Salted Caramel is one of my favorite flavor combinations. I love anything with salted caramel. Especially chocolate. I was inspired to fill dark chocolate with salted caramel and I'm glad I did. These caramel cups are divine.
I couldn't decide if I wanted to fully enclose them in the chocolate like a traditional peanut butter cup or just drizzle some on top so I did both. I like them better with just the drizzle. You use less chocolate and they look so pretty. The center stays soft while the chocolate hardens and the sea salt complements the sweetness.
Ingredients for keto salted caramel cups
Sugar-Free Sweetener - I like to use a blend of xylitol, erythritol, and stevia in my recipes. You can purchase this pre-mixed from the Trim Healthy Mama website or mix your own according to my recipe. By using a combination of sugar alcohols and stevia you can use half the amount required of regular sugar. Since these sweeteners can be more expensive this helps with my food budget.
Sugar-Free Chocolate Chips - Amazon has had a great price on Lily's Chocolate Chips off and on. I like the flavor of these. You can also purchase Bake Believe stevia sweetened chips at many Walmarts. OR 85% Dark Chocolate - This dark of a chocolate bar is naturally low carb because it has such a high percentage of cocoa. There is only a little room left for other ingredients.
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Vanilla - With the price of vanilla being astronomical I decided to try a Mexican vanilla extract and have been happy with the results. It is much much cheaper than other vanilla extracts.
Butter - I don't think this one needs an intro. I always use salted butter and normally just buy the regular kind from Wal-Mart or Costco.
Caramel Extract - I don't always add this to caramel but it does boost the flavor
Heavy Cream
Cream Cheese
Fine Salt
Coarse Salt
Can I use a different candy mold?
Yes. If you have a different silicone mold you may need more chocolate. This is the mold I used.
Soft Caramel Centers
I suspect that eventually, the sugar alcohols may crystallize again but after a few days in my fridge (I was surprised they even lasted a few days) the centers were still soft.
How many keto candies will I get?
This makes a full tray of 30 salted caramel cups with a little bit of leftover caramel. Is leftover caramel ever a bad thing? I don't think so. Feel free to half it.
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Ingredients
- 4 oz butter
- 8 oz heavy cream
- ½ cup + 2 tbsp Joy Filled Eats Sweetener (or see alternatives in recipe notes)
- 1.5 oz cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon caramel extract
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- course sea salt for sprinkling on top
- 3.5 - 6 oz 85% dark chocolate or sugar free chocolate ***
Instructions
- Combine the butter, cream, and sweetener in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook until light brown and thickened stirring frequently. This takes 10-15 min.
- Stir in the extracts, cream cheese, and salt. Stir until the cream cheese is thoroughly incorporated. Set aside to cool to room temperature and thicken further.
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave or in a double boiler. I do it in the microwave stirring every 30 seconds. Put a little in the bottom of each mold and spread it up the sides. Put in the fridge to harden. Do one more layer of chocolate. Harden in the fridge.
- Fill the chocolate cups ¾ full with the room temperature caramel. Put in the fridge to chill the caramel. After about 5 min it should be cool enough to put chocolate on top. You can cover the caramel or just drizzle lines on. Sprinkle with a little coarse sea salt. Store in the fridge.
Notes
Nutrition
Becky says
What kind of mold do you get for this recipe? I'd like to try it.
Taryn says
This is the mold I have: https://amzn.to/3ooqygW
It is just a peanut butter cup mold.
Mary Jo Rizzo says
Could I do these in a metal mini muffing tin lined with paper?
I bought all the ingredients and started making them.
Then realized you were using a silicone tray.
Taryn says
I think paper liners would work but I would spray with nonstick spray first. I just wouldn't want them to stick.
Jess says
I did this twice and it didn’t work either time! I used lakanto monkfruit sweetener in the proper amount. It separated, almost looks curdled and won’t thicken! I’m so sad, I was excited for this and it’s a huge waste of money on ingredients 😭
Taryn says
Candies are super tricky. I really recommend trying with the sweetener I use. To save this batch mix it with a stand mixer or hand mixer and slowly add a little xanthan gum until it comes together and thickens.
Amy says
I make my own vanilla extract. Buy good quality vanilla beans. You only need 3-4. Cut & scrape & add to a good vodka or vanilla vodka for more flavor. Let sit for about 3 weeks. Most info says it’s shelf stable for 7 years.
Samantha Whitson says
Amazing, as usual, & in every way! Simple to make, ingredients on hand & also my #1 favorite sweet treat combination, by far. These are right up there with the Pecan Pralines~ for which you have my eternal gratitude, you kind and generous woman =) Have made w/every kind of chocolate, including my own homemade white chocolate, & love them best sprinkled w/Maldon's flakey salt~ oh my, yes.
Just wanted to stop & say Happy Spring, as well as thank you for such a wonderful website that has become my go-to first stop when I'm either browsing for inspiration or looking for specifics~ Thank You!
Most sincerely, Samantha Whitson P.V./AZ
Holly says
Seriously one of the best things I’ve made. I am addicted!!!
Sheila says
It says to use 1.5 times the amount if using monk fruit. This would be 1 & 1/2 cups. This sounds like an awful lot of sweetener.
Thanks!
Taryn says
No, it would be 3/4 cup plus 3 tbsp. The original recipe calls for 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp.
Wanda Kjar-Hunt says
Can you just use stevia? The alcohol sugars do not agree with me at all.
Taryn says
No, not in this recipe. Sorry!
Samantha Whitson says
Wanda~ you might give allulose a try, along with the stevia. I have found it does not give me any grief, especially when I fully intend to eat more than just one. =) This recipe is absolutely worth figuring it out for! ~Samantha