🧾 Ingredients
Here's everything you need to make these easy date caramels:
Ingredient Notes
Find the complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Medjool Dates: Medjools are perfect for this recipe thanks to their natural caramel flavor. Make sure your dates are fresh and not too hard,
- Coconut Cream: This can be swapped with full-fat coconut milk, sunflower seed butter or tahini. If you don't need to keep the recipe nut-free, you can replace the coconut with almond butter, peanut butter, or cashew butter.
- Vanilla: I've used an entire vanilla pod (no need to pick out the seeds as we're blending it!). You can use vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract in a pinch.
- Maca Powder: Maca root or "Peruvian ginseng" adds a natural salted caramel taste to these treats. But if you don't have it to hand, your favorite vegan protein powder, almond or coconut flour will work too.
- Coconut Oil: We just need a touch here, it has 2 functions; it helps set the date caramel centers, and thins out the melted chocolate coating.
- Dark Chocolate: I like to use 70% bittersweet chocolate, but you can use vegan milk chocolate for a sweeter coating.
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🔪 Instructions
Here are step-by-step images showing how to make chocolate caramels. Please refer to the detailed printable recipe card at the end of this page for full measurements and written instructions:
Step 1: Add all the ingredients to a food processor or high-speed blender and blitz for several minutes until it resembles a sticky paste.
Step 2: Place the date mixture between 2 sheets of parchment paper and roll it into a square around half an inch in height. Place it in the freezer to set.
Step 3: Slice the date paste into bite-sized small squares and place them back on a tray lined with parchment.
Step 4: Carefully dip each caramel into the melted dark chocolate and set them in the freezer. You can drizzle any leftover chocolate on top and finish them with a generous sprinkle of flaky sea salt!
💭 Recipe Tips
Use good quality fresh dates. Like with my date caramel recipe, they are the main ingredients and the flavor shines through. My favorite brands to support are Zaytoun and The Date Project, and their dates have a great flavor and gooey caramel consistency!
Make sure you pit your dates. The hard seeds in dates can damage your blender, and your teeth!
Scrape down the sides of the blender jug with a rubber spatula intermittently to ensure even blending.
💬 FAQs
You can of course. Some other great options are Dalia Sukkary dates, which are soft, fresh, and taste just like toffee. Or Barhi dates, which taste similar to butterscotch toffee! Both make the perfect base for caramel - so long as they are fresh and not dried.
I don't recommend deglet noor for this recipe, as they tend to have less flavor and lack the natural sweetness found in the varieties mentioned above.
You can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for a week, or freeze them in a ziplock bag for up to a month. They even taste great straight from the freezer!
🌴 More Date-Sweetened Recipes
📖 Recipe
Easy Salted Date Caramels
Ingredients
Filling
- 400 g (~ 3 cups) medjool dates pitted *note 1
- 30 g (2 tablespoon) coconut cream *note 2
- 1 vanilla pod or vanilla bean paste *note 3
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons maca powder *note 4
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- ½ teaspoon white miso shiro miso/sweet miso optional
Coating
- 200 g (7 oz) 70% dark chocolate
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- ½ teaspoon flaky salt
Instructions
- Make date paste: Add the all the ingredients for the filling to a food processor and blitz for a few minutes until the ingredients turn to a paste and form a uniform ball.
- Roll: Transfer the dough to a sheet of parchment paper, place a second sheet of parchment on top and use a rolling pin to roll it into a square, around ½ inch thick. Cut away any uneven edges and roll them back into the dough until you have shaped a neat square. Wrap the parchment around it and freeze for 4 hours (or overnight).
- Melt: Add the chocolate and coconut oil to a medium bowl and place it over a medium saucepan with simmering water (bain-marie/water bath). Melt gently, stirring often. Remove the bowl from the water bath.
- Slice: Slice the log into 24-30 pieces (depending on the size you want) and place them on a baking sheet or tray lined with parchment.
- Coating: Dip the caramel pieces in the chocolate, and use a fork and a spoon to carefully lift them back onto the lined tray. Place back in the freezer to set for 10 minutes.
- Garnish: Drizzle any remaining chocolate on top and sprinkle with flaky sea salt before it sets.
Notes
- Medjool Dates: Weigh dates after removing pits. I used 20 large dates, you may need more if on the smaller side.
- Coconut Cream: Swap for almond butter, cashew butter, tahini, or peanut butter.
- Vanilla Pod: Swap for 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract.
- Maca Powder: This gives a "salted caramel" flavor. Swap for lucuma, vegan protein powder, almond flour, or coconut flour.
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