This four ingredient, vegan Date Caramel sauce is a super sweet treat made with natural, wholesome ingredients. Serve it with a fancy fruit platter, stir it into oatmeal, drizzle it on top of pancakes.. the possibilities are endless!
Dates are a superfood, and one of their special powers is the power of transformation. With fresh Medjool dates, almond milk, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt - you can create a creamy caramel that's naturally sweetened and packed with fiber! I love to make a batch of this to go on top of my Samoa Caramel Apples.
The Coined Breakdown
- Total Cost per serving: $1.17
- Total Cost (about 8 servings): $9.38
- Those Other Guys: $2.03 per serving
Ingredients
- Medjool Dates - You can find these in the produce section. For this recipe, we want fresh, soft, medjool dates. If yours are a bit hard, you can soak them in hot water for 20 minutes, then drain the water.
- Unsweeted Almond Milk - Whether store-bought or homemade, grab some almond milk to help the dates blend into a silky sauce.
- Vanilla Extract - A touch of vanilla extract really boosts the flavor of our date caramel.
- Salt - A pinch of salt helps balance the natural sweetness of the dates. If you have sea salt, I would recommend that!
Variations and Substitutions
Coconut Cream: Instead of almond milk, try using coconut cream!
Healthy "Caramel" Topping: Top your favorite ice cream, like this no-churn strawberry cheesecake ice cream, with a hearty drizzle of date caramel sauce.
Naturally Sweetened Oatmeal: Stir some date caramel into your morning oats, and top with chopped pecans or walnuts for a perfect crunch.
Fruit & Caramel: This is how I usually eat date caramel - see my photos! Slice your favorite apples, bananas, and strawberries to dip in the date caramel sauce.
Samoa Apples: For a fun twist on my favorite Girl Scout cookie, I take sliced Granny Smith apples and top with date caramel, shredded coconut, and chocolate drizzle to make Samoa Caramel Apples. Delish!
How to Make Caramel Sauce from Dates
Step 1: Start by splitting your softened Medjool dates in half and adding to a food processor. Are your dates a little older/harder? Soak in hot water for 20 minutes first!
Step 2: Pour in the unsweetened almond milk, vanilla extract, and salt.
Step 3: Blend for a couple minutes. At this step, I like to add some warm water, a little at a time, to smooth out the consistency.
Step 4: Once it's silky smooth like this, you're done! Store in a sauce container with a tight-fitting lid, in the fridge.
Recipe Pro Tips
- Use softened dates. The fresher your Medjool dates are, the softer they will be. If yours have been in the cabinet for a couple days, soak them in hot water for 20 minutes before adding to the food processor.
- Bring out your best equipment. I've found it's easier to make this caramel sauce when you use a food processor with sharp blades. I've also used a blender in a pinch!
- Add water to thin, a little at a time. At the end of the recipe instructions, I mention using a little water to thin out the sauce. Don't go pouring everything all at once, or your sauce will be way too watery! Add about 1 tablespoon of water at a time while blending, so you know when it's at your perfect consistency.
Recipe FAQs
You can store date caramel in a sealed container, in the fridge, for up to two weeks. You can also freeze the caramel (I recommend using an ice cube tray or a flattened freezer bag) for up to 3 months.
Date caramel will most likely not hold up as well as the traditional kind made with sugar, cream, and butter. Instead of subbing in baking recipes, I would use it as a filling, or a topping for baked items like brownies, pancakes, baked oats, etc.
Although everyone's definition of healthy will differ, natural sugar (sugar that naturally occurs in fruit, carbohydrates, etc.) is much easier on the digestive system than refined sugar (sugar that's been processed from corn, sugar cane, etc.) Foods with naturally occurring sugar are accompanied by other nutrients that slow down how quick it's digested - such as fiber in dates or protein in milk.
Other Easy Dips & Sauces You'll Enjoy!
If you tried this Date Caramel Sauce Recipe, or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you! Thanks for visiting!
Date Caramel Sauce
Equipment
- Food Processor or blender
- Sauce Container with Lid
Ingredients
- 10 ounces pitted Medjool dates
- ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup warm water optional, to thin out the caramel
Instructions
- If your dates aren't super fresh, they may be hardened. You can soften them up by soaking them in hot water for about 20 minutes, then draining the water.
- To a food processor, add the pitted dates, almond milk, vanilla extract, and salt.
- Blend well until fully combined.
- If you prefer, you can thin the sauce out with warm water. Pour a couple tablespoons at a time, blending afterwards, to ensure you get the perfect consistency.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Enjoy!
Collette Garbinger says
I came over from the copycat Samoas recipe and had to leave a comment here as well! My youngest has nut allergies, and most vegan caramels use some sort of nut butter which doesn't work for us. This date caramel was absolutely perfect - and delicious! I made a separate batch for my morning yogurt parfaits, and the other batch for the kiddos after-school lunch. Thank you!
Shani W. says
I truly appreciate you leaving a thorough review! I'm glad to have helped your family come up with a solution that's allergen-friendly for everyone! 🙂