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Caramel apples are a fall staple. Growing up, the sugar- and nut-coated fruit on a stick was simply synonymous with back-to-school season’s dropping temps and sweater weather. But if you’re living that dairy-free or vegan life, it’s nearly impossible to find any version—let alone a healthy one—of the nostalgic treat that you can savor. Luckily with the help of two simple ingredients, you might be able to enjoy the sweet treat again, just like old times.
Traditional caramel sauce gets its extreme stickiness and ooey-gooey texture from ingredients like heavy cream (ahem, dairy), a whole lot of sugar, corn syrup, and butter—AKA not the best combo for your gut or overall well-being. But, you really don’t need a complicated recipe to create a caramel-esque sauce anyway: Caitlin Shoemaker of From My Bowl created an option that’s basically begging for you to dip your Granny Smith slices into it. The best part? The only ingredients you need are nut butter and maple syrup.
The only ingredients you need for vegan caramel sauce are nut butter and maple syrup.
To create the sauce, just pour a Tbsp of pure maple syrup, which offers immune-boosting properties thanks to its high amount of antioxidants and zinc, into a bowl. Then, add in 1 to 2 Tbsps of no-sugar-added natural nut butter and “mix everything together until it forms a nice silky caramel,” Shoemaker says in her video. After your sauce is done, you’re ready to cut up your favorite apple variety and get to dippin’. It’s as easy as that.
With this mix, you can enjoy a naturally sweet version of a childhood favorite that’s totally free of butter, creams, and all those other unnecessary ingredients you probably don’t want to put in your body. Just be warned: It’s super-addicting and might just become a go-to snack year-round.
Check out the simple snack recipe—from start to finish—in the video below.
Here are six other snacks inspired by your favorite not-so-healthy foods. Or, try some Whole30-friendly options that will save you from hanger.
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