Date Caramel (Master Recipe)
Blended dates become a thick, glossy caramel that tastes like toffee — for drizzling, swirling, dipping and stuffing. Keep a jar in the fridge.
Why you'll love this recipe
- One of the most-requested recipes here
- Not one spoon of refined sugar
- No baking required
- Sweetened with whole dates
- Makes enough for 12
What you'll need
Everything here is a real ingredient you can find in a normal shop. Nothing artificial, no powders pretending to be sugar. Here is the full list, with the quantities I actually use.
- 1 cup (160 g) soft Medjool dates, pitted (soak 10 min in hot water if firm)
- 1/4–1/3 cup (60–80 ml) warm water
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Pinch of sea salt
- Optional: 1 tbsp almond butter for richness
How to make it
Soak firm dates in hot water 10 minutes; drain (save the soaking water).
Blend dates with the vanilla, salt and a little warm water.
Add water a tablespoon at a time, blending, until glossy and smooth — thick for stuffing, looser for drizzling.
Blend in almond butter for a richer "salted caramel" if you like.
Store in a jar in the fridge up to 1 week; loosen with a little water as needed.
Storage
Keep it covered in the fridge and it will hold for three to four days. If you are making it ahead, hold back any fresh topping until just before you serve so nothing goes soft. Most of these freeze well too, wrapped tight, for up to three months.
Date Caramel (Master Recipe)
Blended dates become a thick, glossy caramel that tastes like toffee — for drizzling, swirling, dipping and stuffing. Keep a jar in the fridge.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (160 g) soft Medjool dates, pitted (soak 10 min in hot water if firm)
- 1/4–1/3 cup (60–80 ml) warm water
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Pinch of sea salt
- Optional: 1 tbsp almond butter for richness
Instructions
- Soak firm dates in hot water 10 minutes; drain (save the soaking water).
- Blend dates with the vanilla, salt and a little warm water.
- Add water a tablespoon at a time, blending, until glossy and smooth — thick for stuffing, looser for drizzling.
- Blend in almond butter for a richer "salted caramel" if you like.
- Store in a jar in the fridge up to 1 week; loosen with a little water as needed.
