Almond Date Clusters

Almond Date Clusters

Serves: 10 clusters

Ingredients

• 1 cup dates, pitted & diced
• ½ cup almonds, chopped
• 2-3 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• ½ cup dark chocolate, melted
• Toppings: 
• Extra crushed almonds, for topping
• Pinch of flaky sea salt

Method

1. Place the chopped dates, almonds, peanut butter and cinnamon in a bowl. 
2. Mix until well combined.
3. Pour in the melted dark chocolate and stir until the mixture is evenly coated.
4. Transfer the mixture to a small parchment-lined dish and spread into an even layer.
5. Sprinkle it with the extra crushed almonds and flaky sea salt.
6. Refrigerate until set.
7. Slice/ break and enjoy! 

Meal-prep tips

Once set, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

I'd recommend eating them within approximately 1–2 weeks for best quality. The dates and chocolate themselves are relatively stable, but refrigeration helps maintain the texture and prevents the chocolate from becoming soft.

Place baking paper between layers if you're stacking them.

Freezer safe? Yes — these are freezer friendly.

Place the clusters in a freezer-safe airtight container, separating layers with baking paper.

Freeze for approximately 2–3 months for best quality.

To eat, simply transfer one cluster to the refrigerator and allow it to thaw, or let it sit at room temperature for around 15–30 minutes.

They can also be eaten partially frozen if you like a firmer, fudgy texture.

Best meal-prep method

Dice the dates finely.

Mix dates, chopped almonds, peanut butter and cinnamon until sticky and well combined.

Form into 8–10 compact clusters.

Dip or drizzle with melted dark chocolate.

Add crushed almonds and a tiny pinch of flaky salt.

Refrigerate until completely set.

Transfer to an airtight container.

A useful tip

If your dates are quite dry, soak them in hot water for 5–10 minutes, then drain and pat them dry before mixing. This will make the clusters much easier to bind.

If the mixture is too crumbly, add another 1 tsp peanut butter at a time rather than adding lots of extra.

Macros per serve

Calories 160 kcal

Protein 4g

Carbohydrates 21g

Fat 8g

Fibre 3g

Sugars 16g

Health benefits 

Dates provide natural sweetness together with fibre, potassium and several micronutrients. Their fibre content helps make them more nutritionally useful than simply adding refined sugar.  

Almonds provide monounsaturated fats, plant protein, fibre, magnesium and vitamin E. They add some protein and fibre to the clusters while also providing satisfying crunch.

Natural peanut butter contributes protein, unsaturated fats, vitamin E and magnesium. It also helps bind the dates and almonds together, making it useful from both a nutritional and recipe perspective.

Dark chocolate provides cocoa polyphenols and minerals such as magnesium and iron. Choosing a 70%+ dark chocolate generally gives you a higher cocoa content, although the nutritional profile still varies considerably between brands.