10 Minute Chocolate Caramels (Gluten Free, Vegan)

My delicious Chocolate Caramels put a healthy twist on the classic chocolate!

Chocolate caramels are, have been and always will be, my favourite kind of chocolate so it was only a matter of time until I created a healthier version of them. Not only is this a healthy recipe but, more importantly, it is an easy one!

Thanks to the use of dates when creating this caramel as opposed to sugar as seen in a traditional caramel, this recipe is much quicker to create. For this recipe you simply need to throw everything together in a blender and melt some chocolate, making it the perfect sweet treat when you’re in a rush.

I always refer to this as ‘cheat’s caramel’ but I honestly think the dates do recreate the flavour really well. I use a firm smooth peanut butter and almond flour in this recipe to thicken the mixture to create a hard caramel, you may want to use more than the amounts noted below depending on personal preference if you desire a really tough and chewy consistency.

I tend to use either Deglet Nour dates or Medjool dates for this recipe as I find them the most similar to caramel in terms of flavour, however, I think any would probably work in the same way. Soaking your dates helps to soften them so they are easier to blend. I soak mine by placing them in a bowl and covering them with boiling water, I leave them to soak and soften for ten to fifteen minutes before draining. That’s it!

I have noted to use almond flour in this to thicken the mixture, however, you could use ground almonds interchangeably. For a nut free version of this you could try adding oat flour to the mix in place of almond flour and substitute the peanut butter for tahini. For a version of this that is a little thinner in consistency why not try my 5 Minute Healthy Caramel recipe which you can find here.

How many this recipe yields will depend entirely on how many chunks you divide the caramel into. I only opt for six as I like to create jumbo sized chocolate caramels, however, you can create more if you would prefer less caramel in each chocolate. If you do intend to create more caramels keep in mind you will also need more chocolate. Alternatively, you could add a tablespoon of coconut oil to the chocolate when it is melting to help it stretch a little further.

I place these in the freezer to set but I also like to store them in there as I find it lends the caramels a firmer consistency without freezing them completely so they are impossible to bite into. Storing them in the freezer also extends their shelf life, however, I highly doubt these caramels will last that long!

If you like my Chocolate Caramels you may also like Caramel Brownie Bars, my Healthy Snickers Bars recipe, my Healthy Twix recipe or my No Bake Caramel Cups which you can find here. In these recipes I use my Healthy Two Ingredient Caramel, however, you could use the caramel featured in this recipe instead if you wanted something with a firmer texture.

If you like this recipe and want to show some support please leave a comment below or visit my Ko-Fi account to donate! x