Dark Chocolate Date Turtles with Pretzel Shells

“Was it ever boring?” my daughter Isabelle asked recently. She was referring to child rearing, particularly when she and her sisters were tiny. “Yeah,” I admitted. “Sometimes.” Mostly though, it was just busy. I tried my best to keep things interesting, for them, and for me, too. We did what plenty of parents do to fill our days: turning bedrooms into forts, walking to neighborhood parks, painting on big sheets of craft paper in the backyard, visiting the library for stacks of books. And we cooked. The sound of the fridge opening and the “click click click” of the gas range was a siren song. They’d show up at the stove to ask what I was making and could they help. Sometimes it was cookies or kitchen crafts. Often, it was pulling together dinner. I thought of all this last week when I made these Dark Chocolate Date Turtles. “They’d have loved this,” I thought as I laid out the ingredients and went to work.

Not Just for Kids

Turns out we’re never too old to cook with our moms. It wasn’t long before two of my kids, now in their teens and early 20s, were in the kitchen, peering over my shoulder, swiping fingers through melted chocolate, and asking, “When will they be ready?” And for good reason. Dark Chocolate Date Turtles are fun, easy to make, and to me at least, as delicious as the more decadent turtles from which they are inspired.

What is a Chocolate Turtle?

A traditional chocolate turtle is a mound of homemade caramel covered in chocolate, which forms the shell of the turtle. Pecan halves serve as the feet, hands, and head. It’s a homemade candy often reserved for holidays and special occasions.

This version is a little different than the original. I swapped out the caramel and used whole Medjool dates instead, something I’d seen my friend Annie Fenn do over on Instagram. It makes sense, since dates have some of the same qualities as caramel: very sweet, chewy when refrigerated, with a warm caramel-like flavor. From there, I used peanuts instead of pecans, because I just love that salty peanut/chocolate combo. And I added a crunchy pretzel turtle shell to take it over the top.

The result is a homemade confection that’s easier to make than the original, with less added sugar and saturated fat. Dark Chocolate Date Truffles are still a sweet and still have calories, but are just a better-for-you option in my book.

So, whether you have little ones you’re trying to entertain, big kids who love to be in the kitchen, or are riding solo these days, this is a kitchen craft worth trying. And it’s not even a little bit boring. Just ask my children.

More Healthy (ish) Dark Chocolate Treats:

Dark Chocolate Superfood Bars

Chocolate Sweet Potato Brownies

Chocolate-Dunked Tahini Cookies

Creamy Cashew Chocolate Pudding

Chocolate Cashew Fudge from Pamela Salzman

Mini Chocolate Olive Oil Cakes