Sweetpotato Date Caramel Apples

Caramel apples are one of those quintessential treats that immediately gives me all the fall feels. Eating one of them outside in a cozy flannel surrounded by colorful leaves? I’m pretty much the happiest version of myself! And while there’s nothing wrong with enjoying the classic version (typically made with corn syrup and butter) – I wanted to create an option made with more nutritious ingredients for regular snacking. The result? These sweetpotato date caramel apples!

Combining cooked sweetpotato with medjool dates creates a caramel-like coating that has a more subtle sweetness – along with more fiber and micronutrients, and no added sugar. Keep in mind that because this is a different type of caramel, you’ll spread it onto the apples (rather than dip) and it will have a slightly different taste and texture. But I promise you that you’re going to love this dietitian-developed dessert!

Disclosure: This recipe was developed in a paid partnership with the North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Fall on a stick!
• Just 7 ingredients
• Each caramel apple has 8.5 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein for a satisfying snack
• Easy to customize with your favorite toppings
• No added sugar; all the sweetness comes naturally from the dates and sweetpotato (in the base recipe – if you dip in sprinkles instead of peanuts, those would have added sugar)
• No need for a candy thermometer or worrying about anything setting correctly
• Fun for kids and adults
• Good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, magnesium, and potassium

Ingredients

Here’s a photo of all the ingredients you’ll need, along with selected ingredient notes:

• Sweetpotato – Cooked sweetpotato helps form the base of the caramel, offering creaminess and subtle sweetness – along with fiber, vitamins, and phytochemicals.

• Dates – You’ll want fresh medjool dates for this recipe; I recommend buying the pitted versions to save time.

• Apples – While any will work, look for apples that are crisp and slightly tart for best results. Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, and Cosmic Crisp are some of my favorites. Because this caramel has a more subtle sweetness, sweeter crisp apples will work with this recipe too. Gala apples are a good inexpensive option for that.

• Almond butter and coconut oil – These add richness and mouthfeel to the caramel. For the almond butter, you can sub in another nut butter if that’s what you have on hand, just note that it might change final flavor.

Instructions

You’ll find the full recipe amounts and instructions in the recipe card below, but here’s a helpful overview with photos and tips.

Get the apples ready first. Heat a large pot of boiling water, then dunk the apples for just a couple seconds to remove any waxy coating. Wipe ‘em off with a paper towel after dunking. Put them on a plate and poke with a wooden candy apple stick. Set those aside for now. (Note: I have admittedly skipped this step with good results most of the time, but taking the time to do it does help the caramel coating cling better to the apples – so I recommend it.)

Next, cook the sweetpotato. Microwaving or baking a whole sweetpotato is best for achieving the right texture in the final spread. (Leftover baked sweetpotatoes work great for this!). Avoid boiling it, as it can retain too much water and make the caramel too loose at the end.

To microwave the sweetpotato, place on a plate, poke a few holes with a fork, cover with a damp paper towel, and microwave 5-6 minutes or until it’s tender. Let it sit on the plate until it’s cool enough to handle, then measure out ½ cup of flesh (should be about one medium sweetpotato – it’s OK if it’s slightly different; this recipe is flexible with amounts).

Meanwhile, place the dates in a small pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil, then immediately remove from heat. Let them sit for 10 minutes, which will help soften them and make them easy to blend.

Drain the dates well, then add the dates to a mini food processor bowl (or blender). Add the ½ cup of sweetpotato, coconut oil, almond butter, and salt. Process until smooth. You might need to scrape down the sides a few times depending on the strength of your processor/blender. When it’s ready, it’ll look nice and creamy, like this:

Chill that for 5-10 minutes in the fridge.

Next, use a knife to spread the caramel mixture around the bottom two-thirds of the apple in a thin layer. Dipping won’t work with this due to the thickness; you have to spread it on with a knife. Repeat with all the apples and place them on a parchment-lined plate. Place those in the fridge for 5 minutes. This will help the mixture set just a bit before rolling in the toppings – if you roll without chilling, the toppings can sometimes drag down the caramel.

Now roll the apples in the chopped peanuts (or whatever topping you want to use, like sprinkles or coconut). Return to the fridge to chill for 30 minutes, which will help everything set properly. The sweetpotato date caramel will still be slightly tacky on the apples, but everything should be firmly stuck to the apple and hold well when eating off the stick.

Enjoy!! Leftover apples should be kept in the fridge for up to 4 days. (Do not store at room temperature due to the cooked sweetpotato in the mixture.)

Recipe Tips and Modifications

Here are some helpful tips as you’re preparing this recipe:

Toppings: I like using chopped peanuts; I’m a firm believer that is the best caramel apple combo! But you can also roll in shredded coconut, sprinkles, other chopped nuts, crushed cereal, or whatever your heart desires.

Use as a dip with apples: Instead of spreading the caramel on the apples, you can alternatively slice apples and scoop this out as a dip instead. This is a great option if you’re making a fall charcuterie board with sliced apples.

Why isn’t my caramel as smooth as regular caramel? This is because it’s not a candy caramel. Blending sweetpotatoes and dates together creates a thicker, spreadable coating – rather than a candy coating that’s dependent on sugar structure.

Other uses for sweetpotato date caramel: If you love this recipe, you can try using it in other recipes too. Consider spreading it on toast and topping with berries, spreading it on a waffle, dolloping it on a baked pear, mix it in oatmeal, or put it over ice cream.

More Sweetpotato Desserts

If you’re looking for more healthy dessert recipes that feature sweetpotatoes, be sure to give one of these a try:

• Sweetpotato ice cream cone cupcakes
• Peanut butter sweetpotato Greek yogurt bark
• Blueberry sweetpotato crisp
• High protein sweetpotato whoopie pies
• Strawberry shortcake with sweetpotato biscuits

I hope you enjoy these caramel apples! If you get a chance to try them, feel free to leave a recipe rating or comment below.