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Chocolate covered sea salt healthy caramels made with just 5 ingredients! Date caramels topped with sea salt flakes – they’re addictive!
*Please note* this post was originally published in 2018. I’ve since redone the text but the recipe remains the same.
So, in anticipation of baby girl’s arrival, we transitioned the boys to one room this past weekend. The first night went as we had somewhat expected, with lots of giggles and playing and getting out of bed – but – the sweetest thing also happened. Etienne and I were watching on the monitor as Oscar crept over to Wally’s crib after he fell asleep, covered him with a blanket and then got back into his bed. Mama heart melt!
The second night went really well, and both boys fell asleep fairly quickly; however, it’s unfortunately been a bit of a roller coaster since then! It’s still new, so I’m confident it will just be routine eventually. Plus we’ve been able to witness so many funny and sweet moments already, like Oscar trying to help Wally climb out of his crib by building a staircase with a stack of books. I just love watching these boys grow up together!
You know what else I love? My evening chocolate habit. It’s not the healthiest of habits, but not the worst. I love to relax after getting the kids to bed with a good show and a bit of chocolate to munch on. Often it’s a few squares of extra-dark chocolate, but sometimes I switch it up with other treats – like a few salted caramel chocolate almond clusters, or these healthy caramels with a sprinkling of sea salt!
What are healthy caramels?
The great thing about this recipe is that it is literally 5 ingredients, gluten-free, and ready in 20 minutes! The chocolates are made with those wonderful bites of nature called Medjool dates. We all know Medjool dates have that smooth caramel flavour, but mixing them with a bit of nut butter (I like to use peanut butter) creates the ultimate healthy “caramel” filling. Coating these caramels with chocolate and topping them with sea salt flakes just rounds things off nicely.
I’ve been making these for a few years now, ever since my friend introduced me to this recipe from Oh She Glows.. These chocolates really do taste like Rolos, but I always amp up the sea salt when I make them to get that salty-sweet combo that I love so much. I seriously cannot walk past a Purdy’s Chocolates without buying a couple of their Himalayan pink salt caramels! So good!
How do you make date caramels?
All you need is a food processor! Combine the dates with the peanut butter and pulse them together until a sticky ball forms. Chill the mixture in the freezer for about 10 minutes before removing and shaping the dough into balls. You can roll your caramels into whatever size you like; I sometimes use a whole tablespoon for a nice large chocolate, but making them smaller means you’ll end up with more and eat less…maybe!? Place the caramels on a baking sheet and freeze the balls for another 10 minutes while you prepare the chocolate.
A 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup is the easiest way to dip the balls in chocolate. After dunking, the balls should be chilled again for another 10 minutes or so to set! At this poinst, sprinkle on some sea salt flakes if you’d like!
How do you store healthy caramels?
I like to keep these treats in the freezer, so they last longer, but you could definitely keep them in the fridge too. They’ll get too soft at room temperature!
It’s so hard to believe that the weekend is already here again – time – slow down!! We’re going to a dinner party on Saturday night, and Sunday I’m getting my toes done with some friends!
I am so hoping the forecast cheers up in the next few weeks – I can’t believe how un-spring this weather has been. The snow really needs to take a hint. Really.
Here’s to a great weekend!
Some other tasty treats from the blog:
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Healthier Sea Salt Caramels
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 14-20 caramels 1x
Description
Chocolate covered sea salt healthy caramels made with just 5 ingredients! Date caramels topped with sea salt flakes – they’re addictive!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Medjool dates, pits removed (about 15)
- 1 tbsp natural peanut butter*
- 1/2 cup (3 oz) dark chocolate, chopped
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- sea salt flakes
Instructions
- Process the dates with the peanut butter in a food processor until a ball of sticky “dough” forms. Chill the mixture in the freezer for about 10 minutes before removing and shaping the dough into balls (about 2 tsp – 1 tbsp in size)*. Place the caramels on a baking sheet and freeze the balls for another 10 minutes while you prepare the chocolate.
- Melt the chocolate with the coconut oil in a heat-proof vessel. I like to use my Pyrex measuring cup for easy dipping! Using a spoon or a dipping tool, dip each caramel in chocolate, place it back on the baking sheet and sprinkle with sea salt flakes. Place the caramels in the fridge or back in the freezer to set for another 10 minutes.
Caramels keep best in the freezer (and can be eaten frozen) but will keep for up to 2 weeks in the fridge as well.
Notes
- Substitute with almond butter or another nut butter.
- Using 1 tbsp of dough will yield about 14 large caramels.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: candy
- Method: no bake
- Cuisine: american
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Boys will be boys! I´m sure eventually everything will be fine with both of them in the same room, to the recipe, this is the kind of chocolate I can snack on at night too! love how easy they are to make and only 5 ingredients! this is awesome
You are so right, Albert!! It’s already gotten much better I’m happy to say. Thank you so much! They are super easy, sometimes a little too easy 😉