15 Vegan Desserts That Prove That Caramel and Apple Belong Together

Fall is here and we’re excited to finally indulge in some of the best desserts of the year! While we’re not discriminatory when it comes to sweets, caramel apples hold a special place in our hearts. They bring us back to childhood days of fall festivals, where we would snack on caramel apples made with just-picked fruit and roasted corn, fresh off the grill. If you’re like us, you’re probably also wondering which brilliant mind first came up with the idea to combine caramel and apples together. The iconic fall treat was invented in the 1950s by Kraft Foods employee Dan Walker. Apparently, Walker had been experimenting with leftover caramel candies from Halloween; he simply melted them down, dipped apples in the mix, and the rest is history.

While classic caramel is made from butter, it’s actually quite easy to make a plant-based caramel you’ll love. You can go the “traditional” route and use sugar and vegan butter or you can make a healthier, whole foods plant-based caramel from dates. Read How to Make Caramel Sauce Without Dairy to learn all the different ways you can make it!

Then get ready, Green Monsters, because we scoured the depths of the Food Monster App to find 15 decadent vegan desserts that show us all the different ways that caramel and apple can be brought together.

1. Apple Date Caramel Bites 

Apple Date Caramel Bites

Looking for a healthier treat? These tasty Apple Date Caramel Bites by Lili Basic Capaccetti are perfect! Red apples are dipped in rich date caramel and then topped with sprinkles or your favorite little candy. It’s such a fun thing to do and it makes you feel like a child, just dipping the apples in that creamy caramel and in different toppings! These little treats would be also a good idea for kids’ birthdays or some other celebration.

2. Apple Galette With Salted Date Caramel Sauce

Apple Galette With Salted Date Caramel Sauce

The best thing about galettes is that they’re like a pie you can eat with your hands. Basically, they’re like a rustic dessert pizza and this Apple Galette With Salted Date Caramel Sauce by Megan Sadd fits the bill. Apples are tossed in cinnamon, maple syrup, and a little bit of orange zest and then folded into a flaky pastry dough before being baked and then drizzled with a thick, creamy salted caramel sauce. Serve with non-dairy vanilla ice cream or a dollop of coconut cream.

3. Skillet Apple Crisp With Date Caramel 

Skillet Apple Crisp

This Skillet Apple Crisp by Gabrielle St. Claire is like something out of a dessert dream. Chopped apples are coated with cinnamon and coconut sugar, topped with oats, flour, and nuts, and baked in the oven until the fruit is tender and the oat crisp is golden brown. But it doesn’t end there. Top your crisp with two big scoops of vanilla ice cream and generously drizzle on date caramel. So, so good.

4. Apple Cinnamon Bread Pudding With Salted Caramel Sauce 

Apple Cinnamon Bread Pudding

Oh my … this Apple Cinnamon Bread Pudding by Jenn Sebestyen is so good! The flavors in this bread pudding work perfectly together: apple, cinnamon, and maple are nestled all warm and cozy together in a perfect individual serving then drizzled with the creamy, sweet, slightly salty caramel sauce. You’ll want to devour this dreamy bread pudding morning, noon, and night. And because it’s loaded with healthy ingredients, you won’t feel guilty if you dig in upon waking (after you’ve had your coffee, of course)!

5. Caramel Apple Streusel Bars

6. Raw Caramel Apple Cheesecake

Raw Caramel Apple Cheesecake

Embrace the fall season with this Raw Caramel Apple Cheesecake by Priscilla Soler! It’s so creamy, with a subtle taste of apples, cinnamon, and that dreamy caramel sauce on top. The base is made from coconut and cashews, the creamy filling is made from cashews and apples, and an easy almond butter-based caramel is swirled on top. This is the perfect cake to bring to a fall party or to make just because.

7. Baked Cheesecake Stuffed Apples 

Baked Cheesecake Stuffed Apple

This Baked Cheesecake Stuffed Apple by Larice Feuerstein is the perfect treat to make after you go apple picking. Creamy cheesecake is baked inside a juicy and tender apple, and drizzled with caramel sauce in this innovative dessert!

8. Caramel Apple Skillet Cookie 

Caramel Apple Skillet Cookie

This Caramel Apple Skillet Cookie by Medha Swaminathan is packed with brown sugar and all that warm richness that you’d find in caramel, and there’s something about a fresh-picked apple that is just incomparable. So if you make this skillet cookie, do it the day after you go apple picking. That way, you can check “pick apples” and “autumn baking” off your fall bucket list … and maybe also “eat an entire cookie by myself.”

9. Coffee Cake Crumble Caramel Apple Bites

Coffee Cake Crumble Caramel Apple Bites

Yes, these Coffee Cake Crumble Caramel Apple Bites by Michaell Johnson really taste like coffee cake! With tart Granny Smith apples, date caramel, and oat crumbles, these treats are absolutely delicious and make a great hors d’oeuvre for any party. My favorite part is the raw cacao butter instead of butter. Any excuse to get healthy fats in my diet!

10. Autumnal Apple Pie-lettes

Raw Autumnal Apple Pie-lettes

It’s that time of year again. You know what we’re talking about — it’s apple pie season. These Raw Autumnal Apple Pie-lettes by Marquis Matson @realrawkitchen start with a base of walnuts and are topped with spiced apples that are enveloped in a rich date caramel. One whiff of cinnamon and all you can think of is the feel-good dishes that come with the change in weather.

11. Caramel Apple Pie Ice Cream Sandwiches

Caramel Apple Pie Ice Cream Sandwich

Fall is officially in full swing, but the weather can still get pretty warm during the day. What better way to bridge the seasonal gap during this fickle time of year than with an ice cream sandwich? And not just any ice cream sandwich – a Caramel Apple Pie Ice Cream Sandwich! The comforting flavor of apple pie is recreated in a creamy frozen banana-based ice cream studded with apple and date pieces. The only way to make it even better? By sandwiching a scoop between two pieces of no-bake cinnamon oat cookie dough. Pure heaven!

12. Raw Crêpes With Caramel Apple Filling 

Raw Crêpes

These Raw Crêpes by Heidi Turunen are made from bananas, flax meal, and vanilla powder and are filled with a deliciously sticky-sweet date caramel and apple filling. This recipe is super easy, doesn’t require that many ingredients, and is made simple in a dehydrator. Dust some cinnamon and top and enjoy with a tall glass of almond milk.

13. Apple, Pecan, and Caramel Ice Cream Cake 

Apple, Pecan, and Caramel Ice Cream Cake

This marvelous Apple, Pecan, and Caramel Ice Cream Cake by Kirsten Kaminski is the perfect way to indulge in the flavors of fall if you’re not ready to give up ice cream for the season. It’s made from four simple layers. The crust is oats and Medjool dates, it’s topped with a layer of vanilla ice cream, a layer of date caramel and apples, and finally, a top layer of crunchy pecans and date caramel. Make this cake for summer parties, birthdays, or just because — it’s that good.

14. Dutch Baby With Caramelized Apples and Pears

Dutch Baby

What’s a Dutch baby? It’s kind of like a pancake that’s baked in a cast iron skillet! This Dutch Baby by Abby Thomspon is a sweet and easy breakfast topped with sweet brown sugar, sautéed pears, and caramelized apples!

15. Hand-Churned Bourbon Salted Caramel Apple Ice Cream 

Bourbon Salted Caramel Ice Cream.

You don’t need an ice cream maker to whip up this amazing Bourbon Salted Caramel Ice Cream by Emma D’Alessandro. Salted caramel and apple bourbon sauce is swirled generously into a base of hand-churned vanilla coconut ice cream.

For even more fall-inspired desserts, check out 15 Dairy-Free Fall Desserts You Can Make With Sweet Potato and 15 Fabulous Raw Vegan Desserts With Decadent Fall Flavors.

If you’re looking for more delicious and seasonal plant-based recipes, then we highly recommend downloading our Food Monster App, which is available for both Android and iPhone, and can also be found on Instagram and Facebook. The app has more than 8,000 plant-based, allergy-friendly recipes, and subscribers gain access to ten new recipes per day. Check it out!

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