If your Medjool dates are dry, soak them in warm water for 10 minutes to soften them up.

Grab a small baking dish and line it with parchment paper for easy removal of the caramels.

Place the drained dates into your food processor and blend on high speed until they form a thick, cohesive paste.

Add in the coconut oil, almond butter, vanilla extract, and fine sea salt to the date paste and blend until smooth.

Using a spoon or a cookie scoop, portion out the caramel mixture onto the prepared parchment-lined baking dish.

Roll each portion in shredded coconut or chopped pecans to coat them evenly.

Place the caramel-coated portions in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to firm up.

Once chilled, remove the caramels from the baking dish using the overhanging parchment paper.