I’m not a big fan of candy. I can easily walk by candy aisles or stores without giving it a second look. For my kiddos, them passing the candy store is like a moth to a flame. An uncontrollable need for sugar takes over their bodies and before you know it, they’re in the store tasting samples…kinda sounds like me at the bakery 😉
Although I love chocolate, I’m usually not a huge fan of chocolate candy. I have a friend who keeps a chocolate bar hidden from her family. Every so often she goes and takes a nibble which calms her craving for a while. There are, however, a few exceptions—anything that combines chocolate, caramel, nuts, and salt, and also most chocolate with peanut butter (and salt) candy. Yes, I have a bit of a salt problem. But I can’t help the fact that chocolate and salt go so well together. There’s some sort of scientific explanation behind why we enjoy such combinations and while I can’t remember exactly what it was, I’m happy that it at least proves I’m not a weirdo. 😉
I have some flaked sea salt
, which I use mostly for desserts, like on these Salted Mocha Cupcakes and Salted Caramel and Chocolate Popcorn Clusters. It compliments sweets, especially chocolate, very well. I sprinkled a bit on top of the candy before the chocolate dried. If you don’t have flaked sea salt, you can also use coarse salt or omit the salt altogether.
These are a version of one of my favorite chocolate candies
from Hawaii. You can find macadamia nut chocolates everywhere in Hawaii, although the caramel version was always my favorite. I use a simple date “caramel” instead of the typical sugar/corn syrup version. I also used dark instead of milk chocolate and the pinch of flaked sea salt is, of course, my own addition as well. 🙂
There are no special tools needed to make these and trust me when I say that they taste amazing and are totally worth the effort. I hope you give them a try!
Vegan Caramel Macadamia Nut Bites
- Yield: 18 bites 1x
Description
This is my version of my favorite candy from Hawaii. It only has a few ingredients and is made a little healthier by use dates instead of sugar for the caramel. It requires no special tools and they’re ready in less than an hour!
Ingredients
Date Caramel:
- 1.5 cups pitted Dates
- warm water, if needed for blending
Vegan Caramel Macadamia Nut Bites:
- 3/4–1 cup Macadamia Nuts
, chopped (can also use another nut, like peanuts, pecans, almonds, or cashews)
- 1.5 cups quality dark chocolate, dairy-free if needed
- Flaked
sea salt, optional
Instructions
- Place your dates into a food processor and pulse until broken up. Continue to blend until it becomes a smooth paste. If it’s too thick and won’t blend, add warm water a tablespoon at a time until smooth, though it should still be thick enough to form a ball (see photo above.)
- Scoop mixture by the heaping tablespoon and place onto a tray lined with a piece of wax or parchment paper. I got exactly 18 caramel rounds, but amount may vary based upon how large you scoop them. Make them as big or as little as you’d like!
- After you have the caramel scooped out, cover the top with chopped macadamia nuts. I like macadamia nuts, so I add a lot.
- Place pan into the fridge or freezer for 30 minutes or until chilled and slightly firm. At this point you can make the mounds pretty and shape them into a ball or leave them in a disc shape. It’s all personal preference.
- When the caramel/nut bites are chilled and ready to be dipped, begin melting the chocolate. Place chocolate in a double-boiler over boiling water. Stir the chocolate consistently until melted and smooth. Alternatively, you can microwave in a heat-safe bowl on medium power in 30 second intervals until melted. Be careful not to overheat or you can ruin the chocolate.
- As soon as the chocolate is melted and smooth, begin dipping the caramel mounds into the chocolate and use a spoon to cover the top with chocolate.
- Lift the chocolate covered caramels out of the bowl with a fork and tap the fork against the bowl to drain any excess chocolate before placing back on the parchment paper. Repeat until all the caramels have been dipped.
- Sprinkle a bit of flaked sea salt on top and place into the fridge to cool. Store in a container in the fridge to keep fresh. Let come to room temperature before serving.
- Category: Dessert, Vegan
You May Also Enjoy These Similar Recipes:
Salted Chocolate Mocha Cupcakes
Salted Caramel and Chocolate Popcorn Clusters
Easy Raw Caramel Apples
This post may contain affiliate links. If you click on a link and purchase an item, I may receive a small commission on your purchase. It doesn’t affect the cost of the product at all and gives me the ability to pay for and maintain this blog. I never link to products I wouldn’t use myself. Thank you so much for your support!
I cannot wait to make these! Should the macadamias be raw or roasted with salt? Thank you!
Hi Kristie! They can be either, but I love the flavor of roasted macadamia nuts! Use whichever you prefer though 🙂 Hope you enjoy these!! ☺️
Made these today and the kids and I love them! Thank you!
Yay, that makes me so happy to hear! They’re my family’s favorite candy! Thank you for taking the time to let me know that you made them! Hope the rest of your week is amazing!
Oh my gosh these chocolates look luscious! I can’t believe the recipe has so few ingredients, but they look so decadent! I love that the filling is only dates instead of a sugary caramel– what a yummy and better-for-you idea! I’m going to make these for our Easter brunch, my family will love them! I need to get some flaked sea salt, it looks so much fancier than regular sea salt! I love all your healthy dessert recipes, Joscelyn!
Hey Joscelyn, I am also not a fan of candy and chocolates or for that matter any kind of dark chocolates as well.
But I just love the chocolates loaded with lots of nuts. lol
Awesome nut bites, thanks for sharing the recipe. 🙂
Mmmmmm, these vegan macadamia nut bites looks droolicious, Joscelyn. Love how stunning they have turned out. I wish I could grab a few right away! YUMMMY!
Mmmmmm, these vehan macadamia nut bites looks droolicious, Joscelyn. Love stunning they have turned out. I wish I could grab a few right away! YUMMMY!
Drooling.. They look amazingly delicious! Lovely clicks
Thanks, Kushi! They were simple yet so delicious. I hope you get a chance to try them!
Ohh I just love these! They look like the perfect way to fix my sweet cravings after dinner!
Thanks, Liz! I couldn’t agree more. We really enjoyed this recipe!
What perfect little healthy bites! I just wanna grab a handful!
Marsha, they were so good! I hope you have a wonderful week!
Mmm! my mouth is watering looking at the pics!! Want some!!
Thank you, Manali! I always appreciate your encouragement!
OH MY! I’m doing a lot of research on vegan eating and am considering going vegan! I was worried about finding a delicious dessert (because ice cream has always been my go-to!). Seeing this recipe made me realize my other options!!! I’ll have to try this!
Hi Juliana! I am also discovering new, vegan options all the time. I tried to provide some great options on the blog. I plan to continue to offer more. Please let me know if there’s anything you are looking for that I can help you find. Thank you for your kind comments!
These look absolutely delicious. I’ll be giving these a try soon. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thank you, Melanie! I hope you get an opportunity to try them soon!