Almond Joy Caramel Apples

I love traditional caramel apples.  But what I don’t love is all of the processed sugar that comes along with them.  So, I make healthier ones at home instead of buying them!  I make a caramel out of dates instead of sugar, which may sound odd, but trust me, it tastes just like caramel and is so much better for you!  The recipe I am sharing with you today is for Almond Joy apples (like the classic candy bar, coconut, chocolate and almonds), so I made the caramel a chocolate caramel, then coated it with coconut, cacao nibs and almonds. If you are not a fan of those things though, you could leave the cacao powder out of the caramel and make it a vanilla caramel, then sprinkle it with the coatings of your choice! This is a healthier Halloween treat that you can make at home and not feel guilty about enjoying it!

Author: Amy Lyons O’Neil

Amy has worked for Fresh and Natural Foods since 2006 contributing to the variety of healthful foods we offer. She graduated with a degree in studio art from Bethel University in 2007, but in her senior year of college, found that her passion was with the art of food. She later used her photography and culinary skills to create a vegan food and recipe blog, Fragrant Vanilla Cake. She has also written 3 cookbooks. She specializes in vegan and vegetarian recipes. Local, fresh and organic food has always been her focus in whatever she creates.

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Servings: 2 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Ready in: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup soft medjool dates, pitted (if they are not soft, soak them in water for 30 minutes and drain well)
• 2 Tbsp raw almond butter
• 1 Tbsp Spectrum coconut oil
• 3 Tbsp raw Nativa's Naturals cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• 3 Tbsp filtered water as needed
• 2 large sweet organic apples, such as honeycrisps
• 2 sticks (I used cake pop sticks, but if you have wooden ones, those work too)
• 1/4 cup Bob's Red Mill large flake dried coconut
• 1/4 cup Nativa's Naturals raw cacao nibs or Lily's vegan chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup raw almonds, coarsely chopped

Instructions

1. For the caramel, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor and process until smooth.  Add a little more water at a time if it seems too thick.  Set aside in a bowl.
2. Stick the sticks into the apples, then turn them upside down, and spread the chocolate caramel over the bottom half.
3. Sprinkle with the coconut, cacao nibs, and almonds, and press in to adhere.
4. Enjoy!