A Date Caramel Refresher
Posted: | Categories: Substack Archives | Tags:substackOne thing I’ve learned from you is that you’re not into baked goods, but you love date caramel. What’s not to like? It’s easy, creamy, tastes just like caramel, and is packed with good-for-you ingredients. I’ve heard of people adding it to coffee; I prefer to spread it on toast with cottage cheese or bake with it.
I’ve been making date caramel for almost three years and always have a jar in my fridge. It’s time we mix things up a little. I was playing around in the kitchen the other day and came up with 4 new flavors. And I’m linking to my favorite date caramel recipes, too! But no pressure if you’re not into baking. Just spread it on toast.
Nutribullet sent me a new blender that has a food processor and spice grinder attachment. It’s a great space saver. (Obviously still using my Waring, too, especially for date caramel.)
I’ve been shooting more day-in-the-life content and ordered this MagSafe suction grip for my phone. This one is way cheaper than others I’ve seen and it works pretty well.
We’re still working on organizing the apartment so I got these drawers to help.
This Week’s Links
Banana Snack: This isn’t really a recipe, but the Cinnamon Snickerdoodle nut butter makes it 100x better. (Save 10% with code MELISSA10.)
How to Make Salad Dressing: Here are my tips with printable recipes to stick on your fridge.
Day in the Life & my thoughts on motherhood: There aren’t recipes for these, but remember to treat your mom for Mother’s Day. And send them the easy weeknight meals I shared on Wednesday—or better yet, make them for her.
Toast with Caitlin. I’ve loved Caitlin (@bigtimeadulting) for a while and had so much fun making toast with her.
Date Caramel, Four Ways. Lucky you, you found those recipes. Scroll down!
Date Caramel, Four Ways
Start here: The Base
Two 12 oz. packages pitted medjool dates (about 30 large dates)
Boiling Water
Place all the dates in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit for 15 minutes to soften.
Use tongs to transfer the soft dates to the bowl of a blender. Add a few splashes of the hot water to help blend.
Pulse on high until smooth. Add another splash or two of the hot water if needed to adjust the consistency.
Divide the date caramel evenly into 4 bowls to make the different flavors. If you like one flavor more than another, double up! You should have 1½ to 2 cups date caramel in each bowl.
*For a creamier texture, you can use coconut milk instead of water (the kind in a can). Shake the can before opening and add a little at a time to adjust the consistency. It should be thick, but still pourable.
Chocolate Date Caramel
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
Stir the cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla into the date caramel.
Snickerdoodle Date Caramel
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
Stir the cinnamon, salt, and vanilla into the date caramel.
Tahini Date Caramel
⅓ cup tahini
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla paste
Stir the tahini, salt, and vanilla into the date caramel. If you need to adjust the consistency after the tahini is added, add water a tablespoon at a time.
Coconut Date Caramel
½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
Stir the coconut, salt, and vanilla paste into the date caramel.
With all flavors, let the date caramel cool before placing it in a jar and refrigerating. Enjoy immediately or save and use in one of the following recipes. It should stay good stored in the fridge for up to a week.
