Caramel Sauce Recipe
on Sep 18, 2024
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This is the best homemade caramel sauce you’ll ever make. The homemade sauce only uses four ingredients, is easy to make, and is extremely versatile!
Caramel sauce is the perfect addition to any type of dessert or treat. The smooth and rich flavor pairs well with anything chocolate-based, all kinds of fruit, and even salty snacks! I love that you can make a batch of this caramel sauce and store it in your fridge for whenever you want to use it.
You only need a small drizzle of this homemade sauce to elevate your snack or treat taking it to a whole new level. This recipe is easy and quick, and the good news is you don’t need to be a professional candy maker to whip up a delicious caramel sauce!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- You only need a few staple ingredients to make this simple and easy sauce.
- The rich, smooth, and velvety texture of homemade caramel sauce is better than any store bought.
- It is not overly sweet, but adds the right amount of flavor to elevate any dessert.
Recipe Ingredients
- White Granulated Sugar—Heating the sugar slowly will provide the sweet flavor of the sauce!
- Salted Butter—To make the caramel rich and give the proper consistency.
- Heavy Cream—To create the smooth, velvety texture of your homemade caramel.
- Sea Salt—Just a little to balance the rich sweetness of the caramelized sugar!
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Caramel Sauce
Step #1. Add the granulated sugar to a small pot over heat. Stir the sugar occasionally until it dissolves and turns a light amber color.
Step #2. Once the sugar is ready, add the butter and salt, continue stirring the mixture until the butter is fully melted.
Step #3. Slowly pour in the heavy cream and whisk the sauce until the ingredients are homogeneous and the sauce has thickened.
Step #4. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Since this recipe is intended to be a sauce and used as a topping, you do not want your caramel sauce to be too thick. You will know the sauce is at the right consistency when you are able to coat the back of a spoon. Keep in mind that it will continue to thicken as it cools, so you might need to stir it or reheat it before drizzling on top of a dessert or drink.
Depending on the size of your pot and how much caramel sauce you are making, it can take a bit of time for the ingredients to incorporate into each other. It will typically take between 15-25 minutes for your sauce to be done. Once your caramel is smooth and has a rich amber color, then it is ready. Don’t get impatient and turn up the heat, otherwise it will cook too quickly and burn. Give your sauce some time and keep stirring in order to get the best results!
Unfortunately, there is no way to fix burnt caramel sauce. You will know that the caramel is overcooked if it is a dark brown or black color, smells burnt, or has swirls of smoke that might sting your eyes. To avoid this, make sure you are stirring the sauce consistently so it does not burn on the bottom of the pot, and keep an eye on the color of the caramel! If your sauce does end up burning, you will need to start again.
Popular Substitutions and Variations
There are so many different ways you can use caramel sauce! Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Caramel popcorn—Drizzle caramel sauce over plain, air popped popcorn and allow it to cool for a sweet and salty treat!
- Drinks—If you are trying to save money and make your drinks at home, caramel sauce can be used on top of hot chocolate, hot coffee, and even iced coffee for extra sweetness.
- Breakfast casserole—Caramel sauce is perfect for a sweet breakfast casserole such as French toast casserole or banana bread casserole.
- Desserts—Homemade caramel sauce can be poured over ice cream, cookies, or incorporated into cake or pie to elevate your typical dessert!
How to Store Caramel Sauce
You can store caramel sauce in the fridge for up to 3 weeks so you can use it multiple times for different desserts! We like to keep our sauce in a mason jar with a lid but a rubbermaid container will work too, whatever is easiest for you. Reheat your sauce in the microwave for about 10 seconds, and then stir until smooth. Serve and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Ensure your pot is clean and your sugar is free from impurities such as dirt or residue, as these things will prevent your sugar from melting properly.
- We like to stir our sauce with a silicone spatula since it is the easiest to clean.
- Try to allow your heavy cream to come to room temperature before you add it to the pot. Caramel can be very sensitive to extreme temperatures.
- Don’t pour the heavy cream into the pot all at once. The heavy cream will bubble as it combines with the rest of the sauce, so if you add it all at once it can boil over and create a mess.
More Dessert Recipes To Consider
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Caramel Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- ½ cup salted butter
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add the granulated sugar to a small pot over medium heat. Stir the sugar occasionally until it dissolves and turns a light amber color. This should take 5-10 minutes depending on the heat of your burner.
- Once the sugar is amber in color, add the butter and salt, continue stirring the mixture until the butter is fully melted.
- Slowly pour in the heavy cream and whisk the sauce until the ingredients are homogenous and the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- This caramel sauce makes a great topping for cookies, ice cream, cake, etc. It can also be drizzled over coffee or hot chocolate.
- The sea salt and salt in the butter helps balance the rich sweetness of the caramelized sugar.
- We like to stir our sauce with a silicone spatula since it is easiest to clean.
- Make sure you stir the sauce consistently to prevent it from burning on the bottom of your pot.
- Don’t pour the heavy cream into the pot all at once. The heavy cream will bubble as it combines with the rest of the sauce, so if you add it all at once it can boil over and create a mess.
- Store your sauce in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. I like to keep my sauce in a mason jar with a lid, but a rubbermaid container will work too.
- You can reheat your sauce in the microwave for about 10 seconds, stirring until smooth.
