If you've ever wished for a dessert that’s chewy, rich, sweet, salty, and healthy all at once—these vegan salted caramel blondies with Medjool dates are the answer. They’ve got the indulgent texture of a classic blondie but are packed with good-for-you ingredients like chickpeas, tahini, and dates. This recipe takes a plant-based spin on an all-time favorite, turning it into something you can enjoy on a weekday afternoon without the sugar crash. Whether you're a veteran in vegan baking or just trying out vegan desserts easy enough for weeknight cravings, these blondies are a must-bake.

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Vegan Salted Caramel Blondies with Medjool Dates

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Total Time 40

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 9 large blondies

Equipment

Food Processor or High-Speed Blender Essential for blending chickpeas and dates into a smooth, creamy batter. A food processor works best because of the sticky nature of the dates.
8x8-inch baking pan A square pan yields perfect blondie thickness. You can also use a round cake pan, but the edges may bake slightly faster.
Parchment paper To prevent sticking and make it easy to lift out the blondies.
Mixing bowls For combining your chocolate chips or nuts after processing the batter.
Spatula For scraping out every last bit of batter.

Ingredients

For the Blondies

1 can 15 oz chickpeas, drained and rinsed
12 Medjool dates pitted and soaked in warm water for 10 minutes
1/4 cup tahini or almond butter if preferred
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup vegan white chocolate chips or vegan dark chocolate chips
Optional: 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans for crunch

For the Salted Caramel Drizzle

4 Medjool dates pitted
2 tablespoons tahini
1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt
2 –4 tablespoons warm water to thin

Instructions

Prepare Your Ingredients

Start by soaking your dates in warm water for about 10 minutes if they aren’t super soft. This ensures they blend easily into a caramel-like consistency. Drain them before using.

Make the Blondie Batter

In a food processor, combine chickpeas, 12 dates, tahini, unsweetened applesauce, maple syrup, vanilla extract, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Process until the batter is completely smooth. Scrape down the sides as needed to ensure everything is evenly mixed.
This step creates the base of your chickpea blondies vegan-style—no flour, no eggs, no fuss.

Add Mix-Ins

Transfer the batter to a mixing bowl. Gently fold in vegan white chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips, and chopped nuts if using. You’re now halfway to delicious vegan blondies.

Bake

Line your 8x8 pan with parchment paper and spread the batter evenly. Smooth out the top with a spatula.
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25 minutes, or until the top is golden and slightly firm to the touch. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out mostly clean, with maybe a crumb or two clinging.

Prepare the Salted Caramel Drizzle

While the blondies are baking, blend 4 dates, tahini, salt, and warm water in a food processor or small blender until smooth. Add water gradually until the sauce is pourable but still thick.

Cool and Drizzle

Allow the blondies to cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before lifting them out and slicing. Once cooled, drizzle generously with the salted caramel sauce.
For an extra fancy finish, sprinkle with a touch more flaky sea salt right before serving.

Pairings

These vegan blondies are versatile and can be paired beautifully depending on the vibe you’re going for:

With coffee or tea: Their dense, chewy texture and caramel flavor are perfect with a hot espresso, chai latte, or a calming herbal tea.
As part of a vegan dessert board: Serve alongside vegan brownies easy to prep in advance, some seasonal fruits, and plant-based truffles.
With ice cream: A scoop of vegan vanilla or salted caramel ice cream on top of a warm blondie makes for an indulgent, crowd-pleasing dessert.
Breakfast Treat: Believe it or not, these also work as a sweet protein-packed breakfast alongside almond milk or a smoothie.

FAQs

1. Can I use canned chickpeas or do they need to be home-cooked?

Canned chickpeas are totally fine—just rinse them well to remove excess sodium and the “can” taste. They form the perfect base for chickpea blondies healthy enough for snacking or dessert.

2. Are these blondies gluten-free?

Yes, completely! There’s no flour in this recipe at all, which makes them an ideal choice for gluten free blondies lovers. Just make sure your chocolate chips are certified gluten-free if needed.

3. Can I substitute the tahini?

Absolutely. Almond butter or cashew butter works great here. If you're aiming for chickpea tahini blondies with a traditional Middle Eastern twist, stick with tahini for its earthy, slightly bitter balance to the sweet dates.

4. What makes these healthy blondies compared to regular blondies?

These blondies are naturally sweetened with dates and a little maple syrup. They’re full of fiber and protein from chickpeas and tahini, with no refined flour or sugar. They also tick the boxes for eggless blondies recipe and dairy-free diets.

5. Can I make these into brownies instead?

Yes! If you’re after a fudgier version, you can adapt this vegan blondies recipe by adding 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder to the batter. You'll end up with something close to vegan gluten free brownies, and they’re just as delicious.

Vegan Salted Caramel Blondies with Medjool Dates: A Treat That Hits All the Right Notes