Dairy-Free Salted Caramel Candies (Paleo, AIP)

I am excited to share this recipe for Dairy-Free Salted Caramel Candies because they are the perfect allergy-friendly holiday treat! These babies are both Paleo AND suitable for the autoimmune protocol (AIP) too. I’m giving you a special sneak peek into my holiday treats e-book called The Allergy-Free Holiday Table, which is free of the Top 8 allergens and all of the recipes are both Paleo and AIP approved. Inside you will find cakes, cookies, pies, breads, candies; plus some special savory dishes like Southern Style Turkey Dressing, Green “Bean” Casserole, and more! All of the recipes were carefully crafted to be true to the original recipes.

Most recipes are adaptations of my family’s traditional Southern heirloom recipes. I like to say that all the recipes are compromise-free when it comes to taste and texture; even though they are free of junk, allergens, and suitable for limited diets. When I served friends and family these recipes last year, they didn’t complain and in some cases didn’t even know they were eating gluten-free food!

These caramel candies are a wonderful idea for holiday parties, stocking stuffers, hostess gifts, etc. They will keep for several weeks in the fridge and one batch makes a lot of candy that you will want to share (or not….ha!). Don’t forget to pick up your copy of The Allergy-Free Holiday Table today for more incredible holiday recipes!

There is something extra special about the combination of caramel and salt! Luckily, you can make a rich, chewy, delicious salted caramel candy without any dairy products. The process here is basically the same as a traditional dairy-based caramel. Please be sure to take extra care when making this candy as boiling sugar can cause serious burns! Remember that caramel is very sticky. You will need to use plenty of coconut oil to grease your parchment paper and knife when cutting the caramel.

Dairy-Free Salted Caramel Candies: The Players

½ cup filtered water
1 ¼ cups coconut palm sugar or sucanat (where to buy coconut sugar)
¾ cups honey (substitute maple syrup for vegan)
16 oz full fat coconut milk
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp coarse unrefined salt (where to buy coarse salt)

Dairy-Free Salted Caramel Candies: The How-to

1. Add water, granulated sweetener of choice, and honey in a large pot then stir to combine. Heat undisturbed over medium-high heat until a candy thermometer (where to buy candy thermometer) reads about 200 to 210 degrees Fahrenheit. This will happen relatively quickly so stay close and watch your thermometer closely!
2. Slowly and very carefully pour in the coconut milk, coconut oil, and salt. Stir until combined in a uniform mixture.
3. Continue to heat undisturbed over medium to medium-high heat until candy thermometer reads 240 degrees Fahrenheit. Be careful not to use too high a heat which can result in the mixture boiling over! It will take 30-40 minutes to reach 240 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. While mixture is cooking, prepare an 8×8 glass dish. Lay a piece of parchment paper large enough to cover the sides of the dish inside and coat liberally with coconut oil.
5. Once mixture is 240 degrees, immediately pour onto prepared paper. Allow to cool completely (several hours) before cutting into individual servings.
6. We recommend storing the caramel in the fridge several hours overnight before cutting. Coat your knife with coconut oil to prevent sticking to the knife. Cut rectangles out of parchment paper to wrap them individually – be sure to use a coating of coconut oil so the wrappers don’t stick. This makes a LARGE batch of 50 or more caramels! You can reduce the recipe as appropriate.