This post first appeared on Piping Rock. All content is theirs.

Not your average candy.

Cravings are normal. We all get them time to time. Some of us crave salty foods, some of us crave sugary foods. The only downside to cravings is whether to solve the nutritional mystery on what's causing them or cave into a healthy way to satisfy them.

We must admit: It feels good to feed into the craving when there's no guilt involved. 

Which is exactly why this recipe for rich, dense, luxurious chocolate caramel cups should be on every sugar craving enthusiasts lists.

They are healthier than if you went to the store and grabbed yourself a good old Snickers bar; Cheaper than if you decided to go by a fancy raw treat from the health store near you; Super easy and require no bake time. 

Craving something salty? Grab Our Sweet Potato Chips Recipe here.

There are a few other reasons we love them which have nothing to do with convenience or finance, but our health. 

The ingredients in these "candy" cups are nutritionally dense, and good-for-you. 

The chocolate is made from a blend of coconut oil and cocoa powder. Each of these has promising benefits on the body. Coconut Oil is high in good fats, and cocoa is full of naturally occurring substances like PEA and Theobromine. 

The caramel, which is our surprise ingredient, is made from dates! Yes, dates. The prune fruit you probably hated when you were younger. Turns out, they are a great source of fiber and are textually comparable to traditional caramel when blended up. 

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL SURPRISE CUPS

Caramel - 

+ 1 Cup Pitted Medjool Dates (see below for a "before" step)

+ 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

+ 1/2 Cup Milk of Choice

+ 1 pinch Sea Salt

The Chocolate - 

+ 1 Cup Dark Chocolate -- Could gather chocolate bars and break into chunks

+ 1/4 Cup Coconut Oil 

The Steps - 

Before you start, make sure to soak the dates in warm water for 10 minutes, like so:

Once done, add all the caramel ingredients into a food processor. Process until a thick, caramel-like texture forms. 

Then, melt the coconut oil with the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl -- heat for 30 seconds, adding more time as needed.

Pour melted chocolate into cupcake liners, add a layer of "caramel", finish off with more chocolate to top it. 

Place in freezer to let solidify 

Eat up!