Quick and easy homemade caramel sauce that is so delicious, you'll be pouring it over everything! Not only does this caramel sauce recipe come together quickly in less than 30 minutes, but it is made with only 4 ingredients!
Caramel sauce can be incorporated into soo many desserts. The opportunities are truly endless. Homemade caramel is great to make all year round but I find myself making it the most during the fall season. Check out more fall season recipes here.
I am not sure what it is about homemade caramel sauce, but as a home baker, it seems to be one of the first intimidating desserts to make! Now that I've made caramel countless times, it seems like second nature! It does not have to be hard. I wish I had read a post like this with all the tips and tricks before trying to make caramel my first time.
When I first started baking - I may or may not have ruined a couple pots! Eek! But, don't worry, I am not going to let that happen to you. Read through this entire post and all of the tips and tricks - you will be a caramel making pro in no time!
Jump to:
- Ingredients for Homemade Caramel Sauce
- How to Make Homemade Caramel Sauce
- Equipment Needed to Make Caramel Sauce
- How to Thicken Homemade Caramel Sauce
- How to Store Homemade Caramel Sauce?
- Top Tips for Making Homemade Caramel
- More Fall Inspired Recipes...
- More Fillings, Toppings, and Frostings...
- Homemade Caramel Recipe
Ingredients for Homemade Caramel Sauce
This easy homemade caramel sauce recipe only calls for 4 ingredients and comes together in less than 30 minutes total!
- pure cane granulated sugar
- unsalted butter
- heavy whipping cream
- sea salt
How to Make Homemade Caramel Sauce
Making homemade caramel sauce is quite simple, but the MOST important thing is that caramel needs to be babysat. This means you should NEVER walk away from the caramel from the moment you begin the heat on the stove.
I recommend having all of the ingredients ready to go, so that you can stand there and watch the caramel. Making it from start to finish without walking away from the stove. The process moves very fast once you start and it is time sensitive. I think this is where a lot of people mess up because they walk away and it burns. You need to babysit the caramel!
- Step 1: Add pure cane granulated sugar in a heavy bottomed stainless steel sauce pot with taller sides on medium heat. Once sugar begins to melt, you'll need to start frequently stirring.
Tip: A stainless steel pot can help you see the sugar change color better, which can be especially helpful for beginners.
- Step 2: Using a metal whisk, silicone whisk, or wooden spoon, stir the sugar around every 20-30 seconds. It will begin to clump up, crystallize, and eventually melt. This is when you need patience because it can take 10 minutes or so to fully melt and break down the sugar clumps. Avoid the urge to turn up the heat!
- Step 3: Once the sugar melts more, you'll need to stir more frequently every 10 seconds or so until all of the sugar crystals dissolve. Stirring helps to avoid burning - very important! Once all of the sugar is melted, it will turn to a light amber color quickly. This is what it should look like at this point.
- Step 4: Remove from the heat and carefully add in the cubed room temperature butter. Mix more vigorously and be careful. The caramel will bubble up rapidly and sizzle until the butter is completely melted and mixed in. At first, it might seem like it's not mixing well, but just keep at it and the mixture will come together.
5. Step 5: Carefully and slowly pour in room temperature heavy whipping cream in a steady stream, all while mixing continuously. Be careful. The caramel will boil up rapidly as soon as the cream hits because of the varying temperatures! (This is why you want to use a taller pot).
6. Step 6: Add in the salt and mix. At this point you can decide if you want the caramel to be thicker sticky like caramel or if you want a more fluid caramel sauce perfect for drizzling over your favorite desserts.
- Should you want the perfect drizzling caramel, stop here and transfer caramel sauce in to a jar to cool slightly before using. Caramel sauce will thicken up as it cools down in temperature. I recommend going this route for most uses of caramel.
- If you want a caramel that will result in a thicker tackier/stickier consistency, you'll want to turn the stove back on low medium heat and allow the caramel to lightly boil for an extra minute or two - stirring continuously. Allowing the caramel to cook a little bit longer bringing it higher in temperature (around 220 degrees Fahrenheit) will create a thicker caramel as it cools. Please note that it does not thicken immediately while cooking - this just produces a thicker sticky caramel as the end result. Turn off the stove and remove from the heat. Transfer to jars to cool.
7. Step 7: Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. I love to use mason jars! Caramel does solidify as it cools, so you will need to heat it up again when you're ready to use it. Enjoy!
What Can I Use Caramel Sauce for?
The list of things you can lather in caramel sauce are endless. Drizzle it over pies, cheesecakes, cupcakes and cakes. Drip it over top of a big ice cream sundae! Use it in fillings for macarons or cupcakes. If using it as a filling, be sure to follow the instructions in the recipe to make it a bit thicker, cooking it for a little longer.
I have also added this homemade caramel into cake batters, frostings, and even used it to make homemade caramel apple margaritas! You can literally use it for anything you want or simply eat if straight off the spoon (let it cool first)!
Equipment Needed to Make Caramel Sauce
You likely already have all of the equipment needed to make caramel sauce. Remember to never take your eyes off the caramel!
- Glass Airtight Containers: I recommend having airtight glass containers, such as mason jars to store the caramel in.
- Stainless Steel Sauce Pot: It's important to have a pot that has tall sides because as you add the ingredients in such as butter and the heavy whipping cream - the mixture will boil up rapidly and it could overflow if you're using too shallow of a pot. I also like to use a stainless steel so that way you can really see the coloring of the sugar as it cooks, and it heats more evenly, as well as making it less likely to burn or ruin the pot should you accidentally over cook it.
- Whisk or Wood Spoon: This caramel sauce needs to be stirred frequently while it cooks. I prefer a silicone whisk or wood spoon.
- Measuring Cups and Liquid Measuring Cup
How to Thicken Homemade Caramel Sauce
If you would like to make a thicker caramel sauce, you will want to cook it for a couple minutes longer on low medium heat. You do not need a candy thermometer for this recipe. However, if you would like to check the temperature, aim for around 220 degrees Fahrenheit. I only let it boil for one to two extra minutes before it reaches this temperature. When the caramel sauce cools, it will naturally be thicker and not as thin.
When caramel is first made, it is boiling hot so it will be thinner. As the caramel cools, it will thicken slowly and eventually solidify when cooled completely. Caramel is easy to thin out again. You'll just warm it up in short increments in the microwave or in a pot on the stove on low.
How to Store Homemade Caramel Sauce?
Homemade caramel should be stored in airtight glass jar in the refrigerator for up to one week (if it lasts that long!). This caramel can also be frozen for up to 3 months as long as it's stored in a freezer safe airtight container. Wait until the caramel is completely cooled before putting in the refrigerator or freezer.
When ready to use, only warm up the amount you plan to use at the time. Because caramel sauce solidifies in the refrigerator, you'll need to warm it in short 10-15 second intervals in the microwave or warm it on low heat on the stove in a small pot.
If the caramel is in a glass jar than you can also submerge it in a bowl of hot water. Be sure not to heat it too much where it boils or gets too thin. Warm it super slowly and stir often as it thins until you get the consistency you're looking for.
Keep in mind this caramel recipe makes enough to fill about two 16oz jars. If you want to make less, feel free to halve the recipe. I have had the most success when making caramel in a double batch and I would recommend that for beginners as well, so that is why I provide a recipe that creates a larger amount of caramel sauce. A more traditional recipe would only produce one batch.
Top Tips for Making Homemade Caramel
Here are our top tops for making homemade caramel. Making caramel is actually quite simple because it only takes 4 ingredients to make and comes together in less than 30 minutes. By following these instructions step by step and taking these top tips into consideration, you will be a caramel making pro!
- Whatever you do, DO NOT walk away from the caramel! From the moment the sugar is put into the pot on the stove, do not walk away. The process is quick and once the sugar begins to melt, it melts quickly and can easily burn. I cannot stress this enough. Babysit your caramel!
- Have all of your ingredients prepped and ready before starting. This ensures you do not have to walk away from the stove and that all of your ingredients are ready at room temperature.
- Be sure to add the salt! Caramel is super sweet and the salt helps to ensure the balance. You can also adjut the salt to your liking.
- Use a stainless steel heavy bottomed sauce pot with higher sides. The lighter color of the pot also helps to ensure you can see the color of the sugar changing while it cooks, helping you to avoid burning.
- Use high quality butter. The type of butter can affect the overall taste and richness of the caramel.
- Use pure cane granulated sugar. Considering this recipe is mostly sugar, the type of sugar you use will have a big impact on the outcome of this recipe.
- Make the recipe as is. I have had the most success when making caramel in a double batch. I would recommend doing so for beginners as well, and that is why I provide a recipe that creates a larger amount of caramel sauce. A more traditional recipe would only produce one batch.
More Fall Inspired Recipes...
Looking for more treats to make that remind you of the Fall Season? Try these:
More Fillings, Toppings, and Frostings...
Check out these other recipes:
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Homemade Caramel Recipe
Equipment
- heavy bottom stainless steel pot with taller sides
- silicone whisk, metal whisk, heavy duty silicone spatula, wood spoon (you only need one of these)
- mason jars or glass airtight container for storage
- stove
Ingredients
- 2 cups pure cane granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (softened at room temperature, (1½ sticks))
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Add pure cane granulated sugar in a heavy bottomed stainless steel sauce pot with taller sides on medium heat. Once sugar begins to melt, you'll need to start frequently stirring.Tip: A stainless steel pot can help you see the sugar change color better, which can be especially helpful for beginners.
- Using a metal whisk, silicone whisk, or wooden spoon, stir the sugar around every 20-30 seconds. It will begin to clump up, crystallize, and eventually melt. This is when you need patience because it can take 10 minutes or so to fully melt and break down the sugar clumps. Avoid the urge to turn up the heat!
- Once the sugar melts more, you'll need to stir more frequently every 10 seconds or so until all of the sugar crystals dissolve. Stirring helps to avoid burning - very important! Once all of the sugar is melted, it will turn to a light amber color quickly. This is what it should look like at this point.
- Remove from the heat and carefully add in the cubed room temperature butter. Mix more vigorously and be careful. The caramel will bubble up rapidly and sizzle until the butter is completely melted and mixed in. At first, it might seem like it's not mixing well, but just keep at it and the mixture will come together.
- Carefully and slowly pour in room temperature heavy whipping cream in a steady stream, all while mixing continuously. Be careful. The caramel will boil up rapidly as soon as the cream hits because of the varying temperatures! (This is why you want to use a taller pot).
- Add in the salt and mix. At this point you can decide if you want the caramel to be thicker sticky like caramel or if you want a more fluid caramel sauce perfect for drizzling over your favorite desserts.Option #1.) Should you want the perfect drizzling caramel sauce, stop here and transfer caramel in to a jar to cool slightly before using. Caramel sauce will thicken up as it cools down in temperature. I recommend going this route for most uses of caramel. Option #2.) If you want a caramel that will result in a thicker tackier/stickier consistency, you'll want to turn the stove back on low medium heat and allow the caramel to lightly boil for an extra minute or two - stirring continuously. Allowing the caramel to cook a little bit longer bringing it higher in temperature (around 220 degrees Fahrenheit) will create a thicker caramel as it cools. Please note that it does not thicken immediately while cooking - this just produces a thicker sticky caramel as the end result. Turn off the stove and remove from the heat. Transfer to jars to cool.
- Once completely cool, store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. I love to use mason jars. Caramel does solidify as it cools, so you will need to heat it up again when you're ready to use it. Enjoy!
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