Making homemade caramel sauce requires 4 ingredients you probably already have on hand and takes no more than 10 minutes. This simple and easy recipe will have you drizzling caramel on anything from breakfast pancakes, pound cake, to vanilla ice cream.
Table of Content
Did you know that you can make homemade caramel sauce in minutes? It's true. Most people just presume it's either too difficult or time-consuming.
Recently, we visited some friends, and the dessert was vanilla ice cream. But, she forgot to buy the caramel! I offered to make a quick caramel sauce and everybody was surprised how quick it was.
Why make your own?
- If you've never tasted fresh caramel or butterscotch sauce, then you are in for a surprise. It is finger-licking GOOD! and I mean finger-licking.
- The recipe needs simple pantry staples like sugar, butter, and cream, which you probably already have on hand.
- And, best of all, it takes as little as 5 minutes to make.
- You can use it over almost anything - drizzle it over pancakes, yogurt parfait, whipped cream, cakes, tarts, desserts. The options are endless.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Sugar - Caramel is made with white sugar - regular white sugar. If you want to use brown sugar, the process is a little different, so use my recipe for a butterscotch sauce.
- Butter - It's best to use butter, not margarine. Since margarine has a high water content, which makes a runny consistency of caramel.
- Corn syrup - This is an invert sugar and helps prevent crystallization when the caramel cools down. And if you don't have corn syrup, a teaspoon of lemon juice or ½ teaspoon cream of tartar works just as well.
- Extract - I always add vanilla bean paste but vanilla extract works just as well.
- Salt - It's optional but I do believe it really helps bring out the flavor by cutting down on the sweetness.
Step by step instructions
- In a heavy-bottom deep saucepan, add the sugar, water, and corn syrup.
Pro tip - Corn syrup prevents crystallization, you can also use 1 teaspoon lemon juice. - With the heat on medium, bring the sugar to a boil. Shake the pan slowly guiding the distribution of heat. DO NOT STIR.
Pro tip - We avoid stirring to prevent crystallization of sugar.
- The sugar will melt with big bubbles on the top. Continue to heat, shaking the pan to encourage even coloring and prevent the sugar from burning.
- As the bubbles get smaller the color of the sugar starts to turn amber.
Pro tip - It is important to keep the heat to medium or medium-low to prevent burning. We want a caramelized sugar, not burnt sugar.
- The sugar should now be a deep amber color. Add the butter followed by the cream. Take it off the heat so it does not over-flow or overheats in the pan.
Pro tip - The caramel will rise at this point, that's normal hence the deep saucepan. - Add the vanilla extract and salt.
Pro tip - For salted caramel, you can add more salt over the cooled sauce later. - Cool for a few minutes in the pan. Then, pour into a mason jar or storage bowl.
Pro tip - Caramel is very hot so it's best not to pour it immediately into glass storage to prevent cracking. - The sauce will thicken as it cools.
Consistency for caramel
The consistency at which you remove the caramel sauce from the heat depends on what you want to use it for. An important thing to remember is the sauce will thicken as it cools.
- Pouring sauce - If you want to drizzle the sauce over desserts, such as pies and ice creams, it's best to take it off the heat about a minute after you add the cream.
- As an ingredient - If you need to use it as one of the ingredients - like buttercream or tart filling - it's best to have it a bit thicker. I cook it for about 2 minutes more after adding the cream.
- Toffee consistency - If you cook the sauce for a good 5 to 6 minutes after adding the cream - the sauce will thicken and be more intense. Then, pour it into a lined and greased baking tray. And when almost cool - cut into square or roll into balls.
Tips and notes of caution
- No kids around.
- And no answering phone calls.
- Also, no putting your face too close to check the sugar as there will be hot steam.
- Wear gloves in case of spills and rips.
- Use heat-resistant silicone or wooden spoons that have not been used for grease.
- Have all your ingredients ready as the process is quite quick.
- Always use a heavy-bottom and deep saucepan as the mixture will rise when you add the butter and cream. The heavy-bottom encourages even distribution of heat.
What can I do with caramel?
- Caramel Apple Cake
- Caramel Cupcakes with Soft Caramel Centers
- Banana Caramel Cake
- Caramel Banana Ice Cream
- Caramel Buttercream Frosting
- Cinnamon Caramel Apple Tarts
- Homemade Caramel Eggnog
- Moist Coconut Pumpkin Cake with Coconut Cream Caramel Frosting
- White Chocolate Pumpkin Caramel Tarts
- Pumpkin Spice Apple Cupcakes with Caramel Drizzle
- Halva Fruitcake Squares with Caramel
Frequently asked questions
The caramel sauce will keep in the fridge in an airtight jar for up to 2 weeks. It can stay at room temperature for about a week but it does increase the shelflife up to 2 weeks if kept in the fridge.
Absolutely. There are many ways to flavor caramel. You can add
1 tablespoon of rum or bourbon to make caramel rum sauce.
1 teaspoon combined of cinnamon, nutmeg, or ground ginger for a spiced caramel in fall.
Add 1 tablespoon rock salt for salted caramel flavor.
3 oz of melted dark chocolate for chocolate caramel sauce
4 tablespoon brewed espresso to make an espresso caramel sauce
If the sugar is not dissolved properly, the caramel will be grainy. So, it's best to keep the heat low and let the sugar dissolved and caramelize slowly. Alternatively, graininess can also happen when undissolved sugar falls back into the syrup while it is boiling. This recipe uses light corn syrup to prevent crystallization.
Low-fat cream or overheating the caramel can cause separation. Take it off the heat and continuously keep stirring until it becomes homogenous again. You can also place it over a bowl of cold water to cool it quickly.
High-moisture butter or low-fat creams are usually the culprit. Place it back on the heat and let the liquid evaporate. The sauce will thicken as you heat the mixture. Take note that it will thicken considerably as it cools as well.
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Printable Recipe
Homemade Caramel Sauce
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Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup (200 g) Sugar
- 3 tablespoon Water
- 2 tablespoon Corn syrup see substitutes
- 4 tablespoon (60 g) Butter
- ½ cup (120 ml) Whipping cream 38% fat or more
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a heavy-bottom deep saucepan, add the sugar, water, and corn syrup.Pro tip - Corn syrup prevents crystallization, you can also use 1 teaspoon lemon juice.
- With the heat on medium, bring the sugar to a boil. Shake the pan slowly guiding the distribution of heat. DO NOT STIR.Pro tip - We avoid stirring to prevent the crystallization of sugar.
- The sugar will melt with big bubbles on the top. Continue to heat shaking the pan to encourage even coloring and prevent the sugar from burning.
- As the bubbles get smaller the color of the sugar starts to turn amber. Pro tip - It is important to keep the heat to medium or medium-low to prevent burning. We want a caramelized sugar, not burnt sugar.
- The sugar should now be a deep amber color. Add the butter followed by the cream. Take it off the heat so it does not over-flow or overheats in the pan.Pro tip - The caramel will rise at this point, that's normal hence the deep saucepan.
- Add the vanilla extract and salt. Pro tip - For salted caramel, you can add more salt over the cooled sauce later.
- Cool for a few minutes in the pan. Then, pour into a mason jar or storage bowl.Pro tip - Caramel is very hot so it's best not to pour it immediately into glass storage to prevent cracking.
- The sauce will thicken as it cools.
Recipe Notes
Tips and Caution
The consistency at which you remove the caramel sauce from the heat depends on what you want to use it for. An important thing to remember is the sauce will thicken as it cools.- Pouring sauce - If you want to drizzle the sauce over desserts, such as pies and ice creams, it's best to take it off the heat about a minute after you add the cream similar to what I did in the video
- As an ingredient - If you need to use it as one of the ingredients - like buttercream or tart filling - it's best to have it a bit thicker. I cook it for about 2 minutes more after adding the cream.
- Toffee consistency - If you cook the sauce for a good 5 to 6 minutes after adding the cream - the sauce will be thicker and more intense. Then, pour it into a lined and greased baking tray. And when almost cool - cut into square or roll into balls.
Troubleshooting
- Grainy caramel - If the sugar is not dissolved properly the caramel will be grainy. So it's best to keep the heat low and let the sugar dissolved and caramelize slowly. Alternatively, graininess can also happen when undissolved sugar falls back into the syrup while it is boiling. This recipe uses light corn syrup to prevent crystallization.
- Separated caramel - low-fat cream or overheating can cause separation. Take it off the heat and continuously keep stirring until it becomes homogenous again. You can also place it over a bowl of cold water to cool it quickly.
- Runny caramel - high-moisture butter, low-fat cream are usually the culprit. Place it back on the heat and let the liquid evaporate. The sauce will thicken as you heat the mixture. Take note that it will thicken considerably as it cools as well.
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Anaiah
I loved this homemade caramel sauce! It was so delicious and so much easier to make than I thought. I love to dip my fruit in it, so yummy. I'm going to use it for cupcakes next!
Veena Azmanov
Happy you enjoyed it, Anaiah. Thank you for the lovely comment.
Jac
Super tasty on our pancakes this morning! Kids said it was worth getting up early on a Sunday for this caramel sauce 🙂
Veena Azmanov
Happy you enjoyed this sauce, Jac. Thank you for the lovely comment.
Saif
I am glad I found this caramel sauce recipe. Can't wait to use it on my dessert and cake recipes.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Saif.