These are not what you are expecting. These are not some chocolate covered creme filled candies you would find in a lovely assortment. These are the kind of candies you would find in the natural, organic, or “healthy” section of the grocery store or specialty market. These super sweet, slightly sticky candies are only made of two ingredients: Sweetened coconut flakes, and dates.
My sweet mother in law went to Arizona to visit my sister in law who recently moved down there and brought me back a pound of super fresh and sweet dates from Dateland.
I knew as soon as I saw this bag of dates, I knew what their imminent future would be. These candies have been in my mind since this past summer when I tried them for the first time from the Lexington Co-Op Market in Elmwood Village. I knew this was the perfect opportunity and the perfect time of year for these sweet little treats.
It must have been destined to happen, because I already had a new bag of coconut flakes in my pantry, which is something I do not normally keep around.
- 1 Cup shredded sweetened coconut
- 12 dates
- Pulse coconut in food processor until chopped fine.
- Reserve one half.
- Pit dates by squeezing out the little pits inside.
- Chop dates using kitchen shears directly into food processor with coconut.
- Pulse coconut and dates until smooth.
- Roll approx. 1 tablespoon of mixture into little balls and roll into a small log.
- Roll logs in reserved coconut, pressing to make it stick.
These candies are perfect for holiday gifts or favors at a holiday get together. They can easily be packaged in small parchment bags with a satin bow (pictured at top of the post) or in a small (or large) canning jar for a fun package.
