Like a sticky-sweet caramel apple.
In liquid form.
Caramel Apples
This recipe reminds me of those gorgeous caramel apples on display at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. Until I got my braces, I looked forward to caramel apples every autumn. (After the braces went on, I was probably more upset about not being allowed caramel than gum.)
Ever since I made the (No Sugar!) Cookie Dough Dip, I’d been curious to experiment more with blending dates as a substitute for sugar. I’ve heard people say they think dates have a caramel-like taste, and therefore I figured an apple recipe would be the perfect place to start.
This caramel-apple milkshake manages to capture all the deliciousness of a crisp, juicy apple, dripping with thick caramel sauce.
Caramel Apple Milkshake
(sugar and gluten-free)
- scant 1/2 cup applesauce
- 1/4 cup pitted dates (such as Sunmaid)
- scant 1/16 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup milk of choice
- 3 tbsp nondairy creamer (I used Silk. You can substitute milk of choice, for a caramel-apple smoothie as opposed to the richer taste of a shake. Or you can sub full-fat canned coconut milk.)
In a little dish, pour a little water over the dates and let them sit for at least two hours. Then blend all other ingredients with the dates and 1 tbsp of the water. (Drain the rest of the water before blending.) Alternatively, you can blend the dates a little before adding the other ingredients. The shake will get thicker as it sits.
Generously topped with Healthy Whipped Cream.
The cream melts into the shake, making it even more rich and delicious. I also drizzled on some brown rice syrup, more for presentation than anything else!
Question of the Day:
Did you ever have braces?
Initially, I was really excited to get my braces on. I even worried I might not need them, because my teeth were always pretty straight. But once the novelty of having braces wore off, I wished I hadn’t needed them. Every orthodontist appointment, I hoped to hear that the darn things were coming off soon!
Yummy link of the day: Healthy Milkshake Recipes.
Let me get this straight you made a MILKASHAKE, thats SUGAR FREE and APPLE flavor!!! That sounds like it could be come very addicting for me. Oh well ill just have to risk it 🙂
Oh yes, I had braces…twice. Suffice it to say that I counted down the days until I got them off!
Yum, I can’t wait to try this recipe Katie! I LOVE caramel covered apples and would yearn for them when I had braces! I had them twice, for a total of five years. Lucky me. The first time was during middle school and my second time was a five years ago, after college. I think all the extra dental care involved with having braces was completely worthwhile. I like being able to smile and feel good about it. It’s amazing the difference that smiling to other people can make! Apart from missing out on certain foods, braces didn’t bother me very much. They made me look young though, and my voice is also youthful sounding, making me seem like a teenager when I was in my twenties. I didn’t like it at the time, but now I don’t mind. Thanks for the recipe :o)
When I was little, I wanted braces sooo badly! I thought they looked so “cool” with all the fun colors. Yeah…well…had them for two years. I didn’t look bad at them. but they hurt! First night I had them on, they hurt so incredibly badly (think I had reaction to metal?) that I had to go to the emergency room for medication. I was sick for two days after that. ugh….
Looks amazing! You always have great recipes Katie! I once had braces… got them off… and now my front teeth are crooked again. Oh botha.
My favorite candies in the world as a kid were actually those caramel covered green apple lollipops…i haven’t had one since I got braces ten years ago.
That looks delicious! I would love an apple in shake form!
I never had braces, but I probably should of! Now I am 28 and broke and there is never really going to be the right time for me to get my teeth sorted out. Bugger. Oh, and thanks for a lovely new recipe. This excites me very much!
I had braces in high school, for about a year and a half. I didn’t like having braces but it was totally worth it–it helped me gain a lot of confidence in my smile : )
Oh man, this shake looks good!
I plan on making your cookie dough OR pb&chocolate no bake cookies very soon and i was wondering if it is ok if, when i make them, i post it on my blog and link back to your blog. So, is that ok with you?
Ps. I’ve been a long time fan of your blog ,keep up the awesome work!
Aww thanks! I’d be honored to be mentioned on your blog :). I do ask that you please don’t post the actual recipe, though, but post a link to it instead. I have big plans for my recipes in the future, so I need to keep them on my site. But I would love to read your post!
I won’t 🙂 and I’ll let you know when i review on my bloggie 🙂