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These Date Kunafa Bites require only a handful of ingredients and seriously, anyone can make them. It’s just about toasting the pistachios and mixing them up with chopped dates. I also use tahini and cardamom to flavor these up and then use a square mold to set it up. If you don’t have a mold, just roll them into balls and they will still be just as good. The crunchy kataifi on top provides a nice texture contrast with the soft dates.
I have to say that the Dubai chocolate trend is one of the longest running food trends that I have seen in recent times. It’s been a few years and I still see “Dubai chocolate” everything popping up everywhere. Even my neighborhood park had a small stall selling Dubai chocolate strawberries.
Last year for the festive season, I shared these Kataifi Pistachio Burfi Truffles and since the trend decided to not die down, this year I am sharing these easy Date Kunafa Bites. Very similar taste profile to the Dubai chocolate but so much easier to make. These are also refined-sugar free, just like the oats nankhatai recipe that I also shared for this festive season.
I like that these are bite sized and hence easy to serve and gift to your friends and family! Also, another great thing about them is that they are an easy to make ahead dessert. They don’t go bad quickly and last for more than a week (easily) in your fridge!
Dipping in Chocolate
If you plan to dip these bites in chocolate, I would recommend using dark chocolate. Dates are quite sweet and using milk chocolate will make the whole dessert very sweet in my opinion. Honestly, I liked these more without the chocolate, and I am a chocolate person. So it’s totally your call if you want to keep these plain or dip in chocolate.
Make These Easy Date Kunafa Bites!
- Toast and chop the pistachios
Heat a pan on medium and then dry roast the pistachios in it until they are nutty and toasted. This usually takes around 5 to 6 minutes, stirring often. Once toasted, allow them to cool and then chop them up. We don’t want a powder and hence don’t use a food processor here. Use a knife and chop into uneven pieces, some big, some small – that’s what we want. It gives texture to the bites.
- Toast the kataifi
Also toast the kataifi dough with a teaspoon of ghee on medium heat until it’s golden brown in color. Stir constantly as we want this to toast evenly.
- Chop the dates
Pulse the dates using a food processor until they are very finely chopped. Add tahini and cardamom while doing so.
- Bring everything together
Mix the dates and chopped pistachios together with your hands until it all comes together as a dough. At this point you can make small bites using your hands or use a mold.
- Set into molds
I like to set these bites into small square molds. Then top each with the toasted kataifi and set in the fridge for 2 hours. Dipping in chocolate is optional!
Manali’s Tips
- These date kunafa bites can be easily made in advance, and kept refrigerated. Once made, they will last up to 10 days or even more in the fridge. I always finish them before 10 days!
- I used a square silicone mold with each cavity measuring 1.18 x 1.18 x 0.6 inch making it the perfect bite sized dessert. I got 35 bites from this mold. You can just roll them into small balls if you don’t have a mold.
- If you don’t want pistachios or have an allergy to pistachios, walnuts will also work well in this recipe. Even cashews will be a good option.
- You may skip the tahini if you don’t have it but it does add a nice flavor to these bites.
Date Kunafa Bites
Ingredients
- ¾ cups pistachios shelled, 110 grams
- 1 teaspoon ghee
- ½ cup kataifi dough 25 grams
- 2 cups medjool dates pitted, 380 grams
- 1 & ½ tablespoons tahini
- ¾ teaspoon cardamom powder
- 4 oz dark chocolate optional, for dipping
- ground pistachio powder optional, for rolling
Instructions
- To a small pan on medium heat, add ¾ cup (110 grams approx.) shelled pistachios. Stir constantly with a spatula and toast the nuts until they are fragrant and toasted. This will take around 5 to 7 minutes.
- Remove them on a plate and then roughly chop them using a knife. They don't need to be chopped evenly since that will give these bites a nice texture. Set aside.
- To the same pan, now add 1 teaspoon ghee on medium heat and then add ½ cup (25 grams) kataifi dough to it. Roast stirring constantly until the pastry is golden brown in color. Stir constantly for even browning. Set this aside.
- To a food processor, add 2 cups (380 grams approx.) pitted dates along with 1 & ½ tablespoons tahini and ¾ teaspoon cardamom powder. Pulse the dates until they are finely chopped.
- To a bowl of pan, now add the chopped pistachios and the chopped dates mixture. Use your hands and bring the dates mix and the pistachios together into a dough. You can now make small bites from this mixture or use a mold to shape them.
- If using a mold, fill each cavity with the dates pistachio mixture. And then top each bite with the toasted kataifi. Press it with your fingers so that it sticks nicely to the bites. Now, chill this in the fridge for 2 hours and then remove them from mold.
- Your kunafa date bites are ready. Roll the sides into ground pistachio powder (optional). If you want, you can dip some (or all) into melted chocolate. Melt 4 oz of dark chocolate and dip each bite into it, top with more pistachios and enjoy!
Notes
- Skip the kataifi on top if you want to keep these date bites gluten free.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
