I’m so excited to share today’s recipe with you! Well I’ve actually been sharing it with you for the last year. I made my first healthy caramel recipe September of last year (if you missed my Caramel Apple Oatmeal you will want to check it out). When I realized how amazing dates were my mind was blown! Since then I’ve been adding this 2-ingredient bit of amazingness to recipes a handful of times. Today I’m over at Super Healthy Kids sharing my Caramel Apple Cider that is ah-MA-zing. It’s just the bit of warm comfort in a mug that you’ve been looking for now that the temps have dropped (and will continue to drop). So be sure and jump over there for the recipe, you’ll definitely want to have it in your back pocket next time you’re at the grocery store!
Since I’ve tried cutting out refined sugar (the operative word being *tried*.. as I still could use a bit of help in the area) I’ve really clung to natural sweeteners like coconut sugar, molasses, honey, stevia, and dates! It’s amazing what you can make without refined sugar that still tastes every bit as good as the alternative. I mean have you TRIED my Almond Joy Chocolate Buttercream Parfait? Anyway, this caramel couldn’t be any easier to make and can be used in an endless amount of ways and recipes. Unfamiliar with dates? Get them confused with prunes? You aren’t alone. “Medjool dates are a type of tree fruit that originate in the Middle East and North Africa, but they can be cultivated with some success in a number of desert-like regions around the world. Dates in general make up an important part of Middle Eastern cuisine, but medjools particularly are prized for their large size, their sweet taste, and their juicy flesh even when dried. They are often enjoyed on their own as a snack or as a flavoring element within a larger meal or baked confection.” – WiseGeek
Items used in this post:
2-Ingredient Healthy Caramel
Think it's impossible to be healthy without indulging? Think again! This quick & easy 2-Ingredient Healthy Caramel recipe will help you get the little bit of sweetness you crave without being completely derailed from your health & fitness goals!
Ingredients
- 8-10 dates pitted (I used Medjool)
- 1/4 c. water
Instructions
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In a high speed blender, blend together dates and water until smooth; approx 30 seconds.
This is like a little hidden gem of a recipe. I had some dates left over from smoothies and after a quick search your site popped up! We used this as a dip for some tart apples leftover from today’s dinner and YUM. I felt zero guilt letting Dax scrape the sides of the bowl.
Rachael Yerkes @ Eazy Peazy Mealz
Love! I am a date lover anyway, but never thought to try it is healthy caramel. Mmmm
Yvonne
YAY! I love easy recipes – LOVE them!
Renee
Are you using fresh dates or dried dates? Thanks.
Yvonne
Fresh dates, I’ve actually never bought dried dates. Great question!
Marina
These are definitely dry dates on your photo :). Fresh dates are crisp and yellow
Nikki
Looks yummy! I’d like to make this as a gift. How long shall I recommend to keep it before it goes off? Do they need to refridgerate? Thanks
Yvonne
For best results I’d say use within a week & keep refrigerated!
Amy shaker
Any nutrition facts for the recipe?
Yvonne
Depending on how many dates you use – then divide the number of calories in your dates with how many servings you divide it into – overall, relatively low cal for a tbsp. or so.
Melissa
Here in Arizona, we get dates from the local farmers market. And there are so many different kinds too – with varying degrees of sweetness, size, color, and flavor. I have been incorporating them into things slowly too, but this recipe sounds like the perfect way to try each of the different dates to figure out which one we like best. Thanks!
Yvonne
Awesome, that’s so cool. I’d love to get ours from a farmers market!
I love how simple this is! I just have to give it a try! The question is, do I eat it by the spoonful or use it in a recipe?
Yvonne
Thanks Aimee – hahaha.. I’ve never tried by the spoonful, but I bet it would be delicious!
Rosa
Do we peeled the dates or not
Yvonne
Nope, the only thing is just to make sure they are pitted.