Date caramel is an easy way to sweeten foods with no added sugar. Keep a jar of this 3 ingredient, baby friendly date caramel in your refrigerator to naturally sweeten oatmeal, baked goods, and more for babies, toddlers and the whole family.
This post has been written and medically reviewed by Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN (Registered Dietitian Nutritionist).
Date Caramel
As the name implies, date caramel is a caramel made from dates, which are naturally very sweet and have a caramel-like flavor. Though I liken date caramel more to a spreadable date paste or puree than caramel sauce. You'll find several versions all over the internet with various ingredients like almond butter and coconut cream, but I keep mine simple with just dates, milk and vanilla. And using this method, you can go even simpler than that! As long as you've got a food processor, you can easily whip this date paste up and store it in the refrigerator for the whole family to use.
The great thing about date caramel is that it allows you to sweeten foods naturally with just fruit (dates are a fruit, after all!) and no added sugar, making it perfect for making baked goods and sweetening oatmeal for babies and toddlers. Dates are also nutrient rich, adding fiber, magnesium, potassium, and antioxidants, unlike other natural sweeteners.
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Ingredients
- Pitted Dates - Medjool dates are typically softer and have the most caramel-like flavor. But you can also use the smaller Deglet Noor dates that are also readily available in the US or any other type of pitted date!
- Milk - Milk adds a rich creaminess to date caramel. Substitute cream, half and half, or your favorite plant-based milk. You can also just use water to keep things super simple if you want a more pure date paste.
- Vanilla - I like to add just a bit of vanilla to my date caramel, but feel free to leave it out.
- Optional: A pinch of sea salt is delicious in date caramel!
My Favorite Food Processor
This mini food processor is one of my most used and most loved kitchen tools! It's a must-have for making recipes like this a breeze!
Step By Step Instructions
For the full printable recipe, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- If your dates are dry and inflexible, cover them in hot water and soak for 15 minutes. Drain the water.
- Add the dates, milk and vanilla to a food processor and blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. It may take a little while, just keep blending!
- Store in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Tips for Making Date Caramel
- Since this is such as small batch, use a mini (3-4 cup) food processor. If you're using a full sized food processor, you may want to double the recipe so that you don't just have spinning blades.
- Depending on your food processor and the dates, it may not get completely smooth. A few tiny pieces of date are not going to hurt anything. It will still be delicious!
Can Babies Have Date Caramel?
Yes! Date caramel is probably the best way to let baby try dates, since the whole fruit is too tough and can pose a choking risk. It's also one of the only sweeteners I will add to recipes for babies under 2. That said, it is very sweet, so moderation is important! I stick to using it as a natural sweetener rather than offering it plain to keep baby's palate trained to prefer less sweet foods.
Ways to Use Date Caramel
- Use a small bit to naturally sweeten oatmeal and overnight oats.
- Stir into plain Greek yogurt and/or more bitter purees like pumpkin or butternut squash.
- Use in recipes like muffins or breakfast cookies to add a little bit of natural sweetness.
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Baby Friendly Date Caramel Recipe
Date caramel is an easy way to sweeten foods with no added sugar. Keep a jar of this 3 ingredient, baby friendly date caramel in your refrigerator to naturally sweeten oatmeal, baked goods, and more for babies, toddlers and the whole family.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: ½ cup 1x
- Category: sauce
- Method: no cook
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- ½ cup pitted dates
- ¼ cup milk of choice
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- optional: pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- If your dates feel dry, add them to a small bowl and cover them with hot water. Soak for 15 minutes, then drain.
- Add dates, milk, vanilla and salt, if using, to the bowl of a mini food processor. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides with a spatula as needed. It may seem to take a while to become smooth. Be patient and keep blending.
- Store date caramel in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
- You can use regular dairy milk, or substitute half and half, cream, or your favorite plant based milk. You may also just use water if you prefer.
- Medjool dates are typically softer and have a more caramel-like flavor, but any pitted dates will work.
- If you only have a full sized food processor, double the recipe so that the blades have something to work with instead of just spinning.
- Depending on the condition of your dates and your food processor, the caramel may not get completely smooth. A few tiny pieces of date are okay, and it will still taste delicious!
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