Hola, bom dia, ...and howdy :) I wanted to share another pantry staple in many cuisines around the world and a personal childhood favorite -- dulce de leche. Except, my version is, per usual, a little unconventional (but hey, what did you expect?! ;) )...
If you've seen my condensed milk recipe from the other day, you'll know that dulce de leche is one of the few "homemade desserts" I grew up with -- mom's specialty (aka put a can of condensed milk in hot water and let it cook up until it turns into caramel)(aka baking & dessert-making were not her forte...)(aka still always loved her dulce de leche!).
To this day, it's something I absolutely adore. And it's one of those things I always crave when I walk by the ice cream or jam section at the store. I don't know why I sometimes even pick up the jar and look at the ingredients, as though expecting to find something in there other than milk and sugar... (can't tell you how many times I've done that! It feels like there's really no room for disappointment... but it's still always a tad sad returning that jar to the shelf...).
I used to make my own from coconut milk & sucanat, but lately I just haven't been feeling like stirring a pot... So it's been a long time since this sweet caramely concoction and I had a date. Recently I've been inspired to make a few desserts involving it, and wanted to figure out a better and quicker way to make it: enter this raw, dairy-free & refined sugar-free dulce de leche. BIG WIN. The word addictive doesn't even cut it!
Maybe irresistible describes it best... What's better than creamy, spreadable, soft, and gooey caramel...? Just a few simple ingredients and a blender, and you'll have yourself a jiffy, spiffy caramel spread in no time. And I love this version about a billion times better than my older recipe.
Don't know what to do with dulce de leche? (Really?) How about eat it with a spoon (bad idea -- hide all spoons. It's dangerous!). Spreading it on toast might be a better way to go (portion control... ;) ). Drizzle it over your nice cream (the best!). Add it to your coffee and smoothies. Make a billion and one desserts with it (coming soon...). Or maybe eat it with a spoon... it's not a bad option after all -- I grew up doing it and I'm doing just fine, ya know ;) . Warning though -- this stuff is super sweet!
But seriously, stock up on the ingredients, and maybe even get a head start on it because... then you'll be able to make things like this with it...
Did I convince you? I'll try to share the recipe for these alfajores soon, but no harm in making a few trial run batches in the meantime, right?... You know, just to get familiar with the recipe... ;) UPDATE: alfajores recipe can be found here.
One thing to know about this recipe is that it keeps "condensing" / "cooking" itself... Yep, that's what I said. Weird, huh? What I mean by that is that it alters (ages?) for the better. When you first make it, it's very creamy and lighter-colored. As it sits and settles it begins to slightly change and darken into a somehow smoother and more condensed-looking and tasting dulce de leche. The photo above is from when I first made it. The photo of the alfajores is from day three -- see how it darkened and thickened? It's the perfect consistency at that point for fillings. So the lesson is -- this is a good sauce to make in advance for recipes like that because it only gets better as it "ages"... Store at room temp by the way. And if you want it to be a bit firmer, refrigerate.
PrintDulce de Leche
A creamy, spreadable raw dulce de leche recipe that can be used anywhere you need gooey vegan caramel. Refined sugar-free.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: just over 3 cups
- Category: Sauces
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients
- 1½ cups medjool dates, pitted (regular dates work fine too if using a power blender, otherwise pre-soak first)
- 1¼ cups agave (or liquid sweetener of your choice, like maple syrup, coconut nectar, etc.)
- ¼ cup coconut butter (also known as coconut manna)
- ¼ cup cashew butter
- ½ tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ cup warm water
- 2 tbsp carob powder
- 1 tsp unsulphured blackstrap molasses
- ¼ tsp salt (or more if you like salted caramel)
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients together for a few minutes until smooth. Thin out with a bit of water if using as a drizzle. Enjoy!
Notes
Store at room temperature for a few days, or in the fridge for several weeks. If storing in the fridge the mixture will solidify a bit and will need to be re-warmed / brought back to room temp before use.
Sabrina says
Hi Audrey,
Could I replace the coconut butter for more cashew butter?
Audrey says
Hi Sabrina, yes you can. It'll change the flavor and consistency a little, but should still be pretty tasty.
Pamela says
Thank you for this wonderful recipe. I made a slightly altered version yesterday and it's delicious. Going to use it in a vegan banoffee pie. I didn't have carob/molasses so created the caramel flavour by using a sugar syrup made with very dark demerara sugar. My recipe...
1 1/2 CUPS DATE FLESH (SOAKED IN WATER OVERNIGHT)
1/2 CUP CASHEWS (SOAKED IN WATER OVERNIGHT)
1/4 CUP COCONUT BUTTER
1/4 CUP COCONUT OIL
1 1/4 CUPS VERY DARK DEMERARA SUGAR
1/4 CUP WATER
VANILLA
SALT TO TASTE
MORE WATER AS REQUIRED
PUT SUGAR AND 1/4 CUP WATER IN A PAN AND HEAT UNTIL SUGAR DISSOLVES
PUT EVERYTHING IN THE BLENDER AND ADD 1/2 CUP WARM WATER
BLEND TO THE CONSISTENCY OF DULCE DE LECHE...ADDING MORE WATER AS NECESSARY
Think I might add a dash of rum next time ;-)
Audrey says
That sounds wonderful, Pamela -- touch of rum included ;) . Thanks so much for sharing. I'm glad this recipe inspired you to make something delish!
Maria says
Hi Audrey!
That looks amazing. I really wanna try it.
I could only find blackstrap molasses in the supermarket but it isn’t unsulphured. Can I use it anyway?
Thank you!
Audrey says
Hi Maria, yes you can use regular molasses for sure. Some people (myself included) are a bit sensitive to sulphured foods, hence why I prefer unsulphured molasses. But either kind would work well here.
Audrey Howell says
Can it ne used to make banofee pie?
Audrey says
Hi Audrey, yes, for sure. For a firmer consistency, you can add a a bit of de-scented coconut oil (like 2 tbsp) and refrigerate before serving.
HAlise says
Can cacao be substituted for the carob powder?
Audrey says
Hi Halise. Functionally yes, but you'll miss out on some of the "caramel" flavor which is added here with the carob. The cacao powder will add color and a bit of depth, but I recommend using carob for best flavor.
Hang says
Hey Audrey! I cannot eat dates or any other dry fruit.. Was wondering if I could use something else- for example rice syrup and coconut oil?
Audrey says
Hi Hang, you might find the older dulce de leche recipe on the blog a better fit then, since the dates are pretty central to the texture in this non-cooking recipe.
Janet says
How long can this last unrefrigerated? If I wanted to mail them as gifts? Excited to try it! Thank you!
Audrey says
Hi Janet, I've only tried storing it at room temperature for a few days with no spoilage. I suspect it might last a week or so (possibly longer, but I haven't tried). Refrigerated it will last for weeks.
Julieta Arias says
I need to try this ASAP. I'm Argentinean and love dulce de leche and been trying to find a non diary version for a long time. Do you think it will work with date syrup?
Audrey says
Hi Julieta. I think it will definitely work. Each liquid sweetener will of course add its own flavor, and produce a color and slight taste and sweetness level variation, so it's just something to keep in mind. I used agave (even though it's not my favorite sweetener overall) here because I found it came closest to a dulce de leche in flavor. Maple syrup would be my second choice. But date syrup or coconut syrup, etc. should work great too.
Alexandra says
Hello!!! Would this dulce de leche work well inside hot churros like Brazilian style or do you think it will become too watery?
Thanks !!
Audrey says
Hi Alexandra -- it should work well. I don't think it'll turn watery. If you give it a try, would love to hear how you go.
Carolina Pafundi says
Estou realente encantada com essa receita, farei hoje mesmo😊
Será possível usar como recheio de bolo?
Audrey says
Hi Carolina -- yes, it works as a lovely cake filling :) Enjoy!
Azita says
Hello, Audrey! I wanted to let you know that I had made your sheet cake for my 7 year old's birthday and it was beyond a hit. So grateful for your understanding of food and how to make lovely recipes. I was wondering - could I use this dulce de leche sauce to make candied apples? Will it work?
Audrey says
Hi Azita. Thanks so much for your kind comment. I'm so happy the cake worked well for your little one :)
This recipe would make a good dip for apples, but it won't make a good solid coating as it's a softer caramel. What you could try instead is making a more true caramel mixture -- something like the caramelized sugar part of this recipe: https://www.unconventionalbaker.com/coconut-sugar-peanut-brittle/ or this one: https://www.unconventionalbaker.com/candied-maple-pecans-refined-sugar-free-recipe/ (without the nuts of course). So you can make the caramel and then quickly dip the apples in it and let them set. Just a note you have to work with that type of caramel fairly quickly as otherwise it will harden in the pot...
HannaH says
This looks like a killer recipe!! Must taste great... given that it is sugar-free, I'm ready to roll up my sleeves and entre the kitchen!! lol
Thanks
Audrey says
Enjoy it, Hanna :)
Maja says
What would be best to sub the cashew butter with to make it nut free?
Audrey says
Hi Maja -- the closest thing I could think of is sunflower seed butter. It's a good one-to-one substitute, though it will add a new flavor to the mixture since sunflower seed butter has a bit of a stronger taste. Or alternatively you can also try replacing it with more coconut butter (the nut butter adds more creaminess).
Belén says
I think this would be a great christmas gift! A question, where did you know Dulce de Leche? I'm from Chile and Dulce de Leche it's very common here, though here it's more thick than in Argentina and we call it "manjar". And it's basically milk and sugar too. I'm curious hah thank you for this recipe!
Audrey says
Hi Belén. I know, I heard it's very common in Argentina. I grew up eating it. It's pretty much the only "dessert" my mom ever made ? (I talked about it a bit more on the sweetened condensed milk recipe page here). I agree though -- it makes a wonderful gift. Happy holidays!
Phoebe says
I was wondering if this freezes well? I planned to make a half batch, then forgot. Thanks.
Audrey says
Hi Phoebe -- yes, it does actually :) So feel free to freeze. It'll also keep well in the fridge for a few weeks.
Laura Perez says
I'd like to try this in my ice cream....have you tried freezing it? I've made vegan caramel and it's great but wondered how this would work folded into ice cream. Thx!
Audrey says
It's great -- I've made ice cream and frozen cheesecakes with it and it works really well.
Stef says
Super beautiful pictures! One question - is it possible to substitute the molasses by something else? It is not a common product in Europe. Also I understand this is a byproduct from making sugar? Would maybe maple syrup do the job? Thank you!
Audrey says
Hi Stef, the molasses ads a particular flavor. You can definitely substitute it out with another sweetener, but the flavor will change slightly. Although molasses is a byproduct it is incredibly rich in minerals and packs a lot of health benefits with no draw-backs (apart from the un-organic kind that is made with sulphites). You only need a touch of it to add a lot of flavor in a recipe -- sort of a "malty" taste is the best way I can describe it. If you're interested, a few people mentioned where they find molasses in Europe in the comments on this raw tiramisu recipe.
Jodi says
This recipe is truly amazing. My husband is argentinian and it drives me nuts when he gives our 2 year old refined sugars because they are nostalgic for him. Dulce de leche is delicious but the ingredients are not so.....this has the whole family happy! We're putting it in her birthday cake too!
Audrey says
Aw, I'm so happy to hear that, Jodi! Thank you so much for sharing :) Enjoy it!
jill says
would it also work to use cacao rather than carob? or leave out? thanks
Audrey says
Hi Jill, it will work with the cacao, but carob gives it a more caramel-like flavor. Aside from that slight taste difference, it will still work and I would add the cacao rather than just leave the carob out altogether. It'll be delicious either way.
Kristen @ The Endless Meal says
I can't believe you've made dulce de leche that is actually healthy. You are BRILLIANT!
Audrey says
Thanks Kristen! I was just looking at your cauliflower alfredo recipe -- looks like we're both on the "get the dairy out of the sauce mission" ;) ♥
Steph @ Steph in Thyme says
I never would've thought to make this from scratch. So simple! And I have almost all of the ingredients already. Yum!
Audrey says
Thanks Steph. Sometimes simple is best :)
Kat from curlsnchard.com says
Oh Audrey, this sounds so so tempting. I don't allow myself to go shopping for new grocery items that are more on the pricier side right now, so I (un)fortunately don't have everything for this crazy delicious sounding dulce de leche at home right now...otherwise I know who would take out the blender right now... :D
Audrey says
Hehe -- no worries, Kat. Luckily you've got YEARS ahead to give dulce de leche a go :)
Gin says
I love that this is something you have fond memories of. I agree, hide all the spoons when this stuff's in the kitchen! I'm thinking of making some gingerbread soon, and I think this will be the perfect topping.
Audrey says
Oh, this for a gingerbread topping sounds delicious! Now you got me thinking...
Jenn says
Those cookies look delicious, but I think I will just drizzle this straight into my mouth!!
Audrey says
Bahahaha... Spoon & jar in pj's is another way to enjoy it ;)
Vanessa @VeganFamilyRecipes.com says
Oh yep, you've definitely got me convinced! This dulce de leche looks unreal! I can't believe it's vegan! Side note: The spoons in your pictures are so pretty and rustic looking! Lovely photography :)
Audrey says
Thanks so much, Vanessa! I visit this little thrift store on occasion and they have the best vintage tableware -- these spoons are one of my favorite things to have come from there ♥
Kristina says
BEAUTIFUL photos - this sounds incredible! I'll take a dozen alfajores, please! :)
Audrey says
I'll trade you a dozen alfajores for a snickerdoodle smoothie!
Howie Fox says
Oh dear!! This looks like the best dulce de leche ever :D
Execpt that this version is way more advanced!! Love it
Audrey says
Thanks Howie! Advanced you say? -- I like the way you see things sometimes ;)
Sophia @Veggies Don't Bite says
This looks so darn amazing! I could drink that jar. That's okay right? And your pictures are beautiful as always.
Audrey says
Hehe -- might go better on your pumpkin pie instead ;)
Vicky @ Avocdo Pesto says
I too grew up with my mom plopping a can of condensed milk into a pot to cook into the most awesome caramelly dulce de leche but now that I'm eating dairy free that is no longer an option so i LOVE this recipe and cannot wait to try it! Never had carob powder before so got to find that somewhere!
Audrey says
Awesome, Vicky! Carob powder is usually easy to find in health food shops or the baking section in many grocery stores. I love using it in caramel-flavored desserts, or as a cacao substitute on occasion -- it has a very unique flavor that makes really nice chocolatey / caramely treats. Hope you find some to play around with.
Linda @ Veganosity says
Genius! This looks so decadent, Audrey. And I love your condensed milk recipe. Thanks so much!
Audrey says
Thanks very much, Linda! <3
Brianna @Flippin' Delicious says
This is ingenious! So creative, and many will be able to enjoy their favorites substituting this recipe.
Audrey says
Thanks Brianna -- yes, I hope many can enjoy it. I'm certainly happy to have dulce de leche back on the table :)
The Vegan 8 says
Looks like straight heaven in a jar! So creamy and rich!
I would put this on everything! I love homemade caramels and syrups, they are so much better than storebought AND so easy to make!! I make a coconut butter caramel that literally takes 3 mins and it's so good!
Audrey says
Oh, yes, one can never have too much caramel :P I love homemade caramel sauces a lot too. I usually make a very simplified cashew butter one as well. But this one tastes just like real dulce -- worth the few extra add-ins :)
Maria Koutsogiannis (foodbymaria) says
This looks amazing Audrey! I am going to try my best to round up the ingredients thatI don't have and make it sometime next week! i will definitely tag you in it when I make it my love! yay
Audrey says
Awesome, thanks so much Maria :) Enjoy it!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
O perfect!!! The first vegan one I've seen (that I remember)! Now I'm all set ;)
Audrey says
Thanks Rebecca :) I have an older version too, so def not the first dairy-free version for me, but this one nailed it! <3