These vegan chocolate caramel cups call for just 2 simple ingredients: chocolate and dates!

A stack of chocolate cups with caramel inside them.

Looking for a super simple dessert you can make with just 2 ingredients? You’ll love these chocolate caramel cups! This recipe is easy to make and always a hit.

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Why You’ll Love this Recipe
Ingredients
Step by Step Instructions
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2-Ingredient Chocolate Caramel Cups

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

  • All you need is a few minutes and 2 simple ingredients.
  • Vegan, gluten-free, nut-free.
  • Perfect for a healthier, homemade dessert.
  • Delicious flavour kids and adults will love.

Ingredients

Chocolate, dates, vanilla and sea salt in small bowls on a counter.

A complete list of ingredients with amounts and full instructions is located in the printable recipe card below. This section covers ingredient and substitution considerations.

  • Dates: Any variety of dates work but medjool or sayer are my favourite for this recipe.
  • Chocolate: Any dairy-free chocolate chips or dark chocolate works. Alternatively, you can make your own chocolate using this peanut butter cup recipe.
  • Optional Ingredients: To enhance the chocolate and caramel flavours, you can add a pinch of sea salt and vanilla.

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1. Soak the dates in a bowl of hot water for 15 minutes then drain well. It’s ok if they’re wet just be sure to drain off any excess water.

Dates soaking in a bowl of water.

Step 2. Add the dates to a food processor and blend into a paste. Add the sea salt and vanilla as well, if you’re using.

You may need to stop a few times and scrape down the sides as you go.

Blended date paste in a food processor.

Step 3. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave. If you’re using the microwave, check and stir it every 15 seconds to be careful not to burn it.

Melted chocolate and date paste in small bowls.

Step 4. Make the cups!

Prepare 12 muffin liners or silicone baking cups on a tray or plate that will fit in the freezer.

Start by adding a bit of chocolate to the bottom of each cup. Freeze these until hardened. This should take about 10 minutes.

Melted chocolate in the bottom of 12 muffin liners.

Divide the date paste between the cups, using the back of a spoon or your fingers to spread it out.

Date paste in 6 muffin liners on a plate.

Finally, top the cups off with the remaining melted chocolate. Place the tray back in the freezer until the cups are frozen solid.

Melted chocolate in muffin liners for making chocolate cups.

Tips and Suggestions

  • It’s helpful to use wet fingers to help spread the date pate around the cups.
  • Finished cups can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or frozen for up to 2 months.
  • If you don’t have dairy-free chocolate chips or dark chocolate on hand, use the chocolate recipe from these peanut butter cups.
  • These can be made sugar-free by using sugar-free chocolate such as Lily’s.
A chocolate caramel cup that's been cut in half to show the inside.

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A stack of chocolate cups with caramel inside them.

2-Ingredient Chocolate Caramel Cups

★★★★★ 5 from 3 reviews
  • Author: Deryn Macey
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Total Time: 10 mins
  • Yield: 12
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: No-Bake
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

These decadent chocolate cups call for just 2 simple ingredients: chocolate chips and dates! Try them for a quick and delicious dessert or sweet treat anytime of day,

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cup packed pitted medjool dates
  • 1 1/4 cups dairy-free chocolate chips
  • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract, optional
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt, optional

Instructions

  1. Soak the dates in hot water for 15 minutes then drain well. It’s ok if they’re wet, just be sure to drain off any excess water. Press them down as you drain them to get remove excess water.
  2. Add the drained dates to a food processor and blend into a smooth creamy paste. Add the vanilla and sea salt, if using.
  3. Melt the chocolate chips in a double-broiler, or in the microwave in stirring every 15 seconds until smooth and creamy.
  4. Divide small spoonfuls of chocolate between 12 large or 24 mini cupcake liners, spreading it around to cover the bottoms.
  5. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes or until hardened.
  6. Once hardened, divide the date paste by spoonfuls between the 12 (or 24) cups. It helps to use wet fingers to smooth the paste out in each cup.
  7. Top each cup with the rest of the melted chocolate, spreading it around with a spoon to cover up the date paste.
  8. Pop the cups back in the freezer for 10-15 minutes or so until the chocolate has completely hardened.

Notes

I used Enjoy Life brand dairy-free chocolate chips to make these. Alternatively, you can chop up a good quality dark chocolate bar and melt that down. I found the chocolate chips to be a little on the sweet side so these might work better with some good quality dark chocolate.

Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or freezer for up to 2 months.

If you don’t have dairy-free chocolate chips or dark chocolate on hand, you can use the chocolate recipe from these peanut butter cups from maple syrup, coconut oil and cocoa powder.

Keywords: chocolate caramel cups, healthy chocolate cups recipe

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @runningonrealfood on Instagram and don’t forget to leave your review below.

UPDATE NOTE: This recipe was originally published on August 9, 2015.