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 đ
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 exceptionsâanything 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. đ
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.Â
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. đ
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!Â
- 1.5 cups pitted Dates
- warm water, if needed for blending
- ¾-1 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
- 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.
You May Also Enjoy These Similar Recipes:
Salted Chocolate Mocha Cupcakes
Salted Caramel and Chocolate Popcorn Clusters
Easy Raw Caramel Apples
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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. đ
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 đ
Thank you, Melanie! I hope you get an opportunity to try them soon!