizzle, white chocolate ghosts with bloodshot eyes, or friendly green zombies.

You will need:

• 1½ cups marshmallow fluff
• ¼ cup creamy peanut or almond butter
• Kosher salt
• ½ cup raspberry jam
• Small chocolate piping bags or small resealable plastic sandwich bags
• 2 medium piping tips (optional)
• One 2-pound box Rancho Meladuco Medjool Dates
• Small pliers
• Medium microwave-safe bowls
• One 10-ounce bag dark or milk chocolate chips (about 2 cups)
• Small candy eyes
• Two 12-ounce bags white chocolate chips (about 4 cups)
• Red food coloring
• Green food coloring

Prepare your fillings:

In a medium bowl, combine the marshmallow fluff, peanut butter and a pinch of kosher salt until smooth. Scoop the fluffernutter and raspberry jam into separate piping bags fitted with medium piping tips, if using. Cut off the tip of the piping bag. (Here is a how-to video.) Alternatively, you can use a plastic sandwich bag and squeeze the filling into a corner of the bag. Snip the corner to make a ¼-inch hole.

Prepare your dates:

Using small pliers, remove the pits through the top of each date. (Check out the Rancho Meladuco Instagram page for a quick video tutorial on how to do this.) Transfer to a large parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet.

Pipe a small amount of the fluffernutter filling into half of your dates, stopping when the filling starts to ooze out of the top of your date. Be careful not to overfill. Repeat with the jam filling and the remaining dates.

Decorate your monsters:

Mummies

1. In a medium microwave safe bowl, add 1 cup of the dark chocolate chips. Microwave on HIGH in 30 second bursts until the chocolate begins to melt. Stir until smooth. Return to the microwave, if needed.
2. Use two forks, dip a filled date into the warm dark chocolate. Turn gently so that it is coated completely. Remove the date, letting the excess chocolate dip back into the bowl. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
3. While the chocolate is still warm, press two candy eyes onto the top third of your date. Let cool until the dark chocolate has hardened, about 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a medium microwave safe bowl, add 1 cup of the white chocolate chips. Microwave on HIGH in 30 second bursts until the chocolate begins to melt. Stir until smooth. Spoon the white chocolate into a small piping bag and snip ⅛-inch off the tip.
5. Using the white chocolate piping bag, drizzle white chocolate across your date mummy to create ribbons, being careful not to pipe over the candy eyes. Let the chocolate harden before serving.

Ghosts

1. In a medium microwave safe bowl, add 2 cups of the white chocolate chips. Microwave on HIGH in 30 second bursts until the chocolate begins to melt. Stir until smooth.
2. Using two forks, dip a filled date into the warm white chocolate. Turn gently so that it is coated completely. Remove the date, letting the excess chocolate dip back into the bowl. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Let cool until the chocolate has hardened, about 10 minutes. Reserve at least 3 tablespoons of white chocolate.
3. Return the remaining white chocolate to the microwave and cook on HIGH for 30 seconds. Stir until smooth. Repeat this process, if needed. Gradually add red food coloring until you have your desired color. Scrape the chocolate into a small piping bag and snip ⅛-inch off the tip. Use the red chocolate to adhere the candy eyes to each date to create your face. Let the chocolate harden before serving.

Zombies

1. In a medium microwave safe bowl, add 2 cups of the white chocolate chips. Microwave on HIGH in 30 second bursts until the chocolate begins to melt. Stir until smooth. Gradually add green food coloring until you have your desired color.
2. Using two forks, dip a filled date into the warm green chocolate. Turn gently so that it is coated completely. Remove the date, letting the excess chocolate dip back into the bowl. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. While the chocolate is still warm, press two candy eyes onto the top third of your date. Let cool until the green chocolate has hardened, about 10 minutes.
3. In a microwave safe bowl, add the remaining 1 cup of dark chocolate chips. Microwave on HIGH in 30 second bursts until the chocolate begins to melt. Stir until smooth. Scrape the chocolate into a small piping bag and snip ⅛-inch off the tip.
4. Using the dark chocolate piping bag, pipe hair and a mouth onto your zombie. Let the chocolate harden before serving.

TIP If your chocolate begins to cool while you’re working with it, return to the microwave and microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds. Stir until smooth. Alternatively, you can keep a medium pot of simmering water on your stove. Set a bowl of chocolate on top of the pot to warm, stirring occasionally.

MAKE AHEAD The chocolate-coated date monsters can be refrigerated overnight in a single layer. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Created & Photographed for us by Julia Heffelfinger