Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe (2024)

It is so easy to learn how to make homemade caramel sauce recipe. This is seriously so decadent and creamy. Spoon this over ice cream, Apple Pie, fruit and anything you like.

Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe (1)

This caramel sauce is heavenly. I have to stop myself from just eating it from the jar. It is amazing on No Churn Vanilla Ice Cream, Apple Cobbler and more.

Homemade sauce recipes are so much better than storebought. You might also like our Homemade Butterscotch Sauce or the The Best Blueberry Sauce.

Table of contents

  • Why this recipe works
  • Ingredients
  • How to make caramel sauce
  • Storage
  • How to use caramel sauce
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • More Caramel recipes

Why this recipe works

It is so easy to make and ready in minutes. Skip the store-bought jars and taste the difference with this homemade sauce. You will not be disappointed.

This recipe is far better than store-bought caramels or syrups. The flavor is rich and delicious without corn syrup.

Ingredients

Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe (2)
  • light brown sugar, packed
  • heavy cream
  • unsalted butter
  • salt
  • vanilla extract

You can see the entire ingredient list at the bottom of the page.

How to make caramel sauce

Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe (3)

Step 1. First, you will need a saucepan. Add the butter, brown sugar, salt and heavy whipping cream to the pan.

Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe (4)

Step 2. Next, bring this mixture to a boil and allow the sugar to dissolve. Let it cook for about 5 to 7 minutes once it starts to bubble. Make sure to stir it constantly with a wooden spoon. It will be a deep amber color. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

Storage

Give the caramel enough time to cool a little and pour it into a jar or container with lid. We like to use mason jars to store the salted caramel sauce.Place in the fridge.

Allow to come to room temperature when ready to use. You can also reheat it using medium low heat.

How to use caramel sauce

  • Caramel Apple Dump Cake – This is even better with homemade caramel sauce drizzled on top and sea salt.
  • Apple Slices – I often just cup up apples and let the kids dip the slices into the yummy sauce. Such an easy but tasty treat.
  • Top on Ice cream – This is delicious on ice cream. See all our Ice Cream Sundae Toppings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need to refrigerate homemade caramel sauce?

Yes, it needs to be refrigerated. It will keep up to 2 weeks as long as you store it inside an airtight container.

Serve immediately or store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks in airtight sealed container.

How to reheat?

To reheat, cook for 30 seconds in a microwave safe bowl. Stir and heat in 10 second intervals until it is heated through and the desired consistency.

You will definitely need to reheat the sauce when ready to enjoy. It can become quite thick once cool.

Make sure to reheat the sauce in increments stirring in between so it does not burn.

Do I need a Candy Thermometer?

You don’t need a candy thermometer to make this homemade caramel recipe. Just make sure to follow the step-by-step photos instructions and pay careful attention to the cooking time as it boils.

Can I use this caramel sauce for caramel apples?

No, this sauce is not thick enough to coat caramel apples. However, it is perfect for dipping apple slices or drizzling over apple nachos.

Why isn’t my caramel sauce thickening?

You may need to simmer the sauce longer over medium heat. Just remember that the sauce will continue to thicken significantly as it cools.

Often it will appear thin and you may think it isn’t going to be the right consistency. However, once it sits awhile and cools, it thickens a lot.

Don’t make the mistake of assuming it will stay thin and over cooking the sauce. You will really see a big change in the consistency once it has cooled.

Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe (5)

More Caramel recipes

  • Caramel Chocolate Poke Cake
  • Caramel Dip Recipe
  • Homemade Caramel Popcorn
  • Salted Caramel Fudge
  • Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Make this easy caramel sauce today. Then come back and leave a comment.

Review

Pin Print

Homemade Caramel Sauce

4.30 from 47 votes

It is so easy to learn how to make caramel sauce. This is seriously so decadent and creamy. Spoon this over ice cream, apple pie, fruit and more!

Prep Time 2 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 12 minutes mins

Servings 16 (makes 2.5 cups)

Cuisine American

Course Dessert

Calories 211

Author Carrie Barnard

Ingredients

  • 2 cups light brown sugar packed
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • ½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla extract

Instructions

  • In a saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, salt and heavy whipping cream

  • Bring to boil and cook stirring constantly for 5-7 minutes or until thickened

  • Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract

  • Let cool slightly

  • Add to jar or container with lid

  • Serve immediately or store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks in airtight sealed container

  • To reheat, cook for 30 seconds in a microwave safe bowl. Stir and heat for an additional 10 seconds or longer if necessary

Nutrition Facts

Calories 211kcal, Carbohydrates 28g, Protein 1g, Fat 11g, Saturated Fat 7g, Cholesterol 36mg, Sodium 51mg, Potassium 50mg, Sugar 27g, Vitamin A 396IU, Vitamin C 1mg, Calcium 34mg, Iron 1mg

Pin This Now to Remember It Later

Pin Recipe

Try these other recipes

All Recipes Dessert

Homemade Cherry Pie Filling

Sauces and Spices

Cream Cheese Glaze

Sauces and Spices

Brown Sugar Syrup

Sauces and Spices

Easy Apple Pie Spice Recipe

Cakes

Cool Whip Cream Cheese Frosting

Sauces and Spices

Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk Recipe

All Recipes Dessert

34 Easy Strawberry Desserts

Sauces and Spices

Homemade Butterscotch Sauce

About the Author

Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe (15)

Hi, I’m Carrie. Welcome to Desserts on a Dime!

I’m on a mission to help you create delicious desserts on a budget and do not require a ton of time. Together, we are going to make something sweet that the entire family will love!

About Carrie
Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How is caramel sauce made from scratch? ›

Combine brown sugar, butter, and milk in a saucepan and bring ingredients to a boil. Remove thickened mixture from heat before adding (optional) vanilla extract. Let the caramel cool slightly before using. The result is an impossibly rich sauce that is guaranteed to satisfy your sweet tooth.

How do you make caramel sauce more liquid? ›

To thin caramel, just add some cream or water over heat. Melt caramel loaves in the oven. You can also add corn syrup or lemon juice to caramel sauces to prevent them from crystallizing.

How many parts of sugar and water to make caramel? ›

The main ingredient for making a caramel is sugar. A liquid caramel can be made using any quantity of sugar or water just as long as it follows the ratio of 2 parts sugar: 1 part water.

What are the two methods for making caramel? ›

Wet caramel is made by combining sugar and a liquid and cooking them together, while dry caramel is made from just sugar, heated in a dry pan until it liquefies and browns.

What ingredient is caramel made from? ›

The main ingredient in caramel is sugar. However, depending on the recipe you use, you may have to incorporate butter, heavy cream, water, or corn syrup as additional ingredients. High-quality, real caramel is always made with three basic ingredients and those are sugar, heavy cream, and butter.

What not to do when making caramel? ›

12 Mistakes To Avoid When Making Caramel
  1. Not assembling your ingredients. Juanmonino/Getty Images. ...
  2. Choosing the wrong pan. Milanchikov Sergey/Shutterstock. ...
  3. Using the wrong sugar. ...
  4. Getting the temperature wrong. ...
  5. Stirring the sugar too much. ...
  6. Forgetting about safety. ...
  7. Not heating your liquid. ...
  8. Stopping before the sugar browns.
Jan 29, 2024

Is caramel just boiled sugar? ›

Caramel is, simply, burned sugar. We want to let it melt, darken to an amber color and take on a deep and bittersweet flavor. The best, most flavorful caramel starts with this step. You can caramelize sugar two ways— with the dry method or wet method.

Why is my homemade caramel so hard? ›

This is usually caused by sugar crystals stuck to the side of the pan that didn't get fully dissolved. It only takes one to set off a chain reaction, and before you know it you have crunchy caramel.

Why is my homemade caramel so runny? ›

Too short of a cooling time: Caramel sauce thickens significantly as it cools, so let the caramel cool for the appropriate time to achieve the right thickness. If the sauce is still too thin after cooling completely, place it back on the stovetop and reheat it on low heat for a few additional minutes.

Why is my homemade caramel sauce not thickening? ›

Add more sugar to the sauce.

Most caramel sauces are made by caramelizing sugar and adding milk and a little salt. If you increase the amount of sugar in the recipe you'll end up with a thicker caramel. Try increasing the sugar by about 1/3.

What is the formula for caramel? ›

Explanation: The typical formula for caramels is C24H36O18 , so the elements of water have been removed from the sucrose.

How to tell if caramel is done? ›

The caramelization process happens quick, and you want to be there when it's time to remove it from the heat. From golden, the mixture will continue to darken. Pull you pan off of the heat when you see the mixture turn to the color of a shiny copper penny. That's how you know it's done!

Why do you put vinegar in caramel? ›

To make a perfect easy caramel every-time, simply add one or two drops of vinegar and just enough water to wet the sugar. The idea is to lower the PH. you can also use a small pinch of citric acid or cream of tartar if you have.

How was caramel originally made? ›

Most believe caramel was created more than 1,020 years ago in 1000 AD by Arabs mixing sugar and water to create a crystallized liquid. Funny enough, the original caramel was not believed to be enjoyed as a sweet treat but rather used as a beauty product.

What is the chemical process of making caramel? ›

Caramelization is a complex, poorly understood process that produces hundreds of chemical products, and includes the following types of reactions:
  1. equilibration of anomeric and ring forms.
  2. sucrose inversion to fructose and glucose.
  3. condensation reactions.
  4. intramolecular bonding.
  5. isomerization of aldoses to ketoses.

Does homemade caramel get hard? ›

If it registers 212°F or 100°C, you are good to go. If not, it is time to replace it. If caramels are too hard, you can try placing them back in a saucepan, adding a couple tablespoons of water and stirring until the thermometer reads 242°F. Pour back into a prepared buttered pan.

Top Articles
Pick 3 - Play and Check Winning Numbers
Pizza Cake Comics Patreon Leak
Cpmc Mission Bernal Campus & Orthopedic Institute Photos
Tyler Sis 360 Louisiana Mo
855-392-7812
4-Hour Private ATV Riding Experience in Adirondacks 2024 on Cool Destinations
Winston Salem Nc Craigslist
Craglist Oc
Txtvrfy Sheridan Wy
Comcast Xfinity Outage in Kipton, Ohio
Embassy Suites Wisconsin Dells
Compare the Samsung Galaxy S24 - 256GB - Cobalt Violet vs Apple iPhone 16 Pro - 128GB - Desert Titanium | AT&T
Ktbs Payroll Login
What is Cyber Big Game Hunting? - CrowdStrike
Hell's Kitchen Valley Center Photos Menu
Mineral Wells Independent School District
I Touch and Day Spa II
Quest Beyondtrustcloud.com
What Happened To Anna Citron Lansky
Check From Po Box 1111 Charlotte Nc 28201
Juicy Deal D-Art
Ivegore Machete Mutolation
Galaxy Fold 4 im Test: Kauftipp trotz Nachfolger?
Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning Companies Clearwater
Mawal Gameroom Download
Prévisions météo Paris à 15 jours - 1er site météo pour l'île-de-France
Fairwinds Shred Fest 2023
Mkvcinemas Movies Free Download
Where Can I Cash A Huntington National Bank Check
About | Swan Medical Group
Tendermeetup Login
Tamilyogi Ponniyin Selvan
Obsidian Guard's Skullsplitter
CVS Near Me | Somersworth, NH
Wsbtv Fish And Game Report
Eastern New Mexico News Obituaries
Letter of Credit: What It Is, Examples, and How One Is Used
Wunderground Orlando
Below Five Store Near Me
Nina Flowers
Arcane Bloodline Pathfinder
Anderson Tribute Center Hood River
Sig Mlok Bayonet Mount
Www Craigslist Com Atlanta Ga
Sour OG is a chill recreational strain -- just have healthy snacks nearby (cannabis review)
Levi Ackerman Tattoo Ideas
Bekkenpijn: oorzaken en symptomen van pijn in het bekken
Petra Gorski Obituary (2024)
Fatal Accident In Nashville Tn Today
Southwest Airlines Departures Atlanta
Phunextra
Salem witch trials - Hysteria, Accusations, Executions
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Errol Quitzon

Last Updated:

Views: 6125

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (79 voted)

Reviews: 94% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Errol Quitzon

Birthday: 1993-04-02

Address: 70604 Haley Lane, Port Weldonside, TN 99233-0942

Phone: +9665282866296

Job: Product Retail Agent

Hobby: Computer programming, Horseback riding, Hooping, Dance, Ice skating, Backpacking, Rafting

Introduction: My name is Errol Quitzon, I am a fair, cute, fancy, clean, attractive, sparkling, kind person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.