The Best Caramel Dip
on Oct 06, 2017, Updated Aug 21, 2024
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This is the best caramel dip recipe ever. Made on the stove with butter, sugar, and sweetened condensed milk, it’s the perfect consistency for dipping pretzels and apples.
I have a few favorite fall recipes that I always make for fun fall parties and events: apple cider, my favorite apple cheese board, and this Caramel Dip.
This caramel dip recipe is something you need in your life. It’s actually the very first recipe that I published as a blogger way back in 2009. I didn’t even have a picture of the end product, but I wanted to share the goodness. And goodness it is! I’ve made this recipe every fall since I first discovered it. I hope you try it and love it as much as I do!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This is the perfect homemade caramel for dipping. It’s thick and smooth while still being scoopable.
- I think of this caramel as party food and repeatedly take it to fall parties. It makes about 3 cups of caramel dip, so there’s plenty for a crowd.
- It’s really simple to make, too—just cook a few simple ingredients on the stove.
Recipe Ingredients
- Butter – I use salted but if using unsalted butter, add a tiny bit of salt
- Brown sugar – either light or dark will work
- Corn syrup
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Vanilla extract
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make the Best Caramel Dip
- Melt butter over medium heat.
- Add the brown sugar, corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk, stirring to combine.
- Stir constantly until it comes to a light, bubbly boil.
- Remove from heat right away and add the vanilla.
Recipe FAQs
The goal for this dip is to be dippable, so you’ll want to bring the sugar mixture to a nice bubble but not a full boil. If you boil it too long or hard, you’ll end up with a thicker caramel that is great for dipping whole apples but less great for dipping little apple slices and pretzels.
I often get asked about switching out the corn syrup in this recipe, and I haven’t played with that much, so I don’t recommend doing it. I only use corn syrup in this recipe, my white cloud frosting recipe, and caramel corn. That being said, it is a different product than high fructose corn syrup. Here’s an article from The Kitchn about it.
If you see that the bottom is starting to scorch (you’ll see little flecks of really dark sugar when you stir), remove the pan immediately. If the caramel hasn’t finished cooking, you can return it to the heat, being careful to stir only the top of the caramel and avoiding scraping up the burnt sugar on the bottom of the pan.
Expert Tips
- Don’t wander away from this recipe while it is cooking! You need to do a lot of stirring, or the bottom of the dip will scorch and burn.
- If the caramel does start to burn, remove the pan from the heat. If the scorch isn’t too bad, you won’t be able to taste it, but you still might have little flecks of dark sugar in your caramel. It’s not ideal, but it’s better than feeling like you ruined the whole batch.
- I serve it with apples and pretzels for dipping, and it’s also fabulous on churro waffles and an easy apple cake.
More Fun Fall Recipes & Projects to Consider
Pies, Crisps & Tarts
Healthy Pumpkin Pie Recipe
Dessert Recipes
Easy Pumpkin Donut Holes
Halloween Recipes
Halloween Food Ideas for Kids
From Scratch Recipes
Butterbeer
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The Best Caramel Dip
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, light or dark
- 3/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk, (14 ounces)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
- Add the brown sugar, corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk, stirring to combine.
- Stir constantly until mixture comes to a light bubbly boil, with just a few bubbles popping through the surface of the caramel (see notes for more details).
- Remove from heat right away and add the vanilla. Stir to combine.
- Serve warm or at room temperature with apple slices and pretzels, or drizzle over ice cream.
Video
Notes
- The goal for this dip is to be dip-able, so you’ll want to bring the sugar mixture to a nice bubble but not a full boil. If you boil it too long or hard, you’ll end up with a thicker caramel that is great for dipping whole apples but not for dipping little apple slices and pretzels.
- The corn syrup is a necessary ingredient so please don’t try any substitutes! (See my note above for more details, as well as this article from Serious Eats.)
- Don’t wander away from this recipe while it is cooking. A lot of stirring needs to be done so the bottom of the dip doesn’t scorch and burn.
- If you do see that the bottom is starting to scorch (you’ll see little flecks of really dark sugar when you stir), remove the pan from the heat right away. If the caramel hasn’t finished cooking, you can return it to the heat while carefully stirring the top of the caramel and avoiding scraping up the burnt sugar on the bottom of the pan. If the scorch isn’t too bad, you won’t be able to taste it, but you still might have little flecks of dark sugar in your caramel. It’s not ideal, but it’s better than feeling like you ruined the whole batch.
Just made it, delicious! I’ve been looking for a dip for the kids. They’ll eat apples in their lunches especially if they have something to dip them in. We just ran out of Nutella?
Running out of Nutella is a no go here too, lol. I’m so glad you liked it, it’s forever a favorite in this house too!
Do you know about how many ounces this recipe yields?
It makes a bunch, almost a full 4 cups. Perfect to take to a party!
Dos tis caramel harden on an apple its left unheated?
No, unless it’s cold it’s still pretty soft so that you can dip it. I wouldn’t try it on apples because I don’t think it will get firm enough to stay on them.
I just found this on pintrest. Can this dip be saved if there is extra? I’ve never made caramel dip before.
Yes! Just make sure you bring it back to room temperature before serving because the fridge makes it too stiff to dip!
Thank you! How long is it good for in the fridge?
I just made this and it turned out grainy. Any idea what I did wrong? It still tastes good, but the grainy texture is a bit “off-putting”.
Sometimes if you stir to vigorously or if your sugars are old it will do that. Honestly I’m not sure. I normally have about 1 batch out of ever 10 be grainy, even if I make it exactly the same… maybe the humidity in the air? I really don’t know…
How many servings does this make. I need to make alot for a school activity
It makes about 4 cups. If you are serving it in a bowl with a spoon to dish it, I bet most people take about 2 tablespoons on their plate. Does that make sense? But when I give it as a gift I plan on giving a cup away in a cute jar.
Mine did not darken up or get the consistency of carmel. Followed directions exactly
It should have taken 12 to 15 minutes of cooking time for it to come to a light bubble. Do you think you cooked it that long? I’m sorry it didn’t work out!
I jumped out of a window when I was 9 months pregnant–the locks were switched on my bedroom door in our old 1924 house, while I was napping my husband locked the door so my other boys couldn’t come in and wake me up…and then they went on a walk. When I woke up I was locked in and didn’t have a phone or anything, so I just jumped out the window since I had no idea when they were going to be back or what time it was and I needed to get ready for church! Hahaha, sadly it didn’t put me into labor 🙂
I made this caramel dip yesterday, it was super duper delicious! Although mine ended up with some brown burnt flecks…thanks to a baby falling off a chair and then a squabble between two older boys. Sheesh, you would think I could have at least 15 minutes to stir something! Mom duties. I have dipped every cracker and fruit in my pantry, all delicious. Thanks! I hope you had an awesome weekend!
I’ve burned the bottom a-many-a-batch of this caramel! I just made it too and I love love love it with pretzels! Good job jumping out that window girl 🙂
Thanks for the caramel recipe. Enjoy your handsome son as much as you can; time flies.
I make these in the crock pot somewhat often. The flavor is awesome but you don’t get the same stick glaze on the outside. Still super tasty though.
Hi there!! Quick question – I need to make caramel dip for multiple people as a gift, and I was just wondering if the recipe doubles well, or if there’s a different multiple for a double batch. Also, if stored in sealed mason jars, how long can this stay out without refrigeration?
Thanks!
You can double the batch just fine but I wouldn’t try to triple it or anything… and I say you are good out of the fridge for at least a day. It has plenty of sugar in it and sugar is a great preservative 🙂 Making it for a gift is an awesome idea!