Flip over a jar of caramel sauce and you’ll find corn syrup, heavy cream, butter, and about 20 grams of sugar per two tablespoons.
You can make your own healthier date caramel dip right in your own kitchen. This one is four ingredients. Medjool dates, pecans, hemp seeds, and plant milk (I guess it’s 5 if you count that pinch of salt, but in my mind that doesn’t count – lol!) That’s the whole list. No dairy, no refined sugar. All simple stuff. As a PA-C, I care about what we are putting in our bodies and this dip is packed with fiber, potassium, magnesium, and a few grams of actual complete protein, which is not a sentence anyone has ever written about caramel sauce.
It’s sweet and nutty, the way real caramel is, but more complex than most date caramel recipes (most are just one-two ingredients and fairly boring in flavor). Find my tips in the recipe to make more fun flavors – like pumpkin pie spice, chocolate, and more!
Is date caramel actually healthy?
Yes, it is healthy BUT it’s still higher in sugar like regular caramel. The difference is what comes along with the sugar: fiber, potassium, magnesium, and a few grams of complete protein, versus the corn syrup, cream, and butter in a jarred caramel. It should be enjoyed in moderation, just late other higher sugar foods.
Date Caramel Ingredients
- Medjool dates: Make sure you use Medjool dates. Deglet Noor are drier and more fibrous, and they’ll give you a gritty dip. Medjool are soft, sweeter, and more “caramel-y”. I recommend soaking even freshly purchased dates in warm water because it will make them blend more easily. This technique helps especially if you have drier, old dates.
- Toasted pecan halves: Toasted will taste better, but if you only can find raw that works too. Unsalted will be better so you can control the amount of salt – but if you can only find salted that’s fine. Just omit the addition of salt.
- Hemp hearts: I’m OBSESSED with hemp hearts ,honestly. They sneak in there and you don’t even taste them. They add protein, fiber, magnesium, and healthy fats.
- Unsweetened plant milk: I am always a soy milk lover so that’s the one I used – but use whatever you have.
- Salt: Just a pinch in there – unless you like a “salted caramel” flavor you can add a bit more to taste.
How to Make Healthy Date Caramel Dip
Step 1: Soak the dates.
Place your pitted Medjool dates in a bowl and cover with warm water. Let them soak for 10 minutes, then drain well.
▶︎ Tip: Drain them thoroughly .
Step 2: Blend everything together.
Add your drained dates, pecans, hemp seeds, soy milk, and salt to a high-speed blender. This is also where you’d add any extra flavors you like.
▶︎ Tip: I use soy milk because it’s the highest-protein plant milk.
Step 3: Blend on high for 1–2 minutes.
Use a tamper if your blender came with one to keep the mixture moving. No tamper? Stop the blender every 20 seconds and scrape the sides down with a spatula. You want it completely smooth and creamy, with no chunks of date or pecan left.
▶︎ Tip: Don’t stop blending too early.
Step 4: Serve.
Enjoy right away as a snack, breakfast, or dessert.
Storage Ideas
Store leftover date dip in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. The pecans and hemp seeds are high in healthy fats that go off faster.
Common Questions
I recommend soaking them because it will create a stickier, more delicious dip. This works especially well if your dates are a little dry. Make sure to drain well, though (extra water will make your dip “runny”.
About a week in an airtight container in the fridge. Hemp hearts and pecans are high in polyunsaturated fat, which goes bad faster than dairy does, so this one belongs in the fridge rather than on the counter.
Yes, you can honestly just remove the nuts entirely if you prefer. The dip will still be thick and creamy.
Love dates?
Try out these other date-licious recipes (🤣)
Subscribe for Free Recipes!
Get new recipe ideas from Naturallie Plant-Based straight to your inbox.
Healthy Date Caramel Dip
Save This Recipe
Want to get this recipe in your email? Just enter your email below and get it now along with new recipe updates!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10 large pitted Medjool dates
- 1/2 cup roasted pecans
- 2 tbsp hemp seeds optional
- 1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk
- pinch salt
Optional Add-ins
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- course sea salt for topping
Instructions
- First, soak your pitted dates in warm water for 10 minutes. Drain well.
- In a high speed blender, add your drained soaked dates, pecans, hemp seeds i(f using), soy milk, and salt.Feel free to add in other flavors here too, if desired!
- Blend on high for 1-2 minutes, using a tamper if you have one to help it blend well. If you don't have a tamper, stop the blender occasionally to push down the edges of the mixture. Your "caramel" should be smooth and creamy without chunks.
- Enjoy right away as a snack, breakfast, or dessert. It's delicious with apples, pretzels, on rice cakes, on toast (with or without peanut butter or butter), in oatmeal, and more!
Notes
- Pecans: You can use raw (unroasted) pecans, but I think the roasted version have deeper flavor. If yours are salted, don’t add that “pinch of salt” listed in the ingredients.
- Why hemp seeds? Although optional, I like this addition in this dip. They add protein, health fats, and magnesium. They blend in seamlessly and you won’t taste them!
- Make sure you use MEDJOOL dates – these are the softest and sweetest variety. I often buy the pitted ones and pit them myself because it’s cheaper. (Dates can be a little pricey, so buy in bulk if you like them!)
- Other flavor ideas:
- Gingerbread: Add in 1-2 tsp of molasses with a pinch or two of cinnamon, ground clove, and ginger.
- Chocolate: Add 1 tbsp of cocoa powder for a chocolately flavor.
- Other nuts: You could try this recipe with roasted almonds, walnuts, etc for different flavors!
