homemade caramel recipe

This easy caramel sauce recipe is to die for! It's a classic homemade caramel recipe that you'll make over and over again.

Easy Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe

sugar

tbsp salted butter, cubed, room temperature

heavy whipping cream, room temperature

1. Pour sugar into an even layer in a large saucier pan.

2. Heat on medium-high heat, whisking the sugar until melted. The sugar will clump up first, but will eventually completely melt. This will take about 10 minutes.

3. Once the sugar has melted, stop whisking. You can allow to cook until the sugar has turned to a little darker amber color to get a deeper caramel flavor, if you like. You may notice a nutty aroma. The change in color will happen quickly, so don’t let it go too long or get too dark or it’ll burn. Remove caramel from the heat.

4. Add butter and whisk until combined. The mixture will bubble up, but keep whisking until all the butter has melted and combined.

5. Slowly pour the heavy cream into the caramel and whisk until incorporated. I find it can help to add just a bit at a time until the caramel starts to thin out, then you can add the rest.

6. Cool for about 10-15 minutes before using. Store leftovers in a jar with a lid. Refrigerate up to 2 weeks.

If you add a small amount of water, just enough to wet sugar you won’t have the problem of  burning clumps. It takes a few seconds longer to caramelize. 

I had the same thing happen to me the first time I made it (I didn't watch the video). But with a little persistence and lots of stirring on and off the heat, I eventually got the hard sugar lump to dissolve/ ?melt into the butter and cream. It turned out delicious and tasted the same as future batches I have made since where this didn't happen. 

Just thought I would share this because it is a shame to throw it all out when it can still be salvaged. 
Thanks for the wonderful recipe and the very helpful video!

So easy and came out perfect. Took maybe 7 minutes to make! Thanks!! 

This was my first time making it with my husband‘a help and it worked perfectly. JUST KEEP STIRRING. 

Thanks for the awesome recipe! 

This worked on my first attempt, unusual for me. I reckon the trick is to use a really heavy based pan which distributes the heat well. I used a le Cruset which is a brand of dutch oven pot. 


I noticed that the butter didn't incorporate very well, there was a portion of it left over running around the top as I stirred. I  still then added the cream in batches like you suggest. It all incorporated in the end and flowed well into the container. the only thing was a ring of solid caramel round the edge of the pot's base where  the whisk coudnt reach because  of it's rounded shape. Thanks for  the recipe it's delicious

I burned the first batch, but the second one was awesome, except it had tiny sugar bits in it.. is this because I used cane sugar? Thanks for the recipie!

Hi - Thank you so much for this recipe!  This is exactly what I'd been searching for as an alternative to store-bought caramel sauce.  I did substitute evaporated milk for the whipping cream (because I live a distance from town and that's what I had on hand); it turned out perfect!  Love your website - can't wait to try more of your recipes!

Just made this, as I've been having the weirdest cravings for caramel. I stirred the sugar almost constantly, heated my butter, and it worked perfectly. The cream was probably a bit too cool, but I kept stirring it over low heat and it came together. Tasting it out of the pan as I poured it into a storage jar, it seemed to lack something, maybe a pinch of salt. But it pure perfection on popcorn (I think the salt on the popcorn helps.) My partner, who is not as big a popcorn fan as I am, can't stop eating it. Wow.

Next time I do it, I may try some vanilla, a dash of cinnamon . . . and some peanuts when it goes over popcorn again. Would also be incredible with some bourbon.

This tastes pretty darn good! My first attempt seized because the sugar would not mix with the butter, I didn’t have a chance to let the butter get to room temperature so I melted it in the microwave, bad idea? The second attempt went a little better, I partially melted the butter this time and it started to seize so I started mixing like crazy after adding the butter and added the cream. I had to stir really fast and it worked but I have a few hard sugar clumps. Do you think it’s because I didn’t use room temperature butter? I also marked up the cream for 10 seconds in the microwave to take away the chill. 

Love this! Thank you very much. This worked out exactly how you said it would. You were not joking about the 10 minutes of whisking. I cheated a little and melted the butter in the microwave😬 I use this to make my morning coffee. Times like this it is important! 
Note for those of you that had problems, make sure your flame is under your pan! Size of burner to pan ratio can change this very fast.
Once again thank you 💕

First of all thank you for this recipe!! The taste is amazing! I’ve been letting it sit for about an hour or so, but it’s still really thin? Did I do something wrong or could I refrigerate it to make it a bit thicker?

Me and my friend tried it twice, did not work out either times. Second time it got the color and that’s it. Looked promising but ended up tasting like burnt sugar. Took us over an hour to get that and where not happy with the results. 

I had never even tried making caramel before in my life, because I've heard it's really tricky. So you can imagine I was very anxious making it, but how excited I was that it turned out sooo good! I'm also one for having as few ingredients as possible in any recipe, that's why I picked this one. And so glad!!

I have seen different recipes for caramel but these instructions are by far the best! I have actually sent someone this recipe because she burnt her caramel following other instructions. This is my second time making this recipe and its awesome. 

I have tried this recipe and its DELICIOUS! 
My only problem was that my whisk and sauce pan were clumped with hard, dried sugar so I put it in hot water and it worked pretty well.

This recipe is pretty easy and soooo good! We use it in coffee drinks, desserts, and just dip apple slices in it... thanks for the amazing recipe! &lt;3

Absolutely DELICIOUS!!!  Just keep stirring, stirring, stirring and you will win the prize!  SO GOOD!!!

i made this and the directions were perfect.  my only issue is that the end product tasted a bit "strong tasting" and lacked a little of the "caramel" flavour.  consistency was perfect,  Any suggestions as an "add in" after to get more of that carmely flavour??  thank you

I made the recipe, followed the suggestion to substitute with evaporated milk; the flavor and color is there but it seems a bit liquidity... :( I'm not sure where I went wrong... and suggestions?

I made this and it worked wonderfully for me. My only issue is that my sauce has an ever so slightly burnt flavor. Did I maybe cook the sugar a tad too long? Could I add vanilla to help fix this??

Oh my Carmel!! 😱🤯🥰 This was my first attempt at Carmel and the video and instructions were so detailed and clear I aced it! It came out so good and it is the best caramel that I've ever tried in my life! 😋 Thank you so much for this recipe and the video was perfect explanation! yum yum yum my family is so happy!! 😊😊 Happy New Years Y'all, God Bless 2021!! 🙏🏻🙏🏼🙏🏽🙏🏾🙏🏿

Thank you so much! This is the first caramel sauce recipe that has ever turned out for me. And it is delicious! Thank you for this wonderful recipe. 
P.S. I love your “I love Jesus and naps” shirt!

it has been said, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. And I say, the way to a wife's heart is through caramel! I whipped this up before the wife got home. I served it on Tillemooks vanilla bean ice cream and 
she was in heaven! absolutely loves it! thank you so mich for such a simple recipe!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KO-g8c8q6bw

This caramel sauce is wonderful and made with only 3 ingredients! Perfect for any time, but especially fall and the holidays. Full recipe - https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/2015/09/08/homemade-caramel-sauce/

Homemade Caramel Sauce

Soft, buttery and perfect. Our family's tried and true recipe!

Soft, Buttery Homemade Caramels

butter (1 cup)

white corn syrup

Kosher salt

evaporated milk

Melt the sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt together in a large, heavy-bottomed sauce pan over medium heat.

Once the mixture comes to a boil, add the evaporated milk a little at a time, taking 15 minutes per can and stirring constantly. A labor of love indeed.

Once all the milk is added use a candy thermometer and bring the mixture to 238F and not a touch hotter! Even 2 degrees hotter will make them chewy instead of soft.

Pour into a parchment lined 13x9 pan and cool completely. Cut and serve. Enjoy!

This homemade caramel recipe makes the absolute best caramels with only 7 ingredients! They are soft &amp; buttery, melt-in-your-mouth delicious, and are a perfect gift for friends and neighbors.

Homemade Caramel Recipe

butter

brown sugar

corn syrup

oz sweetened condensed milk

sea salt

tsp vanilla extract

Line a 9x9” baking pan with a silicone baking mat or heavily greased wax paper, set aside. Alternately, you can put a silicone baking mat on a larger baking sheet and note that you will not spread the caramel over the entire thing.

Locate your instant read thermometer and have it close by.

Lay out tools

Combine butter, corn syrup, condensed milk, brown sugar, granulated sugar and sea salt in a heavy-bottomed 4-quart (at least) saucepan. Whisk constantly until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth.

Cook over medium-low heat until the caramel reaches 235-240 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, stirring every few minutes with a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon, making sure not to let any of the mixture on the bottom or sides burn or get too brown. This takes about 20 to 25 minutes. Do not rush it.

You will know you’re getting close when the caramel becomes slightly darker brown in color, thickens and pulls away from the sides of the saucepan as you stir. It will also remain solid when removed from the pot and left to cool or put in cold water.

When the caramel is finished cooking, remove from heat, add vanilla and stir vigorously.

Pour the caramel into the prepared pan.

Chill in the refrigerator until set (about 2 hours).

Then, lift the caramel out of the pan, remove the wax paper or silicone baking mat, and put it on a cutting board.

Cut the chilled caramel into 1” squares (or your desired size) with a sharp knife.

If desired, sprinkle sea salt on the tops of the caramels.

Store cut caramels in an airtight container in the refrigerator, or wrap them in candy wrappers or parchment paper.

Make the caramel:

https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/video/upload/t_original/v1661519203/fg2wkhsda04vplhlsjcu.mp4

This homemade caramel recipe makes the absolute best caramels with only 7 ingredients! Homemade caramels are soft & buttery, melt-in-your-mouth delicious, and are a perfect gift for friends and neighbors.

“My gorgeous vegan banana bread that’s filled with the goodness of oats and omega-3-rich chia seeds," says Teresa Cutter. This recipe is an edited extract from Earth To Table by Teresa Cutter (The Healthy Chef, $49.95). It is available from thehealthychef.com.

Banana chia bread with espresso caramel recipe

tbs chia seeds

(125 milliliters) extra virgin olive oil

(60 milliliters) pure maple syrup

ripe sugar bananas, mashed

rice flour

oat flour

gluten-free baking powder

medjool dates, pitted

(250 milliliters) filter coffee

(125 milliliters) coconut milk

Gingerbread Caramels are a fun twist on a classic caramel recipe. Caramel pairs awesomely with hints of molasses and ginger.

Gingerbread Caramels

heavy cream

molasses (not blackstrap)

water

vanilla extract

ginger

cinnamon

nutmeg

allspice

cloves

sea salt Flakes

Line bottom and sides of an 8 or...

Line bottom and sides of an 8 or 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, then lightly oil parchment. (Related: Kitchen Tip: Lining Pans with Parchment)

Bring cream and butter to a simmer in...

Bring cream and butter to a simmer in a small saucepan, then remove from heat and set aside.

Pre-measure the spices and salt out into a...

Pre-measure the spices and salt out into a small bowl. Pre-measure the vanilla into another small bowl. You will need to access these ingredients very quickly at the end of the recipe.

Combine the sugar, molasses, and water in a...

Combine the sugar, molasses, and water in a 4 to 5-quart heavy saucepan over medium high heat.

Boil, without stirring but gently swirling pan, until...

Boil, without stirring but gently swirling pan, until all of the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is a deep amber color.

Turn heat to low. Carefully stir in cream...

Turn heat to low. Carefully stir in cream mixture (mixture will bubble up).

Return heat to medium to medium-high and simmer,...

Return heat to medium to medium-high and simmer, stirring frequently, until caramel temperature registers no higher than 248°F on thermometer, 10 to 15 minutes.

Turn off the heat and immediately whisk in...

Turn off the heat and immediately whisk in the vanilla, salt and spices. Pour into baking pan.

Once the mixture has cooled slightly but is...

Once the mixture has cooled slightly but is still tacky to the touch, sprinkle the tops very lightly with additional sea salt, if desired.

Then, allow the caramels to completely cool before...

Then, allow the caramels to completely cool before cutting.

Remove caramels from pan and cut into 1...

Remove caramels from pan and cut into 1 inch pieces.

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The most viewed homemade caramel recipe recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine