• Date bark is all the rage right now (just ask TikTok!). Videos showcasing how to make a quick and easy date bark using Medjool dates as the base are blowing up social media sites. But Sphinx Date Co. likes to think they’re ahead of the trend — after all, they’ve been boasting the benefits and deliciousness of dates for decades! Regardless, Sphinx Date Co. weighs in on the viral date bark trend and adds a few of their own twists and tips.
  • Date bark is just that — a sweet and savory snack that uses Medjool dates (or any kind of fresh, pitted date) as the base. People have used chocolate, peanut butter, nuts and more to dress up the base to                       create a delicious (and mostly nutritious) snack. Here, Sphinx Date Co. offers the base recipe and ways to add to it.

Viral Date Bark

Ingredients

  • 10-15 fresh Medjool dates, pitted
  • 2 1/2 Tbsp. peanut butter (or nut butter of choice)
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
  • 2 1/2 Tbsp. chopped nuts of choice
  • Avocado oil, scant amount
  • Sea salt of choice

 Directions

  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
  2. Press pitted split side dates up and press them together to form one connected piece
  3. Melt the nut butter for a few seconds in the microwave so it can be easily drizzled
  4. Drizzle and spread the nut butter over the dates
  5. Melt chocolate chips with a drop or two of avocado oil and stir until combined, then drizzle atop the nut butter layer
  6. Sprinkle with nuts and sea salt
  7. Set in the freezer for about 15 minutes to set
  8. Once set, remove from freezer, break bark into big pieces and enjoy! (Bark can be returned to freezer or in the fridge to enjoy later. If storing in the freezer for a long period of time, allow the bark to thaw slightly before enjoying.)

That’s it! Simple right? Now the fun begins. There are tons of ways to enjoy this simple date bark and there’s no wrong way to do it! Kids will love making this since it’s easy, quick and there are no rules. But here are a few ideas:

-Swap peanut butter for cashew, pistachio or sunflower butter

-Match the nuts with the nut butter (for example, use chopped almonds with almond butter or pistachios with pistachio butter)

-Instead of nuts, use sunflower seeds, pepitas or dried cranberries, blueberries or cherries

-Swap dark chocolate chips for butterscotch, white chocolate or yogurt

- Get creative with sea salts — pink Himalayan, black lava, smoked, etc.