Gooey.

Dense.

Chocolaty.

Sweet.

Slightly salted.

Caramel-laden.

Make-your-heart-beat-faster treats.

Although appropriate for Valentine’s Day, these caramel and chocolate treats are completely welcome to grace each and every day of my year. I once proclaimed that I wasn’t a fan of date caramel, but I’ve changed my tune. The sink-your-teeth-in density that date caramel offers has a time and a place, and both are upon us right this very second.

To make the caramel, you’ll add pitted medjool dates, coconut oil, almond butter, vanilla, and sea salt to a food processor. After processing for a minute or two, this sticky, sweet caramel will bat its golden hues at you…

You’ll transfer the caramel to a bowl, stir in some shredded coconut, and pop the bowl in the freezer to chill the mixture. Once the mixture has chilled, you’ll scoop out heaping tablespoons, form it into bars (or hearts), and return the formed mixture to the freezer. While the bars are chilling, you’ll make the chocolate by melting together cacao powder, coconut oil, and maple syrup in a double boiler. Once the bars are chilled, you’ll drop them into the chocolate to coat and return them to the freezer for one last, impatience-inducing round of chill time.

As is, the recipe makes about 22 bars; however, you can easily cut it in half if you prefer a smaller yield. I’ve been making the full batch and freezing the leftovers so that Dan and I have something sweet to enjoy when a craving strikes. Something you should know: that craving strikes it like it’s hot, and like clockwork, I’m seeking out one of these treats after dinner each night. My day doesn’t quite feel complete without a little something sweet, and this is my go-to lately.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend filled with love for family, friends, significant others, and — most importantly — YOURSELF. You deserve it.