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These Date-Sweetened Salted Caramels will satisfy your sweet tooth, but are made with only 5 healthy plant-based ingredients! Gluten-Free & Fruit-Sweetened.
This post is sponsored by Sunfood.
Who knew that a healthy Salted Caramel “Bite” could be only 10 minutes and 5 plant-based ingredients away?! Once I found that out, my kitchen has been well-stocked with these sweet treats ever since.
Now let’s be real here – these Healthy Salted Caramel Bites aren’t going to taste exactly like Salted Carmel Candies. But they do taste pretty dang close, and I am totally okay with that 🙂 The main goal of From My Bowl isn’t to exactly replicate the flavors and textures of non-vegan favorites, but rather celebrate the beauty and power of plants in a healthy, fresh way (that still reminds you of old favorites).
Not only are these Salted Caramel Bites good for you, but they’re so dang easy to make too! Simply add some softened Medjool Dates, Nut or Seed Butter, Maca Powder, Vanilla Extract, and Salt together in a blender or Food Processor – that’s it! You can top them with extra crunchy Salt or dip them in chocolate if you’d like, but they are just as tasty on their own.
If you’re unfamiliar with Maca Powder, it’s originally a root vegetable grown in the Peruvian Andes. This adaptogenic superfood has been said to help balance hormones and increase endurance and stamina!
I used Sunfoods’ Maca Extreme Powder for this recipe, and would highly recommend it! Not only is it certified Organic, but it’s also different from other powders, as it is super-concentrated and contains less starch than standard Maca (making it easier to digest!)
A Few Final Thoughts:
- You can use any Nut or Seed Butter of your liking for this recipe. I find these Caramels taste the most “realistic” when I use Almond Butter or Tahini!
- If the Caramels are a little sticky after blending, set them in the fridge for a few minutes before shaping. It also helps to get your fingers a little wet.
- While these Caramel Bites are delicious on their own, don’t stop there! I love to chop mine up and use them on Sundaes, in Cookies, and even mushed into some gooey Brownies.
If you’re looking for more Healthy Dessert recipes, you’ll also love these Healthy Vegan Snickers and these Cashew Butter Snickerdoodles!
Finally, if you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I love seeing your delicious recreations 🙂
Healthy Date-Sweetened Salted Caramels
These Date-Sweetened Salted Caramels will satisfy your sweet tooth, but are made with only 5 healthy plant-based ingredients! Gluten-Free & Fruit-Sweetened.
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 0 Minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 15-18 Caramels 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Food Processor
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 packed cup soft Medjool Dates*
- 3 tbsp Nut Butter (I prefer Cashew Butter or Tahini)
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 tsp Sunfoods’ Maca Extreme Powder
- ¼ tsp Pink Salt
- Optional Toppings: Vegan Chocolate, Flaky Sea Salt
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a food processor and high-speed blender and process until smooth; you may need to use a spatula to scrape the sides.
- Transfer the caramel into a bowl and place in the fridge for 10 minutes; once hardened, use your fingers to roll 1 tbsp balls of the caramel mixture into candy-shaped pieces. It helps to keep your fingers moist for this step!
- Serve as-is, dip them in Chocolate, or top with extra flaky Sea Salt, if desired. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to two weeks – these can also be kept in the freezer for up to one month.
Notes
- It’s important to use very soft Medjool Dates to this recipe, so they blend well. I would advise against using harder dates and soaking them, as this will add extra water to the recipe and the Caramels will not be as thick/smooth
Keywords: salted caramel, homemade salted caramel, date caramel, healthy salted caramel, healthy date candy
These look delicious! Is there anything I could swap for the maca powder?
Cacao powder would be great!
Wow – these are amazing as is, but I’m definitely looking forward to getting creative with mixing chocolate and nuts next time!!
★★★★★
These were fantastic! I made these into 32 balls and dipped them in chocolate (Lily’s milk chocolate chips). Easy bite-sized pieces! My go-to caramel recipe going forward!
★★★★★
Sounds great! And you’ve got enough snacks to last you for a little while!
Awesome.
Why thank you!