This Raw Caramel Slice is a delicious cross between an indulgent dessert and a healthy treat. Gooey caramel, nutty base, and easy homemade dark chocolate on top all come together in a generous sized bar that contains no refined white or brown sugars and is dairy free, just like this easy No Bake Chocolate Tart.
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Why Make This?
- Its naturally sweetened and there's no white or brown sugars
- Its totally addictive and perfect with a cup of coffee
- Its easy to make with only a few ingredients
- It looks more impressive than it really is – it’s dead easy to make
- It’s dairy Free
- It keeps in the fridge for a whole week and tastes as good as the day you made it
Ingredients
Would you believe this three layer slice is only 7 ingredients, probably most of which you already have in your pantry! and if not, check out these easy Healthy Date Snickers that you can make with even less ingredients and it will blow your socks off!
Related: Velvety Sugar Free Mini Raw Lemon Tarts
Ingredient Notes
- Medjool Dates: these are big, juicy dates with soft skins that have a caramel like centre. They are less fiborous than other types of dates and break down easier when making the date caramel. Room temperature dates work best for this recipe.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: this is used in the top layer to make the chocolate.
- Almonds: plain or toasted work fine. If using toasted, they provide an additional earthiness to the slice which is nice
- Natural Peanut Butter: any natural peanut butter is fine, just make sure to read the label to make sure there are no added sugars. Best used at room temperature.
- Maple Syrup: This adds additional sweetness and flavour to the slice. Its used in the date caramel layer and in the top chocolate layer. Pure maple syrup can be substituted for sugar free maple syrup and the one I recommend is Lakanto Maple Syrup which is available at Woolworths.
- Coconut Oil: to help bind the ingredients together
- Sea Salt: To balance out the sweetness
How To Make
Base Layer
- Blitz almonds to a crumb in a food processor. Next add pitted dates, melted coconut oil and sea salt flakes. Blitz until a wet crumb is formed.
- Line a rectangle loaf tin with baking paper (see recipe notes for the size tin I use). Press the crumb mixture into the base of the tin, using your fingers or the back of a spoon. If crumbs are sticking to your fingers, dampen them with a little water.
- Set the base in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Middle Layer
- Make Date Caramel: Add ingredients for date caramel to clean food processor and blitz until thick and gooey and caramel like.
- Spread onto base: Using two dessert spoons, spoon the caramel out over the base, so that it reaches all the sides of the tin, smoothing the top with back of spoon.
- Refrigerate: Set in the fridge for 4 hours
Date caramel is my new best friend, and tastes so much better than the canned stuff you buy, or the caramel that comes in tubes. You know the one. Yuck. This caramel is sweet, sticky, low in natural sugars, contains good fats and fibre.
Top Layer
- Make the topping after the base has been in the fridge for 4 hours.
- Add chocolate ingredients to a bowl or jug and whisk until all thoroughly combined and pour chocolate topping over date caramel layer. (no heat required)
- Refrigerate for 1 more hour until set.
Expert Tips
- You really need a food processor to make these types of desserts/snacks as there is a lot of processing of raw ingredients to get that crumb like base. Theres really no getting around this if you’re making raw desserts on a regular basis.
- You’ll need to be OK with washing your food processor or high speed blender in between steps to avoid mixing layers. For this recipe, I washed my food processor after making the base, and after making the date caramel. It only takes a few minutes though.
- You’ll need to have patience to let them set fully in the fridge before you dive into eating them. I recommend making a day ahead if you’re planning a dinner party or a special occasion.
- Use a clean, very sharp plain edge knife to cut your raw slices. Don’t use a serrated knife as it will make a mess of your creation.
Storing Raw Desserts
- Immediately after making: After its put together, refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours
- Slicing: After caramel slice has set, slice into 10 pieces which is a good size if serving for dessert. Alternatively, slicing into 20 pieces makes them more bite sized
- Ongoing: This raw caramel slice is best stored in an air tight container in the fridge for 7 days.
Overall, an easy, indulgent and healthier dessert option if you’re over baked goods, or just fancy trying your hand at making a raw dessert. Maybe you’ll even prefer making these once you see how easy a dessert can be when you don’t even have to turn your oven on.
Freezing Raw Desserts
I wouldn't recommend freezing this raw caramel slice as the date caramel is best made fresh and used the recipe or made a day ahead of you using it.
However my healthy Bliss Ball recipes are great for freezing and defrost well at room temperature, ready to be eaten. This is perfect for big batches where you only want to make enough for the week ahead and want to avoid overindulging.
Common Questions
Yes. I would opt for a 70% to 80% dark chocolate, melted on medium heat either in the microwave or over a pot of water on the stove.
You can use almond butter, cashew nut butter as alternatives to peanut butter, however the flavour of the date caramel may not be as strong.
More Raw Desserts
- No Bake Chocolate Tart (Dairy Free)
- Easy No Bake Ginger Slice
- Choc Mint Bliss Balls
- Lemon Cheesecake Bliss Balls
- My Award Winning No Bake Passionfruit Cheesecake
Raw Caramel Slice Recipe
Ingredients
Base
- ½ cup medjool dates (pitted & room temperature)
- 1 cup roasted almonds
- 1 ½ tablespoons melted coconut oil
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt flakes
Date Caramel
- 1 cup medjool dates (pitted & room temperature)
- ½ cup maple syrup (sugar free)
- ⅓ cup peanut butter (crunchy or smooth)
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil
Topping
- ⅔ cup cocao powder
- ⅔ cup melted coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup (sugar free)
Instructions
Base
- Blitz 1 cup roasted almonds to a crumb in a food processor, then add ½ cup medjool dates (pitted & room temperature), 1 ½ tablespoons melted coconut oil and ¼ teaspoon sea salt flakes. Blitz until a wet crumb is formed.
- Line a rectangle loaf tin with baking paper (see note 3 for size). Press the crumb mixture into the base of the tin, using your fingers or the back of a spoon. If crumbs are sticking to your fingers, dampen them with a little water.
- Set the base in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Date Caramel
- In a clean food processor, place 1 cup medjool dates (pitted & room temperature), ½ cup maple syrup (sugar free), ⅓ cup peanut butter (crunchy or smooth), ¼ cup melted coconut oil and blitz until combined and a thick caramel is formed.
- Using two dessert spoons, spoon the caramel out over the base, so that it reaches all the sides of the tin, smoothing the top with back of spoon.
- Set in the fridge for 4 hours
Chocolate Topping
- Add ⅔ cup cocao powder, ⅔ cup melted coconut oil, and 2 tablespoons maple syrup (sugar free) to a bowl or jug and whisk until all thoroughly combined. Once base and caramel are set (after 4 hours), pour over the chocolate topping. Refrigerate for 1 more hour until set.
Notes
- Storage: Store slice in the fridge in an air tight container. It will keep for 1 week.
- Almonds: If you can’t buy roasted almonds, buy plain almonds, and roast them in the oven for 10 minutes at 180 degrees C, 320 degrees F.
- Tin Size: I used a rectangle loaf tin 10.5 inches by 4.5 inches or in centimeters - 26.5cm by 11.5cm.
Nutrition
Note: Sugars contained in this recipe are from naturally occurring sugars in fruits, vegetables or other natural sweeteners. Calories have been calculated for your convenience using My Fitness Pal and are based on the ingredients listed in the recipe card.
★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Norma says
A lot of preparation but it is absolutely worth it
Olha Lavrynenko says
Excellent recipe. It tastes fantastic. Thank you so much!
Scott says
G'day
I've been making this for a couple of years now, probably about 20 times. I've taken it to different work locations & at a guess had 50 or more people comment on how good it is.
I have been making this recently for a pregnant mate who has to cut down on sugar & she genuinely says this is what gets her through the day. I cut it into 30 pieces so each piece has approximately 5g sugar. My mate appreciates you very much.
I also say "thanks mate" you make me look good.
I'm about to have a crack at Date Nut Bars & then Date Snickers to see if we can't get her to the finish line with this pregnancy minus the diabetes.
Have a good day.
Scott
Linda says
This is delicious but for some reason my base did not stick together and when I cut the slice it all fell apart. Any suggestions gratefully received as it is so yummy
Carolyn Lieschke says
This recipe is our favourite raw slice recipe, it’s absolutely delicious, satisfies our sweet cravings, healthily, so we’re 100% winning! We find that one or 2 small piece is sweetly satisfying so usually we’ll cut a batch of this into 20 or more slices. Thank-you Kim for generously posting this recipe, you’re a genius!
Sophie Thomas says
Absolutely loved this but would it freeze ok? I couldn’t eat it all
Kim says
Yes this should be OK to freeze for around 6 weeks in an air tight container. Recommend to defrost naturally in fridge overnight or on the counter at room temperature.
Charlotte says
I love this slice so much!!! I always make a double batch and put it in the freezer and it lasts about two weeks between the family. I didn’t think the chocolate layer was too thick but it is very rich so cut back on it if you are not a chocolate person.
One adjustment I made was the coconut oil in the date caramel layer. I only put in 1 tablespoon for a double batch because I found any more would have way too much excess oil and lift up the base. Just keep this in mind if your making the slice.
I will be making this every time I’m craving a sweet treat, great recipe to use:)
Kathryn says
By far the best whole foods caramel slice I’ve made, and I’ve made a few. With that said I cut back on the choc topping amount as I find it too thick, as someone else said too (even for a chocolate lover like myself)
Thanks for sharing the recipe!!
Kirsty says
Hello,, can you tell me if the nutritional values noted are per serve or the entire slice?
Kim says
Its per slice.
Deborah says
Easy. Yummy and always make a double batch 🙂
ingrid says
Thank you for this amazing recipe! It turned out exactly as in the photograph!
This is a matter of personal choice, next time I will reduce the chocolate layer to a thinner one, as I found the chocolate overpowering the caramel layer. Might also give it a try with raw almonds for the same reason.
PS. I did replace 2/3 of the maple syrup with honey and it works fine!
Sissy says
Hi, can I ask what size loaf tin you used for these please? 🙂
Kim says
Hi There, I used a rectangle loaf tin 10.5 inches by 4.5 inches or in centimeters - 26.5cm by 11.5cm. I've added this to the recipe notes section too!
Sissy says
Amazing thank you!
Klara says
The best raw slice, I always make double batch. I have done base with just raw almonds but roasted almonds make it more lush 🤤