Homemade Caramel Sauce
This post may contain affiliate links. Read the full disclosure here.
This homemade caramel sauce recipe is super easy to make. It is a versatile sauce that can be used for dipping, drizzling over ice cream, or served on top of other decadent desserts.
This recipe requires only a handful of ingredients and is a friendly option for the budget-wise. It tastes amazing, it’s better than store-bought, and is simple enough to whip up a batch any time you have a recipe that calls for caramel sauce.
How do you make caramel sauce from scratch?
There are two different ways to make caramel – the dry method and the wet method.
Dry caramel is made with just sugar. Dry caramel is more difficult because it tends to burn easily and the sugar clumps together. This can result in a grainy caramel.
Wet caramel is made by dissolving sugar in water then allowing it to caramelize. I use this method because it is so much easier. The sugar caramelizes more evenly and I never end up with a grainy caramel.
And it’s rumored that wet caramel has a better taste because the process takes longer. That’s a plus in my book!
This is an easy no-fail recipe. While a candy thermometer is a great tool when making caramel, it is not required. But if you are inexperienced with making caramel at home, I highly suggest using one.
What are the ingredients in caramel?
This homemade caramel sauce is made with white sugar, heavy cream, butter, salt, and vanilla extract. More than likely you already have these on hand.
A small pinch of table salt is added to enhance the flavor. However, it’s not enough salt to call it salted caramel. You can barely detect it. But feel free to add a bit more salt to make it a salted caramel sauce.
Some recipes call for corn syrup but it isn’t needed when using the wet caramel method.
This is my absolute favorite thick caramel sauce recipe. It’s wonderful on top of so many different treats.
Drizzle it over double chocolate brownies. Use it to make salted caramel frosting and caramel sweet potato pie. Serve it over the top of apple cinnamon scones. The possibilities are endless!
After you’ve mastered this recipe, you should try making this easy caramel sauce in the microwave!
When making caramel sauce at home, never leave its side. A lovely amber colored caramel can turn to burnt in the blink of an eye.
A candy thermometer is a great tool if you are not sure when to remove the melted sugar from the heat. Once the melted sugar registers above 330° F, pay close attention to the color.
As soon as it turns a deep amber color, remove it from the heat.
Take great care when adding the cream to the hot melted sugar! As you pour in the cream, the mixture will bubble up fiercely and release scorching hot steam.
Go slow and don’t splash yourself. Leave the hot caramel in the pot until it cools to room temperature before transferring it to a container for storage.
Questions about homemade caramel sauce
Can I sub brown sugar for granulated sugar and get same results?
You can use brown sugar if you don’t have white sugar. Keep in mind, brown sugar is made with molasses so this will affect the overall flavor of your caramel sauce.
Can you tell me why you do not stir while the sugar water mixture is boiling?
Sugar crystals like to cling on to anything around them. Even though you can’t see the crystals once the sugar has dissolved, they are still there. Stirring at this point will entice the crystals to hook up with surrounding crystals which will make the sauce grainy.
My sugar clumped when I added the heavy cream why?
This can happen when pouring a cold liquid into hot melty caramel. To prevent this from happening, pour the cream in very slowly and whisk continuously while you do so.
How do you thicken caramel sauce?
Caramel sauce typically thickens as it cools. If your sauce is too thin after cooling, you can simmer it on the stove. Let the sauce cook over low heat for about 10 minutes. The excess liquid will evaporate and the sauce will be thicker.
How long does homemade caramel sauce last?
Caramel sauce will keep for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container stored in the refrigerator. It can be warmed for a few seconds before use.
It can also be frozen. Place in a freezer-safe container once it has cooled and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and warm before serving.
Homemade Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) water
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- ¾ cup (180 ml) heavy cream, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt, optional
Instructions
- Add the water and sugar to a 5-cup stainless steel saucepan. (Non-stick cookware is not recommended for this recipe.) Heat over medium-high heat until it begins to boil, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar.
- Turn the heat down to medium and insert a candy thermometer. (You don’t need a thermometer, but it is a great tool for inexperienced caramel cooks.) Do not stir the sugar as it boils.
- As soon as the mixture reaches 330 degrees F, watch for it to turn a deep amber color and immediately remove it from the heat. Take care not to let it go too far because it will burn. Carefully and slowly pour the cream into the caramelized sugar while whisking. The caramel will bubble up and is extremely hot. Continue to whisk until all the cream has been added and is mixed in thoroughly.
- Whisk in the butter, vanilla, and salt (if using). Set the pot on a wire rack to cool completely before transferring to a glass container for storage.
Notes
- Make sure the heavy cream isn’t super cold. Let it sit out for a few minutes before you begin making the sauce.
- Add a full teaspoon of salt to make salted caramel sauce.
- Caramel sauce will keep for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container stored in the refrigerator. Caramel can be warmed for a few seconds before use.
- Caramel sauce also freezes well. Place in a freezer-safe container once it has cooled and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and warm before serving.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided is for convenience and as a courtesy only. It is not guaranteed to be accurate because nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator and input the exact ingredients and brands you used in the recipe.
oooh i’m so thrilled this turned out!! i only had a tiny nonstick pot to work with and no thermometer. i was a little nervous after reading your directions, but went for it anyhow. just watched patiently for the color to change and followed the rest of the directions, and voi la! it’s delightful! thank you!
Yum! This is a great sauce! Easy to make, just follow the steps, and tips! I use it mostly for my cheesecake, but it’s great for EVERYTHING!
Can the caramel sauce be canned?
I haven’t tried canning it and I’m not very familiar with proper canning procedures.
This is waaaaay to sweet. I felt like I got cavities just by trying it from my finger ? I think I will do half the sugar next?? the taste was good I didn’t have a stainless steel pan ? my caramel was very light and I had it boiling for a good while but no sugar clumps so it wasn’t a complete fail lol
Caramel sauce is going to be sweet because the main ingredient is sugar that’s cooked until caramelized. If you half the sugar you’ll need to half the rest of the ingredients as well. This won’t reduce the sweetness, it’ll just reduce the amount of sauce you get. A candy thermometer is your best friend when making caramel. If you boil it until it reaches 330°F the color will turn darker. There’s a video in the recipe to show you how to make it.
330 degrees F – is that right? I got it up to about 270 F. It turned a nice brown color – and was a hard lump of sugar.
Will try again at a lower temperature.
Hi Barbara! 330°F is right. Sugar won’t even begin to melt until reaches 320°F and it doesn’t begin to caramelize until it reaches 330-360°F. If you follow the recipe exactly as it is, it will work. I make this sauce ALL THE TIME.
Can whole milk be substituted for heavy cream
I don’t recommend using regular milk in place of cream for this recipe.
This homemade caramel sauce is a must try!!
Can you use this Carmel for Carmel apples?
This caramel is a sauce. It can be used as a dip for apple slices but it won’t “set” as hard caramel over apples.
This sounds amazing and I was literally just looking for a caramel recipe! Does it freeze well? I can’t allow myself to consume all of this in a 2 week timeframe!
I haven’t frozen it myself but typically caramel sauce will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm before using.
Found this via Pinterest. Just made the caramel sauce today. It’s so good. I had to exercise a lot of self control to not keep taste tes Iting.