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You are here: Home / Recipes / Desserts / Homemade Caramel Sauce

Homemade Caramel Sauce

April 6, 2021 by Mahy, Updated April 24, 2021 7 Comments

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A homemade caramel sauce that’s sweet, silky smooth, flavored with vanilla, and ready in 10 minutes! My caramel sauce recipe is one that you can flavor in many different ways and keep in the fridge for ages. Keep reading if you want to know how to make caramel sauce. Oh and bonus: made with just 2 tablespoons of butter! You will never want store-bought caramel syrup again!

 

When I think of caramel, I can’t help but think of my mom—the ultimate caramel lover in my opinion! She might be the reason I am hooked on this delicacy of nearly burnt sugar made velvety smooth with a little cream and butter—poured onto endless things to make them a little more decadent . . . So expect many, many caramel-related recipes to come. In fact, you’ll find three of my favorite caramel recipes at the end of this post.

 

 

INGREDIENTS FOR CARAMEL SAUCE

ingredients for the caramel sauce recipe
  • Granulated Sugar
  • Salt
  • Water
  • Butter
  • Heavey Cream
  • Vanilla Extract

HOW TO MAKE CARAMEL SAUCE

sugar and water becoming syrup in a pan.

Let’s talk about the base recipe, from which everything else caramelicious is derived. Well, this homemade caramel sauce starts with sugar and a little water simmered on medium-low heat–no stirring or touching required. As soon as it reaches that beautiful golden color, a little butter and cream are added to the sugar mixture while off the heat.

caramel sauce in a pan cooking

This is the messiest scariest part of it all because the mixture will foam up. The best way to do this safely is to use a larger size pot than you think and to stay as far away as you can and take the pan off the heat to add the butter, vanilla, and cream. It’s extremely hot at this point but it will cool down in about 5 seconds. At that point, you can safely put it back on the heat and gently mix it all together until velvety smooth. Et voila! perfect homemade sauce is achieved!

VARIATIONS OF THE CARAMEL SAUCE RECIPE

In this recipe, I chose my favorite flavor which happens to be vanilla. You can use any extract or flavoring you like in your homemade caramel sauce. I also happen to like my caramel to be more on the light side, but I know many who prefer a darker caramel taste, so you may wish to cook the recipe until the sauce reaches a dark amber color. Replace water with some orange juice and boil some orange rind with the sugar for an orange caramel sauce. Yes as you can tell, I have tried and loved many variations on this sauce.

caramel sauce on a spoon.

Salted Caramel Sauce

If you like the new salted caramel trend, You might want to add large salt flakes at the end for a salty caramel sauce. Regular salt will just melt right into the sauce and disappear.

Caramel Sauce for Coffee

If you want a match made in heaven, mix caramel with your coffee! You are going to love stirring your homemade caramel sauce into the coffee. You can also make iced caramel coffee using this sauce, ice, and your favorite coffee in a blender. Top with whipped cream and more caramel sauce for a decadent afternoon caffeine rush.

Other Ways to Use Caramel

Add caramel to everything! Slip some caramel in your pancakes, your cupcakes, your buttercream frosting or your chocolate pudding. Brush some caramel on your bacon for a brilliant upgrade. Add caramel to your apple pie recipe, put some caramel in your cream cheese, or just use it as a dip for apples and grapes.

Jar of caramel sauce, caramel sauce on ice cream, and coffee drizzled with caramel on a tray with raspberries.

CARAMEL SAUCE TIPS

  • Use a stainless steel pot with a heavy bottom to make your homemade caramel sauce. This will help keep the caramel from heating too fast or heating too much.
  • No stirring! If you feel you absolutely must stir the sugar and water mixture, do so by gently lifting the pan and tilting it around to swirl the mixture in the pan. No spoons.
  • Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Make sure the caramel sauce is completely cooled before refrigerating.
  • If you think you have the right size of pan, grab the next largest pot and use it! As you add the cream and vanilla the sauce will foam up and expand significantly and you could get burned if it overflows the pan or splashes out.
Homemade caramel sauce in a jar.

OTHER RECIPES TO TRY

Creamy Homemade Caramel Pudding. Make this decadent homemade caramel pudding with a caramel walnut crunch on top.

Caramel Stuffed Spiced Brownies. Game changer! A little cayenne with your caramel brownie makes a huge difference.

Caramel Spiked Chocolate Donut Holes. Ordinary chocolate donut holes take on a whole new dimension with added caramel flavor.

finished caramel sauce in a glass jar
4.1 from 10 votes
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Homemade Caramel Sauce

A homemade caramel sauce recipe that’s sweet, silky smooth, flavoured with vanilla and ready in 10 minutes with Video!

Course Dessert, sauce
Cuisine American, French
Keyword caramel, caramel sauce, caramel sauce recipe, Homemade caramel sauce, how to make caramel sauce
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 12 minutes
Servings 20 Tablespoons
Calories 70 kcal
Author Mahy

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of granulated sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/4 cup of cold water
  • 2 Tablespoons of cold unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup of heavy cream (35%)
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. In a medium size pot add the sugar, salt and water. Place the pot over medium high heat until it starts to bubble.
    Ingredients for homemade caramel sauce including sugar, butter, vanilla, water and some cream
  2. In the meantime measure your heavy cream in a cup and add the cold butter to it, then set aside while the caramel cooks.
    Sugar and water boiling in a pot to make caramel sauce
  3. Lower the heat to medium low so that the caramel is gently bubbling away. Let it bubble for about 3 minutes watching it turn into a golden colour.
    golden sugar with added butter and cream in a pot to finish off the caramel sauce recipe
  4. At this point you may allow it to bubble some more until it reaches a deep amber colour if you prefer a burnt sugar caramel sauce taste.
  5. Once your caramel is cooked, take the pot off the heat and pour in the cup of cream and butter while staying away from the pot as it will splatter for a few seconds.
    A spoon with homemade caramel sauce on a white marble showing the silky texture
  6. Once the splattering has stopped, place your pot back on the medium low heat and mix the sauce together for 30 seconds until it’s smooth and velvety.
  7. Turn off the heat and add the vanilla extract, mix it in and pour the sauce into a glass container without covering it. The sauce will thicken as it cools down
    finished caramel sauce in a glass jar
  8. Enjoy it warm or cold.
  9. Store it in the refrigerator for at least 1 month, and reheat it in the microwave for a few seconds if you need to use it warm or to thin it out.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

CARAMEL SAUCE TIPS

  • Use a stainless steel pot with a heavy bottom to make your homemade caramel sauce. This will help keep the caramel from heating too fast or heating too much.
  • No stirring! If you feel you absolutely must stir the sugar and water mixture, do so by gently lifting the pan and tilting it around to swirl the mixture in the pan. No spoons.
  • Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Make sure the caramel sauce is completely cooled before refrigerating.
  • If you think you have the right size of pan, grab the next largest pot and use it! As you add the cream and vanilla the sauce will foam up and expand significantly and you could get burned if it overflows the pan or splashes out.

 
Nutrition Facts
Homemade Caramel Sauce
Amount Per Serving
Calories 70 Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Trans Fat 1g
Cholesterol 11mg4%
Sodium 3mg0%
Potassium 5mg0%
Carbohydrates 10g3%
Sugar 10g11%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 122IU2%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 4mg0%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Filed Under: Desserts, Holidays, Recipes, Videos Tagged With: butter, caramel, caramel sauce, coffee, cream, easy caramel sauce, fast caramel sauce, homemade caramel sauce, ice cream, sugar, vanilla, vanilla caramel sauce

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tara

    April 10, 2021 at 6:20 pm

    5 stars
    Yum! Such a delicious caramel sauce! So much better than store-bought and I love how easily it comes together.

    Reply
  2. Beth

    April 10, 2021 at 5:23 pm

    I love making homemade anything! Definitely going to make this recipe soon!

    Reply
  3. Sara Welch

    April 10, 2021 at 5:06 pm

    5 stars
    Enjoyed this over ice cream and it was exactly what I needed to cure my sweet tooth! So creamy and delicious and better than any store bought version I have tried!

    Reply
  4. Shahinda

    April 17, 2016 at 8:21 am

    Tried this caramel sauce 2 days ago and it was a success! Soo happy, it doesnt have that much butter compared to my old recipe and it was just heavenly!
    Thanks for sharing

    Reply
    • Mahy

      April 18, 2016 at 7:56 pm

      YES!! Thanks for letting me know!! So glad you enjoyed this lighter version 😉

      Reply
  5. Amna

    March 21, 2015 at 9:11 am

    5 stars
    Can we use this one for macaron fillings? (I’m feeling like whipping up some salty caramel macarons)

    Reply
    • Mahy

      March 21, 2015 at 9:29 am

      For sure! You will need to chill the caramel for it to thicken up and decrease the cream to 1/3 cup or even 1/4 cup (for a thicker caramel sauce that is easier to spread). You can also add 1 teaspoon of salt to the caramel sauce for that salty kick!
      Enjoy:)

      Reply
4.10 from 10 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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Mahy PicHi, I'm Mahy, a recipe developer, food stylist, culinary instructor, photographer, wife and busy mom! Welcome to my blog!...Read More

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