Vegan Recipe – Dark Chocolate Salted Caramels



1 1/2 cups unsalted roasted sunflower seeds2 cups medjool dates (16), pitted1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt3/4 cup dairy-free chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli minichips)Sea salt for topping (optional)


  1. Place the sunflower seeds, dates, and fine sea salt in a food processor. Blend until smooth for several minutes, until a thick dough forms.
  2. Press the mixture firmly into an 8-by-8-inch pan. If the top is oily (from the sunflower seeds), gently blot it with a paper towel.
  3. Place pan in the freezer for at least 20 minutes.
  4. While the caramel is firming up, melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler (in a small glass bowl over a small pot of boiling water).
  5. Remove the pan from the freezer. Take a butter knife and go along the edges of the pan to loosen it up. Turn the pan over onto a cutting board lined with parchment paper. Cut into 49 pieces (7 rows of 7).
  6. Using a small spoon (I used a metal baby spoon), drizzle a small dollop of melted chocolate over the top of each caramel square, using the back of the spoon to smooth it out and get chocolate along the edges. Sprinkle with sea salt, if you like. Place the cutting board in the fridge for 20 minutes to harden the chocolate.
  7. Enjoy! Store uneaten caramels in an airtight container in the fridge.