My Pinterest Test Kitchen: Cook This – German Chocolate Fudge Bites

I’m not anti-sugar.

But I sure am trying to bake more with less sugar.

I pinned these German Chocolate Fudge Bites a rawther long time ago.

Intrigued by the picture, I clicked the rectangular “pin it” and moved on with my day.

Eventually, I read the ingredient list, saw that the primary ingredient was dates and never gave these bites another thought.

I’d never tried a date but they looked like overweight old raisins and seemed like the primary ingredient in fruit cake and neither of those facts drew me to the date as a viable food option.

A few weeks ago we were going to a friend’s house and when we arrived she was crafting these date-laden German Chocolate Fudge Bites.  I like her, I was raised to be polite and so when she offered one to me – I accepted.

It was delicious.

And completely sugar free.

Chocked full of good simple ingredients.

But when I left her house I pretty much forgot about these guys.

Until the week before last when I was standing in Publix and saw a container of dates.

(Which do still look unappetizing.)

I bought the dates.

Came home and literally whipped up these fudge bites in a few minutes.

The kids all thought they were a delicious snack.  Otto begged for more and woke up asking about them.

I felt great allowing the kids to snack on them and they absolutely satisfied that craving for just a touch of something sweet after dinner.

Big win.

The only down side is that you definitely need a food processor when concocting these and our food processor literally heaved its last breath while I was making these.

It was not the fault of the fudge bites.  The poor processor was more than seventeen years old – I think it was a wedding gift.  It had been limping along for ages with a giant crack along the bottom and a gaping hole near the top.  You had to cover one section with your hand to keep the inside ingredients from flying around the kitchen.

But since then I haven’t been able to create any more Fudge Bites and that’s a shame.  (Recommendations on the best food processor?)

Also, coincidentally, it was the same night our dryer decided to heave its last breath as well.  But since you don’t make Fudge Bites in a dryer, the loss is not as devastating.

Anyway, these German Chocolate Fudge Bites are perfect.

Make them today.

(Or six weeks from now when you see dates in the aisle at your favorite grocery store.)

German Chocolate Fudge Bites

• 3/4 cup pitted dates
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/16 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder (or raw cacao powder)
• 2 tbsp shredded coconut
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup raw pecans (or almonds or actually whatever nut you have available)
• optional: feel free to add some chocolate chips

Blend all ingredients together very well.  Squish the dough together. Roll into balls, cookie-cutter shapes, or bars… or you can even use it for a pie crust!

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I did not add the chocolate chips – but I might next time.  I used almonds and loved them.  Almonds are cheap at Trader Joe’s and they’re my personal favorite.

My only complaint – there are not enough!

And I like the original author’s idea of using this a pie crust – what pie would pair will with this?

Happy Baking!