This syrupy-sweet date caramel is a delicious refined-sugar free spread made using dried pitted dates. Use this as a natural sweetener or spread on toast, stirred through porridge or in desserts. Vegan and gluten-free.

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Why You’ll Love This Date Caramel Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
How to Use Date Caramel and Serving Suggestions
Storage Instructions
Date Caramel
Author

Why You’ll Love This Date Caramel Recipe

Naturally Sweet and Healthy: Made from dried pitted dates, this caramel offers a rich, syrupy sweetness without refined sugars. It’s vegan, gluten-free, and has 35 calories per serving.
Quick and Easy: With only 10 minutes of prep and 20 minutes of soaking, you can whip up this delicious spread in just 30 minutes.
Affordable and Versatile: Using regular dried dates instead of the pricier Medjool variety, this recipe is budget-friendly while still delivering great taste. Perfect for adding to porridge, spreading on toast, or using in desserts. Store it in the refrigerator for up to a week, making it a handy addition to your meal prep.

Ingredients

You only need to buy one ingredient to make this delicious date caramel: dates! You’ll also need some water and a pinch of salt (optional).

Instructions

Here’s how to make this easy date caramel:

Soak the Dates: Place the dried pitted dates in a medium-sized bowl and cover them with boiling water. Let them soak for about 20 minutes to soften.
Blend the Dates: Drain the dates, saving the soaking water. Transfer the dates to a food processor or blender. Add a tablespoon of the reserved water and blend until smooth. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides occasionally, adding a little more water as needed to achieve a thick, smooth consistency.
Store the Caramel: Transfer the date caramel to a sealed jar and store it in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to a week.

How to Use Date Caramel and Serving Suggestions

Here are some creative ways to enjoy your batch of date caramel:

Make my viral Date Caramel Oats with a chocolate smash top. The most delicious way to start the day – we love a breakfast that tastes like dessert 🙂
Spread on Toast: Use date caramel as a natural sweetener on toast. Pair it with nut butter for a satisfying and healthy breakfast or snack.
Stirred into Porridge: Add a spoonful of date caramel to your morning porridge or oatmeal for an extra touch of sweetness and flavor.
Dessert Topping: Drizzle date caramel over desserts like ice cream, pancakes, or waffles. It adds a rich, sweet flavor without refined sugar.
Smoothies: Blend a spoonful of date caramel into your smoothies for a natural sweetener and a hint of caramel flavor.
Baking: Use date caramel as a filling for cookies, cakes, or pastries. It can also be swirled into brownie or muffin batter before baking.
Dipping Sauce: Serve it as a dip for fruit slices, such as apples or bananas, for a healthy and delicious snack.

Storage Instructions

To keep your date caramel fresh and delicious, follow these storage tips:

Refrigerate: Store the date caramel in a sealed jar or airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to one week.
Avoid Contamination: Always use a clean spoon or utensil to scoop out the date caramel to prevent any contamination and extend its shelf life.

I hope you love making yourself a batch of Date Caramel! Let me know what you think in the comments below, or feel free to tag me on Instagram @glowdiaries___ and I will reshare your pics to my stories.

Date Caramel

Course Condiment, Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Soaking time 20

Total Time 30

Servings serves

Calories 35kcal

Equipment

Food processor

Ingredients

250 g dried pitted dates
2 cups boiling water
pinch of salt optional

Instructions

Add dates to a medium size bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave to soak for 20 minutes.
Drain dates and reserve the soaked water. Add dates to a small food processor or blender. Add about 1 tablespoon of water and blend. Stop and scrape down the sides as you go, adding as little additional water as possible. Use just enough to get the dates to blend into a thick, smooth paste.
Store date caramel in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to one week. Enjoy stirred into porridge, on toast with nut butter or in desserts.