Easy Caramel Apples {Vegan & Oil-Free}

4.84 from 6 votes

With only a few simple ingredients, you can have deliciously healthy, Vegan Caramel Apples in a matter of minutes!

Prep Time20

Total Time20

Course: Desserts

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Low Calorie, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 363kcal

Wash and thoroughly dry the apples you plan to use, then poke a popsicle stick or skewer that has been trimmed into the center of each one.
Line a baking sheet with wax paper and set the apples with sticks on it while you make the caramel sauce.
Remove the pits from each of the dates. Then, add the dates, vanilla, sea salt, and plant milk to your high-power blender. My personal favorite and the only brand I use is Vitamix because it can blend anything I throw in it to perfection.
Blend the ingredients until nice and smooth. Add more plant milk 1-2 tablespoons at a time if needed to help the blending process.
Use a spoon or spatula to smear the caramel onto each apple. I also like to roll them in crushed nuts such as walnuts, peanuts, pecans, or cashews, but that is completely optional. To really kick it up a notch, sprinkle each one with a few dairy-free chocolate chips.

Pro Tips & Suggestion:

Apples- Traditionally, many recipes call for using tart apples such as Granny Smith's for making caramel apples because the tartness helps to balance out the sweet caramel flavor. However, in my opinion, any apple that is firm and has a sweet or tart taste will work just fine. My favorites are Gala, Pink Lady, Granny Smith, and Red Delicious.
Temperature- I found that room-temperature apples work best. Mine had been stored in the refrigerator, and when I brought them out, they began to sweat. You’ll want completely dry apples, so make sure they are at room temperature.
Sticks- Popsicle sticks are probably the most commonly used, but I happened to have some wooden veggie skewers on hand and trimmed them down to size using my garden clippers. It worked out perfectly because the skewers had a pointed end that went right into the apples easily.
Date Texture- If you are using fresh dates that are nice and soft, they should blend up pretty easily. However, if your dates are a bit dry, try soaking them in warm water for about 20 minutes to soften them up a little before using them. It will make the blending process much smoother.
Storing- A shallow bowl lined with wax paper or paper muffin cups and then covered with a sheet of plastic food wrap works well for storage. Place them in the refrigerator, and they keep for about a week.