Coconut Cream Caramel Sauce

This is the recipe for all those searching for a dairy-free option for a caramel sauce for apples this fall. It is very caramelly and almost the perfect substitute for the real deal. Also, very very easy to make and not a super big mess or many utensils. I first made this as an ice cream topping for sundaes, but really it is great this time of year for all those amazing fresh and tangy apples. A perfect dip, or if you get really brave to cover up the whole apple too!

People always say that making caramel is actually really easy- and it is- (unless for some reason you make it and it burns and it sticks to everything in your kitchen and turns into a huge mess!) haha! This recipe is subbing in coconut milk for whole cream and coconut palm sugars in place of table sugar. The honey and coconut oil help it all meld together well and viola it's caramel! For all your caramel needs ;) I guarantee that if you make this- you will find lots of things to drizzle on and enjoy. I'm just saying... that's been the case around here. A few days ago in landed in the Pumpkin Spice Latte too ;) Let yourself get caramelled this season and ENJOY xoxo

Coconut Cream Caramel Sauce Recipe
{gluten, dairy, egg, nut, seed and refined-sugars-free}

1 cup of coconut cream*
1 cup of coconut palm sugar
1/4 cup of honey
1/4 cup of coconut oil
pinch of sea salt


*(use 1 can of coconut milk. scoop out the cream and discard/reuse the water)

In a small saucepan, put all of the above ingredients and whisk together until fully melted together. Let cook on low to medium heat for 15-20 minutes until it turns into a dark amber brown color. It will be VERY HOT and could burn your skin, so make sure you use a whisk to whip together well and it will be bubbling and foaming so just be careful of your hands and face while on the heat. Let it cool down after it turns into a thick caramel mixture and then when it is slightly cooled you can pour into a pint sized jar and let it continue to cool until warm and then you can serve over ice cream or with apples or in your coffee :)

It will thicken and harden up as it completely cools. You can store this in the fridge for a few weeks, but you will need to place the jar of caramel in a bowl of boiling water to get it softened again. 

This will work for caramel apples and toppings, it is just a bit more messy because it doesn't thicken exactly the same as dairy caramel. But if you put the covered apple in the fridge for a bit it would harden up nicely and could even get some other toppings on it too. 

Date-Puree-Caramel-Dip

If you are looking for the date-puree caramel-like sauce. Then I alluded to it in this recipe, my Caramel Apple Date Muffins because I mention that the date puree is a very sweet and tasty alternative to real dairy caramel. Also- it is basically just dates (maybe with a pinch of sea salt) and so there is no sugars of any kind- just the natural sugars from the dates alone.

Date Puree Caramel Dip Recipe
1 cup of pitted dates
1 cup of boiling water
pinch of sea salt

In a high powered blender, put in the dates and the boiling water and pinch of salt and then blend on high until creamy and ready for licking ;) It is that easy! This dip is best in my opinion right from the blender when it is still creamy and warm and fabulous- but you can also store this in the fridge for weeks to add to baked goods, porridge, and stir up again to be ready to dip apples or other favorite cookies, crackers or fruit in. It's a fabulous way to live- once you make date puree your life is just about complete ;) Make it in large batches (4 cups dates/ 4 cups water) and you will have plenty to spare. 

OPTION #2:
You can use 1 cup of the date puree, with 1 cup of fresh nut or seed butter whipped together with a pinch of sea salt and you have a PERFECT sweet and salty apple dip as well. I have used almond butter, peanut butter, sunflower/pumpkin seed butter all in the past, but you could use whatever you can tolerate or enjoy and it adds in the protein for the snack as well to fully be fueled up too!


Hope you enjoy and make a special apple-caramel treat very soon! Much love as always, xoxo