Date Caramel Recipe (Just 4 Easy Ingredients!)

Date Caramel is a quick and easy 4 ingredient dessert that is sugar-free. This recipe looks beautiful, tastes delicious, and takes just minutes to make.

If you need a delicious, sugar-free dessert that’s great as a dip or spread, this could be the perfect recipe for you!

And overhead view looking down into a bowl of Date Caramel. Pitted dates lay around the base of the bowl.

Date Facts And Information

Dates are a mystery to many people here in the states. While many people enjoy them here, they are still hugely underutilized and definitely not the first thing most people here think of when they go looking for a sweet treat or snack. (Though most vegans do enjoy them frequently)

There are a ton of questions floating around about dates, so I’m going to cover some of them here in the hopes of answering any questions you may have. If I haven’t covered your particular question, feel free to ask in a comment below.

Do Dates Go Bad?

Yes, they do. If you keep them on your countertop, they will last about 1-3 months, depending on how dry they are. (Dryer dates last longer)

In the fridge, they will keep well for 6 months up to about 9 months, again, depending on their dryness.

Can You Freeze Dates?

You can! In fact, if you can’t eat them quickly, freezing is highly recommended. If properly packed, they will last a full year in the freezer.

And overhead view of a female hand lifting a spoonful of date caramel out of a serving bowl and towards the camera.

Can Dates Be Eaten Raw?

Yes, they can. Just avoid eating the pits, as with any pitted fruit.

What Can I Do With Old Dates?

They are only bad if they smell bad, look moldy or oddly colored, or have bugs in them. If they don’t have any of that, they are probably still fine to eat. But use caution at the end of their shelflife. If they are truly old, it’s time to throw them away. If they have some life left, you can enjoy them as you usually would.

How Long Do You Soak Dates?

Dates don’t take long to soak. 5 to 10 minutes is about all you need to get them fully hydrated.

Dates Varieties

There are 14 varieties of dates. But the type we are most familiar with here in the states is Medjool dates. These are wonderfully flavored and textured dates that have a broad range of uses. I highly recommend them!

A few other varieties are:

  1. Barhi Dates
  2. Mazafati Dates
  3. Zahidi Dates
A side view of a small wooden spoon with date caramel on it, resting on a white table top.

What Is Date Caramel?

Date caramel is a wonderful dip or spread made from blending soaked dates with a bit of milk and nut butter. The flavor is similar to sugar-based caramel but is much healthier.

Benefits of Dates

Dates are:

  • Anti-microbial
  • High in Antioxidants
  • Anti-inflammatory (1)

Do Dates Taste Like Caramel?

While a date will never truly be the exact same thing as a sugar-riddled, store-bought caramel sauce or candy, they do have a remarkable caramel flavor. They are also similarly rich in flavor. A little goes a long way, and you don’t have to worry about a total processed sugar bomb in your body.

Is Caramel Made From Dates?

Store-bought caramel is not made from dates. It’s made with sugar and dairy.

The Best Dates for Date Caramel

The best dates for date caramel are, in my experience, Medjool dates. They are soft, fleshy, and have a marvelously caramel-like flavor to them. Plus, they are the easiest dates to find here!

A woman's hand scooping some date caramel out of a glass bowl with a small, wooden spoon.

Can I Use A Food Processor?

I highly recommend a high-speed blender for making date caramel. A food processor is not out of the question, but it may not get things as smooth as they should be. It may leave some chunks behind in your date caramel.

Can You Flavor Date Caramel?

My first question would be, why would you want to? But if you’re nutty like that, there are a few things you could add to add some different flavors. Use one or all of these.

  • ½ to 1 tsp. ground cinnamon.
  • ½ to 1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder for a chocolate flavor.
  • Try using different nut butters or even seed butter. Instead of the peanut butter called for, try hazelnut or almond butter.

Ways To Use Date Caramel

  • Spread it on your morning toast.
  • Blend it into a smoothie that needs sweetening.
  • Use it as fruit dip, particularly apples.
  • Drizzled over ice cream or homemade healthy brownies. (see recipe tip)
  • Spread over waffles or pancakes.

The Perfect Healthy Dip for Apples

Date caramel and apple slices just go together. In fact, they are practically made for each other. Five stars. Highly recommend.

How To Serve Date Caramel

This will depend on how you plan to use it. If you want to use it as a dip, simply place it in a bowl and serve it with dippers. However, if you want it as a sauce, then simply drizzle or spread it onto whatever dessert you like. It goes great on toast with a little nut butter too.

And up close view from overhead of a bowl filled with date caramel. A small wooden spoon rests in the caramel.

Recipe Tip For Date Caramel Sauce

If you want this to be more of a sauce than a dip (more like actual caramel sauce in consistency), you can blend in up to ½ a cup of honey or maple syrup with the ingredients below. Yes, this will be very, very sweet, just like regular caramel sauce. In this instance, you would drizzle a little over ice cream or use it over cake or other desserts in smaller amounts. Do not add this if you intend to use this as a fruit dip. It’ll be so sweet your toes will curl when mixed with the fruit.

What Equipment Do I Need To Make Date Caramel?

Your best bet is a high-powered blender that can give you a truly smooth texture.

Is Caramel Vegan-Friendly?

Most store-bought caramel is not vegan-friendly because it’s made with dairy. However, this date caramel is a whole other story. This is totally dairy-free and vegan-friendly! It’s also naturally gluten-free. And if you prefer a vegan caramel sauce, follow the recipe tip above, but make sure to use maple syrup.

All the ingredients for this Date Caramel Recipe gathered on a white table.

About The Ingredients

10 medium Medjool dates – Make sure to remove the pits. You can discard them or save them for making date pit coffee.

½ cup full-fat coconut milk – Or use any milk you prefer. Canned is best.

1 tsp. salt – I used pink Himalayan salt, but use whatever salt you are comfortable using.

1 tbsp. natural peanut butter – Peanut butter labeled as “Natural”, typically has no sugar added. But you’ll still want to read the label to be sure. Do not use sweetened peanut butter with this recipe.

How To Make Date Caramel

Cut and pitted dates laying open on a cutting board.

Cut the dates in half and remove the pits. You can discard these or save them for making date pit coffee.

Pitted dates soaking in a clear glass bowl of water.

Placing the pitted dates into a large mixing bowl and covering with hot water for 5-10 minutes. This will soften the dates and make them easier to blend into a paste.

Date Caramel Recipe ingredients sitting in a blender, waiting to be blended.

Add the dates, coconut milk, peanut butter, and sea salt into a high-powered blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.

Blended Date Caramel sitting in a tumbler.

You can adjust the consistency by adding more coconut milk if it is too thick. If it’s too thin, add a few more soaked dates.

The finished date caramel in a clear glass serving bowl with a small wooden spoon for serving, resting in the bowl.

Transfer your Date Caramel into an airtight container with a lid for the fridge, or directly into a serving bowl for immediate use.

How Long Does Date Caramel Last

Date caramel can be stored in the fridge in a sealed jar for up to 2 or 3 weeks. Just make sure to pack it in an airtight container.

Can You Freeze Date Caramel

Yes! If packed well, this will freeze for up to 6 months.

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Easy Date Caramel

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And overhead view looking down into a bowl of Date Caramel. Pitted dates lay around the base of the bowl.

Date Caramel Recipe

Delicious dip that's perfect for fruit dip, or spreading over your morning toast.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate Add to Collection
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Soak Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 123kcal

Equipment

  • Blender

Ingredients

  • 10 medium Medjool dates (pitted)
  • ½ cup full-fat coconut milk (or any milk you prefer)
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tbsp. natural peanut butter (no sugar added)

Instructions

  • Cut the dates in half and remove the pits. You can discard these or save them for making date pit coffee.
    Cut and pitted dates laying open on a cutting board.
  • Placing the pitted dates into a large mixing bowl and covering with hot water for 5 minutes. This will soften the dates and make them easier to blend into a paste.
    Pitted dates soaking in a clear glass bowl of water.
  • Add the dates, coconut milk, peanut butter, and sea salt into a high-powered blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.
    Date Caramel Recipe ingredients sitting in a blender, waiting to be blended.
  • You can adjust the consistency by adding more coconut milk if it is too thick. If it's too thin, add a few more soaked dates.
    Blended Date Caramel sitting in a tumbler.
  • Transfer your Date Caramel into an airtight container with a lid for the fridge, or directly into a serving bowl for immediate use.
    The finished date caramel in a clear glass serving bowl with a small wooden spoon for serving, resting in the bowl.

Notes

Please note that the nutrition data given here is a ballpark figure. Exact data is not possible.

Nutrition

Serving: 1tbsp. | Calories: 123kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 302mg | Potassium: 253mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 45IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg

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2 Comments

  1. Ellen Hartman says:

    5 stars
    Looks delish! Will try it! Thank you! Ellen