Pecan Pie Date Bark
A pecan pie inspired version of the viral date bark! There’s squidgy Medjool dates, maple peanut butter, toasted pecans, dark chocolate & a sprinkle of sea salt.
Homemade date bark is my new favourite thing and this pecan pie inspired variation is incredibly tasty & really easy to make! There’s the usual components that you’ll find in most date barks; Medjool dates, peanut butter & dark chocolate but there’s also a load of toasted pecans & maple syrup in the filling as well.
This is one of this recipes that can be made then will happily sit in your freezer for several months, ready for when you fancy a snack! It takes very little time to prepare & is packed full of flavour. The combination of squidgy Medjool dates, creamy maple peanut butter, crunchy pecans, rich dark chocolate & sea salt is hard to beat!
For more baking recipes, check out every growing baking recipe collection! There’s plenty to choose from here, from chocolate chip cookies & brownies, to homemade breads, pastry & loads more.
What You’ll Need
- Medjool Dates – Make sure to use Medjool dates! These are available in most supermarkets & are the ideal texture for date bark. They have a rich, buttery, almost caramel like flavour!
- Peanut Butter – Using a good quality peanut butter makes all the difference with this recipe. I used a smooth dark roasted peanut butter from ManiLife. Crunchy peanut butter will also work.
- Pecans – You’ll need pecan halves for this date bark, which we’re going to be toasting then chopping up roughly.
- Dark Chocolate – Make sure to use a good quality bar of dark chocolate as it melts easily & has the best flavour. I used a 54% dark chocolate but a darker chocolate, like a 72% dark chocolate will work as well. Or you can use milk chocolate if you’d prefer.
- Maple Syrup – Added for a pecan pie inspired flavour! This is stirred into the peanut butter.
- Vegetable Oil – We’re stirring a small amount of vegetable oil into the peanut butter to stop it seizing up when we add in the maple syrup. This also helps the peanut butter keep its’ runny consistency once it has been set in the freezer. Make sure to use a neutral oil so that it doesn’t affect the flavour of the peanut butter.
- Sea Salt – A sprinkle of sea salt on top of the date bark brings everything together nicely. Dark chocolate & sea salt are a classic combination after all!
Adding Maple Syrup To Peanut Butter
I’ve added maple syrup into the peanut butter for this date bark, for a touch of sweetness & for a pecan pie inspired flavour. However, as I found out, if you just simply stir maple syrup through peanut butter, it will seize up and turn into a thick, crumbly mess!
To get around this, all we need to do is gently warm up the peanut butter so that it’s slightly runnier then stir in a small amount of vegetable oil, followed by the maple syrup. The added fat stops the peanut butter from splitting or seizing & helps it retain its’ creamy, runny texture once frozen. You’ll only need to add in a small amount of neutral oil & make sure to stir it in gradually so that it emulsifies with the peanut butter properly.
How To Make Pecan Pie Date Bark
One of the reasons that date bark is so popular, is that it’s incredibly easy to make! This batch is inspired by a classic pecan pie, so there’s toasted pecans & maple syrup in the filling…
- Toasted Pecans
The first job is to toast some pecans, so that they have time to cool before we use them. I like to do this by baking them in the oven until toasted & fragrant but you could toast them in a pan on the stove instead. Once toasted & cool, we’re going to be roughly chopping the pecans up, for the filling. - Date Layer
The bottom layer of date bark is Medjool dates that have been pressed into a thin, even layer. To do this, we need to cut each date open on one side, open them up look a book then remove the pits. Next, we place the dates onto a sheet of baking parchment (facing cut side down) then place another sheet on top. Next, we use a rolling pin to squish/roll the dates into an even layer without any gaps. Once that’s done, we flip the whole thing upside down, place onto a baking tray then carefully remove the top layer of baking parchment. - Maple Peanut Butter Filling
The peanut butter layer is where the pecan pie comes into play. So to some gently warmed peanut butter, we add in a small amount of vegetable oil (to stop it seizing) and some maple syrup. This all gets stirred together then we pour it over the dates & spread it out into an even layer. The toasted pecans from earlier get sprinkled on top. - Chocolate Layer/Topping
The top layer of this bark is some melted dark chocolate & a good sprinkle of sea salt. Make sure to cover all of the peanut butter with the chocolate! You can melt the chocolate in the microwave or over a pan of barely simmering water. - Setting In The Freezer
Once our date bark is assembled, we’re going to place it into the freezer for at least 30 minutes so that it can set. - Cutting Into Pieces & Storage
Now that our pecan pie date bark is ready, all that’s left to do is to cut it into pieces. It can they be served straight away or stored in the freezer. It’s best to store it in an airtight container with the layers separated with baking parchment, to stop them sticking together.
Tips & Tricks
- Make sure to use Medjool dates as these have the ideal texture (slightly squidgy!) for date bark. This type of date has a rich, buttery, caramel like flavour so it works perfectly with peanut butter & dark chocolate!
- Squish the dates into a thin, even layer without any gaps between them. This is the base of the bark & it stops any of the peanut butter from leaking through.
- For the best flavour, use a good quality peanut butter & dark chocolate. I used a dark roasted creamy peanut butter, for maximum flavour.
- Store your date bark in the freezer, so that the chocolate has a nice “snap” & the peanut butter isn’t too runny. For a slightly softer texture, let your bark sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.
- When storing in a tub, make sure to separate your pieces of date bark with baking parchment so that they don’t stick together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Date bark will keep for up to 3 months when stored in the freezer or up to 2 weeks when stored in the fridge. It’s a great snack to make ahead of time!
It’s best to store dark bark in the freezer as the chocolate will be firm & have a “snappy” texture, the peanut butter layer won’t be too runny & the dates will be firm but still a bit squidgy. If you’d prefer a softer texture, feel free to store your date bark in the fridge instead or let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. However you store it, make sure to separate the layers with baking parchment to stop the pieces of date bark from sticking to each other.
Yes, date bark can be made with other nut butters like almond & cashew or even a nut free paste like tahini (this is made from sesame seeds).
More Baking Recipes To Try!
- Peanut Butter & Medjool Date Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Cherry Swiss Roll
- Homemade Country Slices
- Lemon Drizzle Cookies
- Classic School Cake
- Brown Butter & Miso Pecan Pie Bars
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Pecan Pie Date Bark
Equipment
- Baking Tray
- Rolling Pin
- Mixing Bowls
Ingredients
- 100 g Pecans
- 450 g Medjool Dates (24 Dates)
- 100 g Peanut Butter (See Notes)
- 30 g Maple Syrup
- 20 g Vegetable Oil
- 250 g Dark Chocolate (I Used 54%)
- Fine Sea Salt
Instructions
Pecan Pie Date Bark
- Preheat an oven to 180°c/160°c fan (356°f/320°f).
- Place the pecans onto a baking tray then bake in the preheated oven for 6-8 minutes, until toasted & fragrant. Once toasted, leave to cool completely before using.
- Next, use a small knife to slice open each date then carefully open them up like a book & remove the pits.
- Place the dates onto a large piece of baking parchment so that they're facing cut side down. The dates should be arranged in 6 rows of 4 & should be just touching.There's a visual guide for this in the post above.
- Next, place another sheet of baking parchment on top of the dates then use a rolling pin to press & roll the dates into a thin, even layer. The dates should all be overlapping once rolled out & there shouldn't be any gaps between them.
- Place the dates onto a baking tray so they're now facing cut side up then carefully peel the top piece of baking parchment off. The dates have a tendency to stick to the parchment so you'll need to do this gently.
- Next, place the peanut butter into a heatproof bowl then warm gently in a microwave just until it's warm & a bit runnier. Gradually stir in the oil, followed by the maple syrup.Alternatively, warm the peanut butter up over a small pan of barely simmering water. It doesn't want to be too hot, just warm!
- Pour the peanut butter over the dates then use a palette knife to spread it into an even layer that completely covers the dates. Roughly chop the toasted pecans then sprinkle over the peanut butter layer. Chill this in the fridge for 10 minutes, so that the peanut butter can set slightly.
- In the meantime, roughly chop up the dark chocolate then place into a heatproof bowl. Melt either in the microwave or over a pan of barely simmering water.
- Next, pour the melted chocolate over the peanut butter layer then use a palette knife to spread it out to completely cover the pecans. Sprinkle the chocolate with a good pinch of sea salt then place the bark in the freezer & leave to set for at least 30 minutes.
Cutting Into Portions
- Once set, lift the date bark off the baking parchment then place onto a chopping board. Use a large knife to cut the bark into pieces then place into an airtight container, separating the layers with baking parchment. Serve straight away or store in the freezer.
