These Chocolate-Dipped Date Caramels are the healthiest and most delicious homemade candy you’ll ever taste! The perfect guilt-free treat to keep in the fridge for when cravings hit - So good!
👉 This post was originally published in 2018, featuring only the date caramel. It was updated in December 2025 with the chocolate-dipped version and new photos.
SUMMARY
- Taste: Sweet and caramel-like, coated in rich dark chocolate, and finished with a sprinkle of flaky salt. The perfect sweet–salty bite—absolutely delicious.
- Texture: Soft, sticky “caramel” with a light crunch from chopped almonds.
- Healthy Ingredients: Made with wholesome ingredients like dates, almond butter, sliced almonds, coconut oil, and dark chocolate.
- Guilt-Free: Naturally sweetened with dates, no-bake, raw and gluten-free. Use vegan chocolate to make it fully vegan.
An amazingly healthy no-bake snack to make and share with family and friends—or enjoy all by yourself. It’s made with 4 good-for-you ingredients and tastes like a chewy caramel with bits of crunchy nuts.
This is the perfect homemade candy to keep stocked in the fridge when you want something sweet yet guilt-free. I guarantee no one will believe it’s a healthy treat—it tastes just like caramel dipped in chocolate.
I first shared this recipe in 2018 with just the caramel portion, wrapping each piece in parchment squares. Later, I started dipping the caramels in melted chocolate and sprinkling salt to make them look—and taste—like real candy. I have to admit, the chocolate coating elevates them to a whole new level. (I have kept the original photo that I shared at the blog post for reference). You can never go wrong with dates and chocolate!
Jump to:
Ingredients
- Dates: I like to use soft medjool dates. They are soft and easy to grind. Noor variety needs some soaking before being processed.
- Almond Butter: As in all my almond butter recipes, I recommend using creamy Barney almond butter because it’s thick, smooth, and doesn’t have any oil separation.
- Coconut Oil: Be sure to use solid coconut oil, and if yours is liquid, simply chill it until firm so it blends smoothly without separating.
- Sliced Almonds: Sliced almonds add great texture and help balance the natural sweetness of the dates, and they don’t need to be toasted.
- Chocolate Chips: Chocolate chips are used only for coating, and you can choose dark or semi-sweet depending on your preference.
More Sweet Treats Using Dates
Chocolate Dipped Date Caramels
Equipment
Ingredients
- 22 large Medjool dates pitted (refer notes for weight)
- ½ cup almond butter (I recommend using Barney smooth almond butter)
- 2 tablespoons solid coconut oil
- ⅛ teaspoon salt plus more for topping
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Grind. Add the dates, almond butter, coconut oil and salt to a food processor and blend until the mixture begins to gather together, stopping to scrape down the sides twice. The mixture should feel soft. Add the sliced almonds and pulse for 10–15 seconds, just until they’re mixed in and broken into small pieces—not fully ground.
- Press and Chill. Line a standard loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy removal. Transfer the mixture to the pan, spread it into an even layer, and press it firmly using the bottom of a glass or cup. Refrigerate for several hours, or overnight, until fully firm.
- Cut. Lift the date mixture out of the pan using the parchment paper and place it on a cutting board. Use a large knife to cut it into small squares, then return them to the fridge while you melt the chocolate.
- Melt Chocolate. Place the chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring each time, until the chocolate is about 90% melted. Remove from the microwave and stir until completely smooth—this helps the chocolate set with a beautiful shine.
- Dip in chocolate. Line a baking sheet or large plate with parchment paper. Dip each square into the melted chocolate until fully coated, then lift it out with a fork, letting any excess chocolate drip off. Place the coated square on the parchment paper, sprinkle with coarse salt, and refrigerate until the chocolate sets.
- Storage. Once the chocolate has set, transfer the pieces to an airtight container and store them in the fridge.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
Watch how to make it
Tips for Success
- Use Medjool dates: They’re soft, naturally sweet, and much easier to grind than the Noor variety.
- Weight: After removing the pits, the Medjool dates should weigh about 9.7 ounces (276 grams).
- Choose the right almond butter: I love using Barney Smooth Almond Butter because it’s thick, creamy, and doesn’t separate.
- Chill for the best texture: Store the date caramels in the fridge—they’re most chewy when enjoyed cold.
- Storage: They keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 10 days.
- Make them vegan: Simply use vegan chocolate chips to turn these into fully vegan date caramels.
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How to make date caramels
Dates make an easy, sweet snack on their own, but they’re also incredibly versatile for creating delicious, healthy snacks and desserts. They add natural sweetness and a caramel-like flavor, so you can enjoy a treat without any guilt. Here are more recipes using dates you might love:
- Healthy Carrot Cookies
- Healthy Avocado Chocolate Mousse
- Date and Banana Smoothie
- Chocolate Hummus Recipe
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Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats
YES to healthy treats! With all the over-indulgence I have been doing with the Christmas goodies, I need to make these candies to have a healthier option to reach for. Happy Holidays Maria! XOXO
Maria Doss
Thanks Kelly:)
Patrice Robins
Can the date caramels be made with peanut butter, instead of almond butter?
Thank you.
Maria Doss
Absolutely! Use the creamy kind - Maria
Katherine | Love In My Oven
Thank you for making a candy that I can eat and eat without feeling TOO much guilt! It looks way too yummy to be healthy! Happy holidays to you and your family Maria!! XO
Maria Doss
Thank you Kathy, happy holidays to you as well:)
Ashika | Gardening Foodie
I really need some healthy snacks and candy right now...with all the high sugar holiday food, this sounds like perfect alternative. These really look great Maria...this I would love to try.
Happy holidays Maria, to you and your family 🙂
Faith
Thanks for sharing!! These are the perfect after dinner dessert that is still healthy. I hope the kids will like them.
Maria Doss
Did they like them? Appreciate your feedback:)
Denisse
Looks delicious!!.. I want to make this as a desert for my son because he loves sweets, i want to add butter instead of coconut oil because. You think is going to work same?
Maria Doss
Hi Denisse, Butter is a great replacement. We preferred coconut oil due to two reasons : health factor and the combination of dates along with coconut oil was delicious. However, I understand that coconut oil might not suit every one's taste. Hope it helps 🙂
Shauna
I can’t wait to try these! Do you have a weight for the dates? I want to make sure I’m using the correct amount. Thank you
Maria Doss
Hi Shauna, sorry for the late reply. 11 large medjool dates is 6.1 ounces (with pits) or 174 grams (with pits) by weight - Maria
LouAnn
Can the coconut oil be totally eliminated??
Maria Doss
Hi LouAnn, Yes, you can! Just keep in mind it will be a bit firmer - Maria
Jamie
Hi! These look sooo good!
Do you have a suggestion for a alternate ingredient instead of coconut? I’m allergic and that makes it *very* hard to use all these yummy healthy alternatives.
Thank you!!
Maria Doss
Hi Jamie, You could replace coconut oil with ghee or vegetable oil. Since coconut oil / ghee solidifies when refrigerated, the candy might not get firm when using vegetable oil. Also, you could try adding vanilla extract when not using coconut oil. Hope it helps, Maria
Heidi
Can I use organic butter instead of coconut oil. I am not vegan.
Maria Doss
Hi Heidi, Yes, you could totally use butter instead and we recommend a dash of vanilla extract as well, Maria
Zeliha
Can I use regular butter instead of Almondbutter? Or is that not an option? Where I live it's not so common to find. Or very expensive online.
Maria Doss
Sorry Zeliha, Regular butter will not work! However you can your other nut butters such as peanut butter or sunbutter instead. Alternatively, you can make almond butter at home using raw almonds. Here is a popular recipe that might be helpful for you. You can use 1/4 cup for the recipe and use leftovers on your morning toasts. Hope it helps, Maria