5-Ingredient Salted Caramel Peanut Butter Truffles

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Homemade Vegan Caramel Peanut Butter Truffles on a white background

I used to think truffles were complicated. I used to think they required candy thermometers and careful attention and Maldon sea salt and only the finest and most expensive ingredients available. I thought they simply weren’t for me.

I was wrong.

Food processor filled with Vegan Date Caramel


It all starts with date caramel. Have you tried the stuff? If not, YOU HAVEN’T LIVED.

Sticky medjool dates pitted and processed then spiked with sea salt for flavor balance. Raw salted vegan caramel. Yes, please.

Vegan Salted Caramel Balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet

Up next? Use a melon baller or a measuring spoon to scoop out truffle shapes (or roll them with your hands!). Then freeze before drizzling with creamy, salted peanut butter. Now we’re getting somewhere.

Parchment-lined baking sheet with Vegan Salted Caramel Balls topped with peanut butter
Baking sheet of Vegan PB Caramel Truffles ready to be topped with chocolate

Last but not least? Dunk those babies in dairy-free dark chocolate and sprinkle with a touch more sea salt. A quick trip to the fridge or freezer and these gems are ready for fast and immediate consumption.

Watch yourself, they’re dangerously good.

A batch of our Vegan Caramel PB Truffles recipe resting on a parchment-lined cutting board
Fresh batch of our homemade Vegan Caramel Peanut Butter Truffles on a parchment-lined wood board

You guys are going to FLIP over these truffles. They’re:

Crunchy on the outside
Creamy on the inside
Chocolate-y
Caramel-y
Peanut butter-y
Perfectly salty-sweet
Simple
Decadent
& Intensely satisfying

After sampling my first two I promptly hauled these down to the office staff in our apartment building. Otherwise? These would’ve been gone in an hour. So tasty!

Stack of two irresistible Caramel Peanut Butter Truffles

If you give these truffles a go, be sure to snap a pic and tag it @minimalistbaker on Instagram so we can see how yours came out! We love seeing which recipes you try and love. Cheers, friends!

Partially eaten Vegan Caramel Peanut Butter Truffles

5-Ingredient Salted Caramel Peanut Butter Truffles

5-Ingredient Peanut Butter Salted Caramel Truffles made with raw vegan caramel, salted peanut butter, and melted dark chocolate. Crunchy on the outside, perfectly creamy and salty-sweet on the inside.
Author Minimalist Baker
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Partially eaten Caramel Peanut Butter Truffle for a decadent vegan dessert
4.95 from 69 votes
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 3 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 3 minutes
Servings 20 (truffles)
Course Dessert
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Vegan
Freezer Friendly 2-3 Weeks
Does it keep? 1 Week

Ingredients

Instructions

  • If your dates aren’t sticky and super moist when squeezed, soak in hot water for 10-15 minutes to soften. Then drain thoroughly and pit. Otherwise, just pit and add to food processor.
  • Blend/pulse your dates until they form a loose “dough.” Mine usually turns into a ball, which is what you’re going for.
  • If it’s not quite combining, drizzle in a tiny bit of warm water – 1 tsp at a time – scraping down sides as needed, and mix until a rough paste or ball forms. If you add too much water it will be difficult to handle them later as they won’t freeze up well.
  • Lastly, add sea salt and mix once more to incorporate. Taste and adjust saltiness level if desired.
  • Using a small melon baller or a Tablespoon and finger, scoop out small balls and roll/form them into balls. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for 20-30 minutes to set.
  • In the meantime, drizzle on peanut butter until the top is coated. If your peanut butter is super firm and not spreadable (meaning it’s either dry or not the natural variety), add it to a small mixing bowl with 1/2 TBSP coconut oil (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) and microwave to melt (or heat in a small saucepan). Stir to combine, then proceed as instructed.
  • Freeze again for another 15-20 minutes, or until the peanut butter has formed a semi-firm “shell.”
  • Warm the chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave in 30 second increments with coconut oil.
  • Remove truffles from freezer and, using a fork, scoop truffles up and quickly immerse in chocolate, using a small spoon to drizzle chocolate evenly on top. Then gently shake off excess chocolate and place back on parchment-lined baking sheet. Alternatively, you could place the truffles on a fork and drizzle the tops with chocolate. Freeze to set again, then dip the bottoms in chocolate and place on parchment to cool. This achieves less of a “shell” and more of a drizzled effect.
  • Top truffles with a small sprinkle of sea salt (optional), and repeat until all truffles are coated.
  • Place back in freezer or fridge to set – about 30 minutes. Set out from the the freezer or fridge to serve. For softer truffles, let come to room temperature.
  • Store in a freezer-safe container in the fridge or freezer to keep fresh. Makes about 20 truffles as original recipe is written.

Video

Notes

*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
*Date caramel inspiration from SideSaddle Kitchen (<- love that lady)
*1 ½ cups packed, pitted dates yields ~1 pound.

Nutrition (1 of 20 servings)

Serving: 1 truffle Calories: 156 Carbohydrates: 25 g Protein: 2.1 g Fat: 6.1 g Saturated Fat: 3.3 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 98 mg Fiber: 2.9 g Sugar: 20.5 g

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  1. Bunny says

    Unfortunately, I think this is the last time I use your website. There are way way too many ads. They cover up the content and make scrolling for the recipe difficult. I did like finding recipes in your site, but the ads are now out of control. Disappointing.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thank you for your honest feedback and sorry for any inconvenience. We always try to optimize for user experience, while also having ads to keep the content free and high quality.

  2. Linda says

    I made this, and once the dates formed the ball, mine did not get “creamy” or like a soft Carmel like in your video. I’m afraid the inside might seem a bit gritty. On my first try I soaked the dates and once in the food processor it never formed a ball. Added a little bit of water and then I think it got very smooth but was afraid it was too gooey and might not freeze. The gooey was definitely more like Carmel. Once you formed the ball did the salt help to break it down more and become gooey? Tia!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Linda, adding water was the right move! It sounds like it could have been a bit too much though? It should still be fine to freeze. The salt doesn’t change the texture.

  3. Samantha says

    Amazing!!! These literally taste like a snickers! We ate them with peanuts… next time I’ll try crunchy peanut butter.

  4. Patricia says

    Another amazing recipe from MB. Super easy, super delicious and perfect for an after dinner healthy-ish treat. Had some non vegan friends over for dinner last night and they loved them more than the non vegan dessert offerings. A real hit, thanks!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Aw, yay! We’re so glad these truffles were a hit. Thank you for your kind words and lovely review, Patricia! xo

  5. Steven Dorsey says

    I made the recipe above and my wife LOVED it! I’m going to share the recipe (with credit to you!) with my daughter who also loves these kinds of healthy treats.

  6. Whitney says

    These are (dare I say) too delicious. I made them last night and they are almost gone. They are indescribably delicious and a danger to my waistline!! I made them as written in the recipe and just woah. I want to make them again but I know I’ll just keep eating them. Eater beware!

  7. Nicole says

    SO good! I had some leftover date caramel from the dulce de leche popsicles (also amazing) so I made a few of these and wish I had more.

  8. Hope says

    I just made these, and they turned out pretty good. The caramel was gooey. I soaked the dates and probably should have squeezed them out more before processing. I added another 1/4 tsp of salt because instead of peanut butter, I used walnuts (to make walnut pixies). Next time I would use more nuts, and I would use a darker chocolate (all I had was semisweet which I “darkened” with cocoa powder). Definitely a good first attempt. Thanks!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks for sharing your experience, Hope! It does sound like the dates were just a little too watery. Squeezing them out should help!

  9. Aja Pedersen says

    They were pitted individually by me. I soaked half of them but half of them felt like caramel inside so I assumed they were ok. I do not have a Cuisinart, though I may have to invest in one this time! Thanks for the insight!

  10. Aja Pedersen says

    I was so looking forward to these as I am looking for a tasty after dinner treat, and I started to blend my dates and BROKE MY FOOD PROCESSOR!! It snapped the drive shaft inside the blades. I am so sad…
    Did no one else have this issue? I made sure the dates were fresh and even put about half of them in warm water. I am worried to try this again with a new food processor.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Were they pitted? Your dates must have been too dry still? What kind of food processor do you have? We recommend cuisinart.

  11. Kira says

    This recipe turned out delicious! My family loved them, I just added some walnuts to chocolate for more texture.

  12. Breanna says

    OMG! This is extremely delicious! I followed the recipe to a T! Remember when you are salting the dates that you also have salted peanut butter so dont overdue it. But my goodness; this is definitely very easy to make and completely worth the time. I dont have a food processor and was still able to get the dates smooth enough for the recipe. I could see adding nuts to it for an extra crunch or crushing them into the chocolate.

      • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

        We find that medjool tend to be the most fresh and sticky. We don’t think these would work as well with other dates, but might be worth a try if that’s all you have access to!

  13. Kelsey Song says

    LOVE these! I’ve made them twice, and they are the perfect, chewy, gooey sweet snack. Honestly they taste much less healthy than they are. Thanks for the delicious recipe!

  14. Kelsey says

    I made my date mixture a bit too soft, so it didn’t set hard enough in the freezer. I left the coconut oil out of the chocolate coating, which worked nicely to give it a bit of a harder snap shell, but I made the mistake of drizzling it over the top of dollops of date filling, so there was no chocolate underneath the base of the dollop that sat on the tray, making them a bit awkward to handle when you try to pick up them up.
    The flavour combos are still really delicious though, so next time I might just try to make them with a silicone ice cube tray mold – so I can pop a bit of chocolate in, then date filling, then chocolate on top of that so it’s a bit neater and can just pop them out when the chocolate is set. :)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      So glad you enjoyed them, Kelsey! If the dates are super sticky/moist, that could contribute it to being a bit soft. Hope that helps!

  15. Felipe says

    I just made these, my caramel didn’t get frozen, was all sticky to was hard to cover with the chocolate without making a mess lol but it tastes awesome! I skipped the salt, added pistachio butter instead of peanut butter, and 100% cacao chocolate to cover..
    Thanks for the recipe!

  16. Natalie says

    Oh MY Good God. These are LUSH. Just finished making a batch and don’t want to share with anyone, hiding them in the freezer :)

    I used crunchy peanut butter.

    I shall experiment with almond butter for the next batch…

  17. Laura says

    They look absolutely stunning.
    What would you say how long do they keep firm after out of the freezer?
    I would like to make them for an event and scared they might get runny?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Laura! They will hold their form for an hour or so, but I would keep them in the freezer up until as close as you can until serving. Hope this helps!

  18. Yasmine says

    AMAZING! You really don’t need sugar anymore if you got these healthy alternative – it’s amazing. I recommend to make the peanut butter yourself too-super easy.
    Must do!

  19. Kaitlyn says

    So delicious! The best dessert I’ve made in a while and love all the wholesome ingredients! Now to try them out on my non-vegan friends?

  20. Stefanie says

    So sooo good!! I used PB2 instead of peanut butter to lower the calorie and they are still amazing !!! So good everyone loves them!!!

  21. Cassi says

    These look amazing, cannot wait to try! What brand of peanut butter do you use for this recipe? I can never find one that is good to pour or drizzle?! Thank you:)

  22. Antonela Frasheri says

    SO EASY TO MAKE and super super delicious. I wonder if they would be just as good if I skip the dates?

  23. Jo says

    Awesome idea! Last time I made them my date base part didn’t look nearly as smooth- did you warm yours up at all or do I just need to blend the heck out of it?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Jo! How fresh were your dates? We’ve found that if using dried dates, it won’t blend into a creamy paste nearly as well. I’d recommend fresh dates if you are able to get some!

  24. Maayan says

    I made this today.
    There was nothing left after few minutes.
    My family wouldn’t even let the chocolate shell enough time to harden up.
    This caramel is to die for. Higly recommended.
    Thank you so much for the amazing, beautiful blog!

  25. Michelle says

    Super easy and really delicious! I was doubtful about whether I’d like dates, but I totally do! I’m a convert. The little bit of salt on top really makes them decadent :)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Lenora! If you are talking about using vegan chocolate chips as a substitute for the dark chocolate, that should work just make sure to follow step 8 and watch it closely.

  26. Rebecca says

    These are delicious! Very simple to make and only a handful of ingredients. I “have” to eat dates everyday as I am pregnant and have been struggling to eat them, not anymore! Also my husband loves them and he usually hates dates. Thank you.

  27. Katy says

    Slightly off topic however i am absolutely heartbroken! A ew weeks ago you had a recipe for raw millionaire bites fish? Ya know melted chocolate, date caramel and oat/nougat base thingy? However i went to look yesterday and it had been removed? Is it under a different name? Please help – I need them back in my life!!!

  28. The Taylors says

    We love these sea-salted caramel truffles and have included them in our roundup of 9 Ideas for a Sea-Inspired Valentine’s Day! Thanks for such an indulgent yet good-for-you recipe.

  29. Carley says

    I made these on the weekend and WOW!!! What a treat! I added some caramel extract to the dates and dipped in dark Belgian chocolate! Yum!! Thank you for sharing this recipe.

  30. chloeloverchatterbox says

    Thanks so much Dana! These look divine with capital D! You always have me drooling at the mouth with your AMAZING and DELICIOUS recipes! I am dairy free and have spent ages looking for vegan ice creams that actually WORK, and alternative ways of producing caramel that taste like the real thing!

  31. tia says

    My friend made these and brought them to a potluck. She sent me here for the recipe. I just made my first batch this week and WHOA! Is it possible they are even better the second time? So yummy, so easy, and so much healthier than other sweets! AND my husband is obsessed. I literally have to hide them from him so he won’t eat them all. :D I have now saved multiple other recipes from your blog and am excited to try them soon. Love what you are doing here!

  32. Peter says

    These were outstanding!!! Yes…you do need to be careful not to add too much water to the batter as it makes it very difficult to chill and then dip in the chocolate…

  33. Peter says

    These were outstanding!!! Yes…you do need to be careful not to add to much water to the batter as it makes it very difficult to chill and then dip in the chocolate…

  34. kay obrien says

    Please help. I noticed that another of your recipes for just caramel calls for pitted dates. Can I use just pitted dates instead of the Medjool dates in the recipe? Thanks, I love your recipes, which I primarily fix for my vegan daughter and her husband.

    • Jennifer says

      Hey! I Just finished a batch of these with almond butter instead (since I’m allergic to peanuts) and hoooly moly they are absolutely incredible.

  35. Nicole says

    You mentioned these are caramel but I don’t see caramel anywhere in the recipe other than in the title??

  36. Shan Bush says

    Sweet mother of all that is pure and holy! These are fantastic! This is what I live for….to make and eat tiny drops of heaven on earth. And share it, but also hoard most of it for myself. Long live vegan caramel!

  37. Coulinjo says

    This is such an awesome-looking recipe but I’m sad to say that I ate a peanut butter sandwich sprinkled with sea salt, then 8 super-fresh dates…whilst re reading the recipe. Now I not only have to buy chocolate, but more dates too!!

  38. Audrey says

    I made these truffles for a nonprofit gala and people seriously lost their shit over them. Close to a dozen strangers asked around until they found out who made them and came to tell me how delicious they were.