5-Ingredient Date Caramel

Name: 5-Ingredient Date Caramel
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 cup medjool dates (pitted); 1/4 cup cashew butter; 1 tbsp vanilla extract; 1/4 tsp sea salt (to taste); dairy-free milk (for thinning)

white bowl of date caramel next to striped bowl of sliced green apples on wooden counter.

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This date caramel tastes just like the caramel dip from your childhood yet is refined sugar-free and dairy-free! It’s completely and utterly delicious. A healthy apple dip that’s easy to make and fun to share alongside other Fall favorites like Pumpkin Chia Pudding.

caramel apple dip in a white bowl next to a bowl of sliced green apples on a wooden plank with fake leaves.

At this point, what can’t Medjool dates do? I use them as a natural sweetener in smoothies like my Apple Pie Smoothie and this Mint Chocolate Smoothie as well as recipes like Carrot Cake Oatmeal and Peanut Butter Fudge.

This healthy apple dip is versatile in and of itself. It truly tastes like caramel, with the signature thick sticky texture and dippable nature.

Table of Contents

Recipe Ingredients
How to Make Healthy Apple Dip
Food Processor vs. Blender
How to Use Date Caramel
FAQs
5-Ingredient Date Caramel Recipe

Recipe Ingredients

This recipe uses five ingredients to get the perfect thickness and texture and caramel flavor. If you aren’t able to source them then I’ve got some tips, too! Here’s what I’m using:

Medjool dates: I specifically use Medjool dates for this recipe due to their flavor. The best ones are soft (not hard or crunchy) and sticky, not dry. Be sure to check for pits. They are big and not delicious, so leave them out.
Cashew butter: This is a bit unique and not as widely available as something like almond butter, yet it carries less flavor which is what I want. You can make homemade nut butter easily to use in this recipe.
Vanilla extract: Just a little bit helps turn the dates into a warm, caramel dip.
Sea salt: Add this finely ground or use the coarse version if you want a sea salt caramel taste.
Dairy-free milk: Feel free to use what you have on hand for this as you only need a little. I use homemade almond milk yet oat milk would work great, too. You don’t have to use homemade, just look for unsweetened.

How to Make Healthy Apple Dip

white bowl of healthy apple dip next to a bowl of apple slices and one apple with dip on it.

You can easily make this thick and dip-like or thin it out to use as a vegan caramel sauce, it works great as both! The key is making sure the dates are chopped well before trying to puree them. Even with a high-speed blender, you need to chop on medium before switching to high speed.

Place pitted dates into a food processor container with the blade attachment and pulse until they are well chopped. Once they are well broken up, turn the processor on high and let it run until a smooth paste forms. If they aren’t forming a paste, add some dairy-free milk one teaspoon at a time to get things moving. Stop and scrape down the sides as needed.
Add remaining ingredients and process again until smooth. If you want a thick consistency for a dip then you should be done once a smooth consistency is reached. If you want a sauce then add dairy-free milk one tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
Transfer to a jar with an air-tight lid and refrigerate until ready to use.
If using from the refrigerator then bring to room temp before stirring well. If cold, this will be very stiff and hard to mix. You can also place the jar in a bowl of warm water until it is able to be stirred.

This stays fresh for 1-2 months in the fridge. I don’t recommend freezing this as it will be hard to use after freezing.

Food Processor vs. Blender

Dates to use in the caramel apple dip recipe.

All you need to make this is a food processor. The better your food processor, the creamier your caramel apple dip will turn out. If you’re willing to double or triple the recipe then a high-speed blender could work.

When using a blender, blend the dates on medium or pulse to chop them well before blending on high. You may need to add a bit more liquid to start to get the blades moving and chopping.

How to Use Date Caramel

date caramel covered green apple with wooden stick in it and crushed nuts sitting on a paper.

Depending on whether you made a thick dip or a thinner sauce, vegan date caramels can be used in many ways. Use the sauce to top Vegan Ice Cream or stir into Pumpkin Chia Pudding. It can also be drizzled over Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies or Gluten-Free Brownies. Mix it into your next batch of Baked Oatmeal or Steel Cut Oats for an elevated breakfast.

If you want to keep it thick then serve alongside fresh fruit as a part of a Vegan Charcuterie Board, serve with a bowl of apple slices, or use it as a topping for some Apple Donuts. I think it would be incredible served with Vegan Waffles or Vegan Pumpkin Pancakes!

FAQs

Is caramel made from dates?

Traditional caramel is made by heating sugar to melting (but not burning). You then add different ingredients like heavy cream or corn syrup to reach the consistency you want. You can make a refined-sugar free version using Medjool dates.

Do all dates taste like caramel?

No, not all dates taste like caramel. Medjool dates have a rich, caramel flavor that makes them perfect for a sauce that is refined sugar-free. Deglet Noor dates are less sweet and have a more nutty flavor.

Is caramel just melted sugar?

Caramel is made from melting sugar, then adding other ingredients like heavy cream, milk, or corn syrup to give it the consistency and flavor you want.

Please leave a rating + review once you make this recipe and let me know how you served yours!

4.88 from 8 votes