These are like chocolate covered caramels, only sugar-free and made with only 6 ingredients! Best of all, they’re actually GOOD for you! The main ingredients are dates and coconut oil – coconut oil DOES contain fat, but unlike other oils that we normally cook with, the fat in coconut oil is used up by your body as energy. How awesome is that!? This way, when you get those inevitable chocolate cravings, you can indulge without overloading on sugar and mysterious modified milk ingredients.

Salted Date Caramels

INGREDIENTS

Makes 14-16 pieces

2 cups fresh dates, pitted

3/4 cup virgin coconut oil

1/4 cup cacao powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 Tbsps virgin coconut oil, at room temperature

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup coconut flour

coarse pink sea salt, for sprinkling

DIRECTIONS

1. Place dates in a medium bowl, cover with boiling water; stand for 10 minutes to soften. Drain dates; discard water.
2. Meanwhile, melt coconut oil in a small saucepan; combine oil and sifted cacao in a small bowl. Stand until thickened slightly.
3. Process dates with extract, extra coconut oil and salt until smooth. Transfer mixture to a small bowl, cover; freeze for 30 minutes or until firm. Try not to eat it all before heading to the next step – it really does taste like caramel!
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place coconut flour in a small bowl. Using damp hands, roll tablespoonfuls of date mixture into balls. If it gets too sticky, wet hands under running water a bit more. Roll balls into coconut flour. Using a fork (so that any extra coating drips off), dip balls into cacao coating; place on tray. Sprinkle with extra salt.
5. Freeze for 10 minutes or until set.

Store and eat the caramels straight from the freezer. If serving for guests, place in small paper cases to serve.