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Date Caramel Sauce: A Versatile and Refined Sugar-Free Caramel Recipe
Who doesn’t love caramel? I love how versatile this sweet treat is – it can be used for dipping apples into, layered between chocolate, or enjoyed as is! The downside to caramel is that it’s made from white sugar that’s cooked down and combined with cream (no wonder it’s so good). I hate the crash that refined sugar causes, but I realized that this didn’t necessarily mean I needed to give up caramel when I discovered Medjool Dates!
Dates are a stone fruit that grows on the Date Palm tree. They are rich in fiber, antioxidants, and flavor (check out this Healthline article for a deep dive on dates). Around my house, we love foods that offer both nutrients and flavor, so you’ll always find a box of dates in our cupboard! I started making caramel sauce using dates a few years ago and ever since I’ve been experimenting with it in different healthy dessert recipes.
When blended in a food processor, dates can be turned into a rich and creamy sauce that closely resembles caramel without the refined-sugar. Date caramel is super easy to make and can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks – keep reading to find out how to make it!
Customizing Your Date Caramel
I love recipes that are customizable, and date caramel definitely falls into that category! I love adding vanilla and salt to my sauce, but you can add any flavors you like. Add cinnamon to your date caramel for a warm twist, or pumpkin spice to give your date caramel a seasonal flare!
If you like a thicker caramel consistency, play with adding less liquid to your caramel mixture. On the other hand, if you prefer a more liquidy caramel sauce, try adding more liquid to your mixture.
Recipes That Use Date Caramel
Twix bars and Snickers bars are two of my favorite candies – but again, I hate the crash that comes with having too much refined sugar! Luckily I’ve figured out how easy it is to make homemade versions of these confectionary favorites at home. My homemade Healthy Twix Bar Recipe layers date caramel between an easy to make gluten-free cookie and dark chocolate, and is topped with flakey sea salt (full gluten-free Healthy Twix Bar recipe here).
Date caramel sauce is also great for throwing into a bowl and dipping apple slices and other fruits into! If you’re looking for an easy and sweet snack or healthy dessert recipe, give it a try – it may just make it into your weekly sweet treat rotation.
How to Make Date Caramel
This Date Caramel Recipe comes together quickly! You’ll need a food processor (this Oster food processor and blender combo from Amazon is what I use). You’ll also want a sealable container that you can put in the fridge to store your date caramel. Here’s how to make it:
Soak Your Dates: Soak your dates in a bowl with warm water for a 5-10 minutes to soften them up. This makes removing the pits and blending them much easier!
Pit Your Dates: Once your dates have softened up, strain them and pull each one open and then remove the pit inside (discard the pits).
Blend Your Ingredients: Add your pitted dates, almond milk, salt, and vanilla to your food processor and blend for a few minutes on low. Once ready, your date caramel will appear creamy and smooth (consistency may vary depending on your preference and the amount of liquid you choose to add).
Store Your Date Caramel: Place your finished date caramel into a sealable container and store it in the fridge for up to two weeks (if it lasts that long!). Enjoy!
Ingredients:
- Medjool Dates
- Warm Water (just for soaking the dates)
- Almond Milk or milk/cream of choice (Coconut Cream is a great sub, too!)
- Vanilla
- Salt (I love this am.Niccoli Vanilla Bean Salt)
Full Recipe:
Print
Homemade Date Caramel
Ingredients
- 2 c Medjool Dates
- 4 tbsp almond milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- dash of salt
Instructions
- Soak Your Dates: Soak your dates in a bowl with warm water for a 5-10 minutes to soften them up. This makes removing the pits and blending them much easier!
- Pit Your Dates: Once your dates have softened up, strain them and pull each one open then remove the pit inside (discard the pits).
- Blend Your Ingredients: Add your pitted dates, almond milk, salt, and vanilla to your food processor and blend for a few minutes on low. Once ready, your date caramel will appear creamy and smooth.
- Store Your Date Caramel: Place your finished date caramel into a sealable container and store it in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Notes
Feel free to substitute the almond milk for your milk/cream of choice! Coconut Cream is also delicious in this recipe
For more healthy recipes like this one, follow my on social media at @dinneratallis!