Did you have a sweet tooth as a child too? One of my earliest childhood memories is of raiding the candy cupboard while my mom was upstairs putting my younger sister to bed. Until I found out as a teenager what processed candy was really made of… Since then I’ve cut refined sugars out of my diet and I’ve started looking for healthier alternatives to satisfy my cravings for sweet treats like today’s recipe for raw vegan Chocolate Caramel Candy. These make the perfect sweet treat for this time of the year!
Chocolate Caramel Candy
SERVES: 12-15 candies (depending on the size)
EQUIPMENT: small food processor, rubber spatula
INGREDIENTS:
Date Caramel
½ cup of soft dates, pitted and roughly chopped (soak them in warm water if needed)
2 tablespoons of almond butter
1 tablespoon of maple syrup
1 tablespoon of coconut oil, melted
2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract (or ½ teaspoon of vanilla powder)
¼ teaspoon of Himalayan crystal salt or sea salt (optional, for flavor balance)
Chocolate Candy
½ cup of cashews
½ cup of soft dates, pitted and roughly chopped (soak them in warm water if needed)
¼ cup of cacao powder, unsweetened
2 large pinches of Himalayan crystal salt or sea salt
DIRECTIONS:
Date Caramel
- Combine dates, almond butter, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla extract and salt in in a small food processor fitted with an S-blade. Mix until well combined.
- Set aside while you prepare your chocolate candy base.
Chocolate Candy
- Place your cashews in the food processor. Process until finely ground.
- Add the dates, cacao powder and salt, and mix again until well combined. The dough will turn into a sticky ball.
- Roll the chocolate candy mixture into small balls.
- Press each ball into a round candy base with a hole in the middle.
- Fill each hole with date caramel.
- I garnished the Chocolate Caramel Candy with goji berries and finely ground cacao nibs, but feel free to get creative! You could use toppings like crushed pecans, dried cranberries, shredded coconut, orange zest…
JULIE’S TIPS & TRICKS:
This Chocolate Caramel Candy will stay fresh for at least 2 weeks in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Now I would love to hear from you! What’s your favorite Christmas holiday candy or sweet treat? Let me know by leaving a comment down below.
