I love dates. I make always keep a container of pitted ones in my pantry for snacks by themselves or hors d'oeuvres stuffed with a little goat cheese and sometimes wrapped in bacon. I've never thought about putting them in a muffin. Did you have an issue with them sinking to the bottom? They are so dense I would have thought that might be an issue. My favorite use for dates is from one of my grandmother's recipe cards - Date Nut Balls. There are variations on the web now, but hers used brown sugar, Rice Krispies, pecans and coconut with the dates and then they were rolled in 10x sugar. No baking, no eggs, and no dairy, and you can buy gluten free Rice Krispies now for those with the allergy or preference. We make them during the holidays and they are a nice alternative to chocolate for someone with a sweet tooth and quite delicious. Thanks for sharing the recipes above. I may have to try those muffins! (That artwork is also fantastic!)