Date & Pistachio Rolls

These date & pistachio rolls are the perfect healthier sweet treat that takes no time at all to prepare! You only need a handful of ingredients to make them and they’re so moreish!

Up until recently I’ve always considered being multicultural (half English and half Arab) as more of a curse than a blessing. I’ve always struggled with identity issues – I never felt I belonged to either ethnicity. I felt I wasn’t Arab enough when I was growing up in Iraq, then moving to the UK I felt too Arab/foreign. Basically always an outsider.

Now I realise how lucky I am to have grown up and been influenced by two different cultures that are so disimilar from one another. It has also translated into my work and the recipes I create, which are influenced by both Western and Eastern cuisines! I’d like to think that gives me an edge and makes me stand out from other bloggers/creators, hopefully in a good way. 

This recipe was inspired by a sweet treat from my childhood that my mum used to make for us growing up. She would cook and mash up juicy dates with a little bit of oil and spread the mixture onto a plate, or sometimes shape them into balls. They were literally my absolute favourite thing to eat!

I have a weakness for anything date + pistachio + cardamom. Those ingredients just go so well together. If you haven’t tried that flavour combination before you’re really missing out! All three ingredients are heavily used in Middle Eastern cuisine, especially in desserts (pistachios & cardamom feature heavily in savoury dishes too). 

These date & pistachio rolls are easy to make and you only need a handful of ingredients to put them together. I promise you’ll love them – once you try them you’ll be wanting to make them all the time. They definitely don’t last long in my house!

What you’ll need to make these date & pistachio rolls:

Dates – Medjool dates or other soft varieties work best to create a smooth, spreadable paste. If you’re using a dry date variety, you’ll need to soak them in hot water for 10 minutes to soften them.

Pistachios – I used raw unsalted pistachio kernels – they go so well with dates as well as cardamom. That flavour combination is to die for! You can use any nut you prefer, although I would highly recommend using pistachios.

Tahini – this will help add more moisture to the dates to soften them and help mash them into a smooth paste. Again you can use other nut/seed butters, but tahini works best in terms of the flavour. Runny tahini works best. I always use Lebanese tahini as it has the best consistency for desserts/baking. You can get them from Asian/ethnic shops or online.

Spices – I’m using cardamom and cinnamon – both work so well with dates! You can leave them out if you prefer, but I would highly recommend adding them. I used East End Foods cardamom and cinnamon. Their spices are always in my cupboard – you always get better value for your money and the quality is the best compared to other brand I’ve tried. 

Cocoa powder – I only used 1/2 tbsp to add a bit more depth to the flavour. You can omit if you prefer. 

These date & pistachio rolls are:

• Vegan
• Gluten-free
• Dairy-free
• No-bake
• Easy to make
• Only call for 6 ingredients
• Made with wholesome ingredients
• A source of fibre & healthy fats
• And absolutely delicious! 

Date & Pistachio Rolls

These date & pistachio rolls are the perfect healthier sweet treat that takes no time at all to prepare! You only need a handful of ingredients to make them and they're so moreish!

5 from 4 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Chill time 30 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine middle eastern

Servings 18

Calories 119 kcal

Ingredients

 

MetricUS Customary

 

1x2x3x

• 150g pistachios divided
• 400g Medjool dates* chopped
• 2 tbsp tahini**
• 1 tsp cardamom I used East End
• 1 tsp cinnamon I used East End
• 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

 

• Dry toast the pistachios in a pan for 5-7 mins.
• Roughly chop 100g of the pistachios to use in the filling. Blend the remaining 50g into a fine crumbs in a food processor to use later for the coating.
• Add the chopped dates and tahini to the same pan used for toasting the pistachios. Heat and mash with the back of a wooden spoon until you have a smooth paste.
• Take off the heat and fold in the spices, cocoa, salt and pistachios. 
• Roll out into a long log over a piece of baking paper, sprinkle the ground up pistachios onto the baking paper and roll the long over it to coat.
• Freeze for 30-60 mins to make it easier to slice. 
• Slice into discs and enjoy. 

Notes

* Soft dates work best as they're easier to mash. If you're using a dry date variety, you'll need to soak them in hot water for 10 minutes to soften them.

** Runny tahini works best. I always use Lebanese tahini as it has the best consistency for desserts/baking. You can get them from Asian/ethnic shops or online.

You can store them at room temperature in an air-tight container or in the fridge. I prefer eating them cold from the fridge.

Nutrition

Calories: 119kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 2gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 1mgPotassium: 252mgFiber: 3gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 69IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 27mgIron: 1mg

Keyword date recipes, easy dessert, eid dessert, healthy dessert, healthy recipes, middle eastern recipes, no-bake, pistachios, ramadan recipes, tahini recipes, vegan dessert

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