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This easy homemade caramel sauce only requires 3 simple ingredients and 10 minutes of your time. Its irresistible flavor and nutty aroma will make you want to put it on everything from cheesecake, cake and cupcakes, to ice cream and cookies. Skip the store-bought stuff. This is so much better.
Table of Contents
- The Best Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe
- Why Make Caramel Sauce From Scratch?
- What You’ll Need
- How to Make Homemade Caramel Sauce
- Do I Need a Candy Thermometer?
- How Do You Know When Caramel is Ready?
- Why is my Caramel Sauce Thin?
- Tips for Success
- Ways to Use This Easy Caramel Sauce
- Can I Use This For Caramel Apples?
- How to Store Caramel sauce
- More Recipes With Caramel To Try
- Watch How to Make Caramel Sauce
- Get the Recipe
The Best Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe
Caramel sauce is one of those things that can seem a little intimidating – until you actually try it for the first time. And then as you make it more, you realize it’s actually super easy and quick to make. There are just a few things to keep in mind so that you are successful.
This recipe has been on my site forever and is easily one of the most used and loved recipes. Now, you’ll find step-by-step images that walk you through the process, as well as a video where I walk you through the whole process! What has always been easy is now even easier with all my guidance. And trust me, you want this recipe. It’s always a hit!
And in the interest of serving everyone and having options, I also have my Salted Caramel Sauce and Brown Sugar Caramel Sauce, which are both fabulous and 100% deserve your attention.
Why Make Caramel Sauce From Scratch?
From scratch is almost always better in my opinion. Caramel sauce is no exception. Here’s why.
- Better flavor. Homemade caramel sauce has incomparably better flavor than store-bought renditions that are often sickly sweet and lack flavor.
- Consistency. Making caramel sauce from scratch means you have control. Store-bought sauces are often very thin and don’t work well for all uses. They are typically in the section with ice cream toppings, because they work well for that, but not as well for other things. This homemade caramel sauce is perfect for all kinds of desserts.
- It’s quicker and surprisingly easy. Sure you could run grab a jar of caramel sauce from the store, but that would take you at least 20 minutes. This homemade version only takes 10 minutes of active time (plus some for cooling) and the instructions are super easy to follow.
What You’ll Need
You’ll only need 3 ingredients to make this super simple, quick, and easy homemade caramel sauce. Here they are. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card below for precise measurements.
- Sugar – Just regular granulated sugar here.
- Butter – Unsalted butter at room temperature is best (you can add your own salt later, if you like). You want to be sure that the butter is at room temperature or even a bit warmer. You could even melt it! The big thing here is that the melted sugar is SUPER sensitive to temperature changes. If you add butter that is too cold, the caramel will seize up into a hard rock.
- Heavy Whipping Cream – Make sure it’s at room temperature. Again, the caramel sauce is sensitive to dramatic temperature changes. This should be at least room temperature. You could even warm it up a touch. I often do that, just to be same. Especially in the winter when my home is cooler. Don’t replace this with milk or half and half, you need the extra fat content to get a creamy texture. Other milks will thin it out too much.
How to Make Homemade Caramel Sauce
Caramel sauce really is simple to make. The first step is to melt the granulated sugar. It’s a somewhat slow process, but easy. Allow it to caramelize, then stir in the butter and incorporate it (it may take a minute). Finally, add the heavy cream. That’s it! You’re done. But as simple as it is, it can be tricky. Here’s the step-by-step process to help ensure your success.
- Melt the sugar. Pour the sugar into a pot (I recommend a light colored pan, so you can see the color of the caramel sauce) and heat over medium heat. Stir the sugar until it has melted completely and has turned a deep, amber color. You’ll notice the sugar really clump up at first, then slowly begin to melt. Keep stirring as it melts, so that no part of it burns while the rest is still melting.
- Remove from heat. Once melted and the right color, stop stirring and remove the caramel from the heat.
- Add butter. Add the butter (be sure it’s room temperature or warmer) to the sugar and whisk until smooth. It may take a minute to fully incorporate and can look a little stringy. It will bubble up a lot, so be careful.
- Add the cream. Slowly pour the heavy cream (be sure it’s room temperature or warmer) into the caramel and whisk until smooth. Again, it’ll bubble up a lot, so be careful.
- Cool. Pour the caramel into a jar (ideally the one you plan to store it in) and allow it to cool for about 10-15 minutes before using.
Do I Need a Candy Thermometer?
One of the great things about this caramel sauce is that you do not need a candy thermometer. Once your sugar is melted and turned a lovely amber color, it’s ready to go. You will also notice a lovely, nutty aroma. The longer you cook it, the deeper the color and the caramel flavor. Just use your eyes and best judgement and you’ll be set.
How Do You Know When Caramel is Ready?
You will know your caramel sauce is ready when the sugar has fully melted and reaches a deep amber color. Once it gets there, remove it from the heat immediately. If you want a slightly richer caramel, you can allow it to cook for a bit longer, but keep a very close watch as caramel can go from beautiful golden brown to burnt very quickly.
Why is my Caramel Sauce Thin?
This caramel sauce is quite thin when it first comes off the stove and is very hot. The warmer is it, the thinner it is. The cooler it is, the thicker. And then when it’s cold, it’s quite firm and hard. You can use it at different consistencies depending on what you’re using it for. I often let it cool completely in the fridge, then warm it up in the microwave in 10-15 second increments, stirring between each, to get it to the consistency I want.
Tips for Success
Caramel can be a little tricky but don’t be intimidated. You can 100% do it and do it well. Just keep these simple tips in mind and you’ll be on your way.
- Room temperature ingredients. This one is the most important. It is extremely important not to add cold butter or cream to your melted sugar unless you want rock-hard caramel sauce. Be sure they are at room temperature (or warmer!). You can even melt the butter a bit and warm up the cream. I often do that in the winter, when my home is a little cooler.
- Don’t use too much heat. You don’t want parts of the melted sugar to cook too quickly while other parts are still melted. Aim for medium heat and err on the side of caution. If it seems like the sauce is cooking too quickly and not everything is melted, turn the heat down a bit.
- Keep it moving. In order to prevent the sugar from burning, keep the caramel sauce moving as it cooks. I like to use a silicon spatula or a wooden spoon.
- Keep an eye on the sugar. This recipe melts the sugar using the “dry method” (just sugar, nothing else). This means that the sugar is very susceptible to burning. So keep an eye on it and don’t walk away from the stove. No potty breaks allowed in this process!
- Slow and steady. When adding the cream, I find it helpful to add just a bit at a time until the caramel starts to thin out. Then you can add the rest.
Ways to Use This Easy Caramel Sauce
Honestly, you can use caramel sauce on just about any sweet thing (and even some savory). Here are a few of my favorite ways to use it, though. What are yours?
- As a dip. Warm this sweet sauce up and serve it with apple slices or other fruit, graham crackers, homemade chocolate chip cookies, or churros. You could even dip savory treats. Pretzels or potato chips would be tasty.
- Over dessert. Whether it’s a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a slice of apple pie, cake, or even cheesecake (check out my library of delicious cheesecake recipes for inspiration), this caramel sauce is the perfect way to top off your favorite dessert.
- Popcorn. Drizzle some caramel sauce over popcorn for a salty-sweet treat.
- With breakfast. Caramel sauce is the perfect way to sweeten up breakfast. Use it in lieu of (or in addition to) maple syrup over your favorite pancakes, waffles, or French toast. Try my Overnight Cinnamon Apple Baked French Toast Casserole or these Thick and Fluffy Banana Pancakes.
- In another recipe. I use this caramel sauce all the time in other recipes. Want to try some for yourself? Check out the section below titled “More Recipes With Caramel To Try” to get started.
Can I Use This For Caramel Apples?
Unfortunately, this particular caramel sauce is a bit too thin to work for caramel apples. It won’t cling to the fruit properly. You could try reducing the amount of heavy cream in the recipe to make it thicker. Just because this recipe won’t work for classic caramel apples, that doesn’t mean you can’t dip slices of apple into the caramel for a similar effect.
How to Store Caramel sauce
- Refrigerator. Once the sauce has cooled to room temperature, seal it in an airtight container (I like to use a glass mason jar) and store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Freezer. Allow the sauce to cool completely before sealing it in a freezer-safe airtight container. You can store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw in the fridge before using.
- To reheat. The sauce will be quite stiff when you remove it from the fridge. I suggest heating it in the microwave in 10-15 second increments, stirring between each, until it reaches the consistency you want it at. It will get thinner as it gets warmer.
More Recipes With Caramel To Try
It’s fall and, to me, that means caramel season. Once you get this caramel sauce down, you’ll be dying to use it in all sorts of recipes. In that spirit, here are some of my favorite caramel-inclusive sweet treats.
- Salted Caramel Cheesecake
- Turtle Cheesecake
- Turtle Layer Cake
- Drumstick Cake
- Baked Caramel Apple Blondie Cheesecake
- Caramel Apple Cupcakes
- Caramel Apple Cookie Cups
- Mini Caramel Apple Cheesecakes
- Caramel Cheesecake Cookies
Watch How to Make Caramel Sauce
Print
Homemade Caramel Sauce
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: About 1 1/2 Cups
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: American
Description
This easy homemade caramel sauce only requires 3 simple ingredients and 10 minutes of your time. Its irresistible flavor and nutty aroma will make you want to put it on everything from cheesecake, cake and cupcakes, to ice cream and cookies. Skip the store-bought stuff. This is so much better.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (207) granulated sugar
- 6 tbsp (84g) unsalted butter, cubed, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy whipping cream, room temperature
Instructions
- Pour sugar into an even layer in a large pot. I recommend a light colored pan or pot so that you can see the color of the caramel sauce while it cooks.
- Heat the sugar over medium heat, stirring with a heat-proof silicone spatula or wooden spoon, until melted. The sugar will clump up first, but will eventually completely melt. This should take about 10 minutes. Be sure not to turn up the heat to help it melt faster. Slow, even heating helps everything melt fully without some parts burning before others have fully melted.
- Once the sugar has melted, stop stirring. You can allow to cook until the sugar has turned to a little darker amber color to get a deeper caramel flavor, if you like. You should notice a nutty aroma. The change in color will happen quickly, so don’t let it go too long or get too dark or it’ll burn. Remove caramel from the heat.
- Add the butter (it should be at room temperature or warmer) and whisk until combined. The mixture will bubble up, but keep whisking until all the butter has melted and combined. It may look a little stringy at first, but it will come together.
- Slowly pour the heavy cream (it should be at room temperature or warmer) into the caramel, whisking constantly, and stir until well incorporated. It will bubble up again, so be careful. I find it can help to add just a bit at a time until the caramel starts to thin out, then you can add the rest.
- Cool for about 10-15 minutes before using. Store leftovers in a jar with a lid. Refrigerate up to 2 weeks.
Notes
If you’d like to add salt for a salted caramel sauce, you can add up to 1 teaspoon of salt.
Be sure the butter and heavy cream are at room temperature or warmer or your caramel sauce will seize.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 298
- Sugar: 33.9 g
- Sodium: 97 mg
- Fat: 18.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 33.9 g
- Protein: 0.7 g
- Cholesterol: 52.9 mg
Categories
Enjoy!
Used coconut cream and plant butter to make this. Yum. Thank you.
This is a hit,l did not have caramel sauce and l had an order which needed it.Tried this even substitute butter with margarine (wooden spoon) worked like a bomb.l love it,easy to make.l also added a drop of caramel flavour to my whipping cream since l was using margarine didn’t want a funny taste.Thank you
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed it!
What is the difference using water vs butter for making homemade caramel. I want to make homemade caramel to fill cupcakes. I have made your recipe and it’s awesome, but I would like to know what the difference is
I don’t know of any caramel sauce that uses water in place of butter. Butter adds flavor and a thicker consistency to the caramel sauce. I do have another caramel sauce that uses some water, but it’s not really in place of the butter. There’s the wet method of making caramel and the dry method. This one uses the dry method, and my other caramel sauce uses the wet method. The dry method is a little more traditional, but the wet method is easier. They produce caramel that is very similar in consistency and flavor. I hope that helps!
Yes this does help. I worded my post wrong. I just wanted to know why some recipes use water and some don’t and you did answer my question. I love the dry method without water. I think the Carmel is thicker. Thank you for your reply.
Have you canned any of the sauce for gift giving?
I don’t really do any canning, so I haven’t.
Was wondering did you van this sauce after making it. I want to use it for xmas gifts. If you canned it can you tell me how you did it and how long. Thank you!
Excited to make this recipe.
One question…ingredient list said salted butter, but directions say unsalted works best. I’m sure it’s a matter of preference, but what do you advise?
Thank you!
Either is fine. This one isn’t meant to be a super salty sauce, so salted butter will add a touch of salt for flavor without making it salty. But you can also use unsalted butter and then add your own salt so that you can control the amount.
I look forward to making this yummy recipe. What is the reasoning for the flour in the caramel layering on the crust?
Without the flour, the caramel will disappear into the cheesecake, rather than remaining a separate layer.
I have made this recipe a few times for an annual auction. It brings good money. But i now have a baby shower I am throwing and we are doing caramel apples. I will be keeping it warm in a crockpot and people will dip their apples. Will this sauce stay on the apples
I actually think it would need to be thicker to use it for caramel apples. You could try reducing the heavy cream and experimenting with it a bit.
I love it and do you store at room temperature and how long can I store it?
You can store it in the fridge for about two weeks or freeze it for up to three months.
Honestly this recipe is great, I used brown sugar though. First try I burned it but still tastes great, went back & tried again. Added a small amount of butter during the melting stage to prevent burning, unfortunately adding the cream temperature wasn’t quite right so it clumped up bad.. all was fine, back on the heat and whisking fast with a fork broke the clumps up well and now I have the most delicious caramel sauce with toffee like chunks.. 10/10 even when you screw it up it still tastes great
I’m glad you enjoyed it! It really isn’t meant to be made with brown sugar though. If you’d like to try a brown sugar based caramel sauce, I would recommend this one. https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/easy-caramel-sauce/
How do you make a caremel fugue chocolate cake please help
You could try something like my Turtle Chocolate Cake or my Drumstick Layer Cake. Or even combine parts of those two.
Thank you so much for the recipe
I melted the sugar into a light amber color and when I added the butter it clumped up into hard rocks and wouldn’t incorprate. I stirred and stirred and stirred.. What did I do wrong?
The butter was too cool. That causes the melted sugar to seize. You could try partially melting the butter next time just to ensure that it’s not too cool. Sorry you had trouble!
I cannot for the life of myself believe it took me this long to find such an easy and incredible recipe. I used well known home cooks’ recipes, it failed every time. I use yours first attempt, and it is fabulous! Thank you so much for this incredibly good and easy recipe, I used a cast iron pan with tremendous success and you were right, just keep stirring, caramel sauce have never been easier.
So glad it turned out well for you!
Does the sauce have to be heated up before you use it once it’s been in the refrigerator
Yes, it will get pretty firm as it cools in the fridge. Just warm it back up gently in the microwave.
My 9 year old granddaughter loves caramel. I taught her this recipe, it was perfect. Butter definitely needs to be room temperature as recipe states.
So, I started wisking the sugar in a big no-sick frying pan. I clumped up and stuck to the wisk, a wooden spoon and even in some parts of the pan. It also dried on my wisk so I couldn’t take it off the wisk. It was turning amber color so I decided to add the butter hoping it would help the sugar melt. Of course it didn’t. Now I’m at a loss of what to do next. Help!!!
I fixed it and finished it. Yay!!! Had to add water, a little at a time until the boulders of sugar all disolved. It took quite a while but I persued. 100% delicious.
I’m glad you were able to save it! In the future, it will clump up like that while you’re stirring it but it will eventually melt. It’s best in my opinion to stir it to help it melt evenly. Make sure you aren’t heating it too quickly making some parts melt when others don’t before it starts to turn amber colored. Some people will tell you not to stir it while it’s melting, but I find that it’ll burn before everything melts evenly if I don’t stir it. I hope that helps.
I’m going to make this recipe after this comment. Not sure if I have a full 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Can I add 2% milk to the cream and use that?
I will let you know how it turns out.
If it’s just a little bit of 2% milk it probably won’t affect it too much. But heavy cream has a higher fat content so if you use something other than that, the sauce will be thinner. I hope it turned out well!
Can you make this is a cast iron pan?
I’m not sure. I haven’t tried it. But I would probably stick with a sauce pan.
It worked for me in a cast iron pan.
I used a cast iron pan myself with great success.
Hi could I use 10% cream instead of whipping cream?
Your sauce would end up thinner but you could give it a try.
So thrilled for the caramel sauces you offer. Plan to make both Salted & Easy Homemade as a taste test for a grandchild loving ice cream but not Chocolate Sauce!
Question: Can I freeze these sauces, and for how long?
Thanks..
Generally caramel sauce can be frozen for up to 12 months.
Does this Sause gets think when refrigerated?
Yes, it’s thick when cold.
i tried the recipe several times out of many recipes that i have tried and this recipe has been a favorite and success to what i was gaining to have for my use.. thank you for sharing.
This recipe is the best! I’m still licking my fingers! Thank you so much for sharing the video as well. It was so easy and so helpful!
Could I use evaporated or condensed milk instead of heavy cream?
I haven’t tried it to know how it’d turn out, but the results would differ than with heavy cream.
Hi Lindsay
Can I use this caramel sauce for filling cupcakes?
I’m not really sure it’d be ideal for a cupcake filling.
My caramel turned very dark but it did not burn. I used light brown sugar. It looks like chocolate sauce…any ideas why it’s so dark?
My guess would be that it’s burned, so if you say it’s not burned I’m honestly not sure.
Maybe bc you used brown sugar? If it’s not burnt that would be my guess.
Can I spread this sauce on pie dough to make pecan nut roll ups?
I’ve never made those before, but I think it’d be fine.
So creamy
What if my caramel is too thin can I fixed it
I’m not sure that you can. But it thickens as it cools.
Can I use milk instead of heavy cream because I don’t have heavy cream
No, it would turn out too thin.
Can I make this with apples? Will it stick and be thick enough?
No, sorry.
Hi,
This question may sound silly but how much is 6 tablespoons of butter in grams? I’m not sure how to measure solid butter with a tablespoon? Thank you in advance ☺
Most butter sticks mark out the tablespoons for you, so you just cut the stick on the line. But 6 tablespoons weighs 84g.
I think I messed up somewhere along the way lol. My sugar wasn’t clumpy but then I added the butter and the most of the sugar clumped up in seperate balls. I added the heavy cream anyway so I was able to have some caramel
Thank you so much!! I had tried 2 other recipes, and were major fails. Third time’s a charm. Thanks again, look forward to your other recipes!
Hi Lindsay! I watched your video to make caramel sauce and followed it to a T. However, my end product is only saucy when hot and very hard when cool enough to consume. Is there anything I can do with the finished recipe to return it to an edible sauce? Thanks for your advice!
It sounds like maybe you didn’t add the full amount of butter or cream? I’m not sure if you can save it but you could try heating it and adding more cream.
Very clear instructions in the video! Thank you so much! ❤️
I absolutely recommend this caramel sauce recipe! Three ingredients and a YouTube video (which I highly recommend) and I added a pinch of salt just to raise it up a notch. I put it in my homemade Pralines and Cream Ice cream and a little on top and it was so good! You will be very happy you took the time to make this awesome caramel sauce.
I would like to know can I use fresh cream or cooking cream if I don’t have any heavy cream?
Heavy cream has a higher amount of fat, so it’s going to be ideal. But you can certainly try another type of cream.
I agree, 8 mean it came together well, but it was very bitter
So I followed the recipe, but when I added the butter it got real hard on my whisk. Why
The butter was too cool and the caramel seized.
it has been said, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. And I say, the way to a wife’s heart is through caramel! I whipped this up before the wife got home. I served it on Tillemooks vanilla bean ice cream and
she was in heaven! absolutely loves it! thank you so mich for such a simple recipe!
Thank you so much! This is the first caramel sauce recipe that has ever turned out for me. And it is delicious! Thank you for this wonderful recipe.
P.S. I love your “I love Jesus and naps” shirt!
Glad to hear it! And thank you!
I finally got my pan cleaned! Soaking in the hot water worked for me. I was really nervous about it. It was so hard and up the side of the pan about an inch.
Oh my Carmel!! 😱🤯🥰 This was my first attempt at Carmel and the video and instructions were so detailed and clear I aced it! It came out so good and it is the best caramel that I’ve ever tried in my life! 😋 Thank you so much for this recipe and the video was perfect explanation! yum yum yum my family is so happy!! 😊😊 Happy New Years Y’all, God Bless 2021!! 🙏🏻🙏🏼🙏🏽🙏🏾🙏🏿
Awesome! I’m so glad you liked it. Thank you!
I Made this recipe (easy caramel sauce) to use it with sticky buns. it was too thin, when I flipped the rolls over after baking the sauce ran all over. I think I should cook it a little longer–maybe 4 minutes or maybe add more cream. it tasted scrumptious. My wife is not able to do any more baking so this is my first experience at making caramel rolls.
This sauce is quite thin when warm. You’d probably want to reduce the liquid, not increase it.
Yes mine was super thin at first but I added heat for a couple mins and it got to perfect consistently! Mine is still cooking now so not sure once it’s all the way cold but I love the consistently it is now! I prefer a sauce more than a chewy or crunchy hard when cold type of caramel.
I made this and it worked wonderfully for me. My only issue is that my sauce has an ever so slightly burnt flavor. Did I maybe cook the sugar a tad too long? Could I add vanilla to help fix this??
Yes, the sugar was cooked a touch too long. Not sure if vanilla would help but you could try it.
That is dulce de leche. Similar but not the same taste. And it takes about 3 hours to cook in the can. Caramel takes roughly 10-15 min
My above comment was in response to someone else’s suggestion on using condensed milk
I made the recipe, followed the suggestion to substitute with evaporated milk; the flavor and color is there but it seems a bit liquidity… 🙁 I’m not sure where I went wrong… and suggestions?
I’m guessing the evaporated milk suggestion was from another comment? I don’t remember recommending that. You are going to get a different result with a different type of milk. Cream has a high fat content and it’s going to give you a thicker result. My guess is that’s where the problem is. But it also thickens quite a bit as it cools so maybe give it a chance to cool a bit and see if you’re happy with it then.
i made this and the directions were perfect. my only issue is that the end product tasted a bit “strong tasting” and lacked a little of the “caramel” flavour. consistency was perfect, Any suggestions as an “add in” after to get more of that carmely flavour?? thank you
I’m not sure what you mean by “strong tasting”. If it was strong in flavor, I would think it should have plenty of caramel flavor and not need more. The caramel flavor comes from how long you cook the sugar before adding the butter and cream. The deeper the amber color, the deeper the flavor. You just don’t want to over cook it or it’ll taste a little burnt. There’s a fine line. There isn’t anything you can add after the fact. You’d just want to cook the sugar a touch longer. It can take a few times of making it to really get to know exactly the right amount of cooking it to push it as much as you can without burning it.
Absolutely DELICIOUS!!! Just keep stirring, stirring, stirring and you will win the prize! SO GOOD!!!
This recipe is pretty easy and soooo good! We use it in coffee drinks, desserts, and just dip apple slices in it… thanks for the amazing recipe! <3
So glad to hear that!
I didn’t have any issues with this recipe and WOW!!! This recipe knocked me off my feet. It is INCREDIBLE and tastes like it came straight out of the Werthers Original Factory. Everybody is getting a jar of this for Christmas!
So glad it was a hit!
I have tried this recipe and its DELICIOUS!
My only problem was that my whisk and sauce pan were clumped with hard, dried sugar so I put it in hot water and it worked pretty well.
Hey Lindsay, I am LOVING this caramel sauce, it was absolutely perfect!!! From all the recipes I have tried this one was absolutely Devine! Hope you enjoy my short poem about it (IM OBSESSED)!!!!
my love for you feels unreal,
from the sweet taste you leave on my tongue
to the smooth look of you in the jar
your caramel flavor leaves me in a daze
I will always need you
my sweet sweet caramel
anyway thank so so much for this a-m-a-z-i-n-g recipe 🙂
Lol! Great poem! Glad you enjoyed it!
PLEASE HELP!!!!!!! (see above)
my sugar is hard. even though it is on heat!!! how do i fix????
Easy and very delicious recipe! I too found that it got quite clumpy but I just kept whisking it, and once I added the cream I put it back on to the heat, whisked whisked whisked and it got there in the end. Beautiful smooth caramel sauce. I’ve made it to decorate a birthday cake tomorrow but will it last that long…. I mean I might eat it, dangerously delicious 🙂
This was my very first attempt at making Caramel Sauce and it’s a big success thanks to you! I’ll be baking Chocolate Toffee Cake for the first time and it needs caramel sauce for the buttercream and filling. Thank you for sharing your recipe and providing detailed instructions and tips. It’s so good on its own. I’m so excited to bake the cake and let the family taste 😍❤️
I have seen different recipes for caramel but these instructions are by far the best! I have actually sent someone this recipe because she burnt her caramel following other instructions. This is my second time making this recipe and its awesome.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I had never even tried making caramel before in my life, because I’ve heard it’s really tricky. So you can imagine I was very anxious making it, but how excited I was that it turned out sooo good! I’m also one for having as few ingredients as possible in any recipe, that’s why I picked this one. And so glad!!
Hi there, can i use all purpose cream instead of heavy whipping cream? Thanks!
The difference would be in the amount of fat, which would change up the texture of the caramel a bit. It might not be quite a soft.
Can I substitute the heavy cream with evaporated milk?
I haven’t tried it to say for sure what that would turn out like.
Me and my friend tried it twice, did not work out either times. Second time it got the color and that’s it. Looked promising but ended up tasting like burnt sugar. Took us over an hour to get that and where not happy with the results.
First of all thank you for this recipe!! The taste is amazing! I’ve been letting it sit for about an hour or so, but it’s still really thin? Did I do something wrong or could I refrigerate it to make it a bit thicker?
I’m glad you enjoyed it! I don’t think you did anything wrong, it just takes a while for it to cool enough to thicken up. You can definitely put it in the fridge.
Hi,
My caramel sauce turned out to be a little bitter. Did I cook it too much?
Thanks!
That’s what it sounds like.
Do i used powdered/icing sugar or normal sugar
Regular granulated white sugar
Wow oh wow this recipe is so amazing made it and it looks store bought so amazing.thank you!
Love this! Thank you very much. This worked out exactly how you said it would. You were not joking about the 10 minutes of whisking. I cheated a little and melted the butter in the microwave😬 I use this to make my morning coffee. Times like this it is important!
Note for those of you that had problems, make sure your flame is under your pan! Size of burner to pan ratio can change this very fast.
Once again thank you 💕
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Can I use caster sugar or should It be granulated? Gonna try this recipe for cupcake filling and cheesecake topping.
I can’t think of a reason why caster sugar would be an issue.
Hi I’m thinking of doing the caramel sauce as favours for my wedding. Do you think it’d be fine to have it out of the fridge but stipulate to use within 2 weeks?
I think caramel sauce is OK at room temperature for a few hours, but more than that I wouldn’t suggest.
This tastes pretty darn good! My first attempt seized because the sugar would not mix with the butter, I didn’t have a chance to let the butter get to room temperature so I melted it in the microwave, bad idea? The second attempt went a little better, I partially melted the butter this time and it started to seize so I started mixing like crazy after adding the butter and added the cream. I had to stir really fast and it worked but I have a few hard sugar clumps. Do you think it’s because I didn’t use room temperature butter? I also marked up the cream for 10 seconds in the microwave to take away the chill.
Having the butter a little bit melted should be fine. Maybe try the cream in a slow stream while whisking very quickly. You don’t want to overwhelm the caramel as you add liquid. But when adding the butter, you do need to whisk very quickly and it can take a little bit for everything to incorporate.
Just made this, as I’ve been having the weirdest cravings for caramel. I stirred the sugar almost constantly, heated my butter, and it worked perfectly. The cream was probably a bit too cool, but I kept stirring it over low heat and it came together. Tasting it out of the pan as I poured it into a storage jar, it seemed to lack something, maybe a pinch of salt. But it pure perfection on popcorn (I think the salt on the popcorn helps.) My partner, who is not as big a popcorn fan as I am, can’t stop eating it. Wow.
Next time I do it, I may try some vanilla, a dash of cinnamon . . . and some peanuts when it goes over popcorn again. Would also be incredible with some bourbon.
I’m glad you enjoyed it! You could certainly try adding a little salt or bourbon. Both would be tasty!
My cream was not quite room temp and it seized. I reheated and whisked until it smoothed out, will that be ok or should I start over?
If you were able to get it to thin back out, I would think it should be fine.
Tried 3 times gave up. There’s no reason not to use brown sugar fool proof method.
Could I use brown sugar instead of white?
I’m not sure how it’d turn out. If you’d like to use brown sugar, I’d recommend this sauce.
Can unsalted butter be used?
Yes, you just may want to add a little bit of salt to the recipe. Salt can help amp up the flavor, and some people just like a more salty caramel sauce.
Hi – Thank you so much for this recipe! This is exactly what I’d been searching for as an alternative to store-bought caramel sauce. I did substitute evaporated milk for the whipping cream (because I live a distance from town and that’s what I had on hand); it turned out perfect! Love your website – can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
Wonderful! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
This didn’t turn out at all! Help!! Added butter and it just clumped and I can combine!
This caramel sauce is very sensitive to temperature and it sounds like your butter was too cool. The caramel will seize if the butter or cream are too cool. To be sure that they aren’t, you could warm them up a little in the microwave. You could also try this other caramel sauce, which isn’t quite as sensitive. https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/easy-salted-caramel-sauce/
I did everything as on receipe
Result Mini rock hard boulders of suger swimming in melted butter my first & last attempt at caramel sauce must be an easier way also it took forever for sugar to melt
I’m sorry you had trouble with it. This recipe can be tricky because the temperature of the ingredients really makes a difference and if they’re too cold it does seize. I recently shared a new caramel sauce that is much easier and doesn’t require as much hands-on work if you’d like to try it. https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/easy-salted-caramel-sauce/
Hi there,
I’m 81 and have been cooking since I was 8 years old. I love to cook and bake. But, believe it or not, I have NEVER made caramel sauce, have just always bought it. I have always used a gas stove to cook and bake. We will be moving to a new rental that has a “glass top electric stove”. I am NOT looking forward to learning to cook all over again!!. My question to you is; do you have any hints for me when making this caramel sauce on an electric stove? I know electric stove cooking can be very tricky. Appreciate any help you can send my way. Thanks, Suzanne
I wish I did have some tips, but I too have always cooked on a gas stove so I’m not really sure. I’m sorry!!
Is it possible to use browned butter in this recipe?
I’m sorry, but you should NOT be stirring the sugar with a whisk! At least in the beginning. Step 1) add a little of sugar to the pan and let it start to melt. DO NOT STIR at this time. 2) once the sugar starts to caramelize, start adding more sugar little by little, stirring with a spatula until all the sugar has been added. 3)tilt the pan over to see the true color of the caramel as the top layer is not the true color of the caramel. It should be a nice amber color. 4) WHISK in the butter and heated milk (you can add some kosher salt here if you want salted caramel). The heated milk will not make the caramel bubble as much and it won’t clump as much. Continue whisking until most of the clumps are out and then strain the caramel into a separate heat resistant container.
Hello. Can I use half and half instead of heavy cream?
I haven’t tried it but I think it’d be ok.
Is it okay if I use whipping cream w/35% fat?
The first batch burned while I was waiting for it to get more amber. The second batch didn’t seem to burn, but it’s bitter!! Any thoughts?
Hmm, it sounds like it might still have burned a bit. Try a batch without waiting for more than a few seconds for the caramel to turn a little more amber. Depending on how long the sugar takes to melt completely, it might already be fairly “ambered” once it’s done melting. If you try it without letting it sit for too long and can get the hang of seeing what it’s like when it isn’t burned, it’ll help you gauge it later when you let it amber more. Letting it rest really just deepens the flavor. If you just proceed with the recipe without letting it sit as much, it’ll still turn out great.
This is the exact problem I had! Burned the first batch. Second batch looked good but smelled burnt so I tossed it before I wasted another stick of butter in burnt caramel. Definitely frustrating! I’m trying the method with the water instead now to see if it works better for me.
Did you taste it before throwing it out? Sometimes it can have little bit of a burnt smell from cooking the sugar, but be totally fine.
have you made this with evaporated (“Pet”) milk instead of heavy whipping cream?? I see caramel recipes that use the two interchangeably and was curious if it could be done with this…
I haven’t ever tried it, so I’m really not sure how it’d turn out.
First time I made it, it went absolutely amazing. Second time, it became impossibly hard at the butter stage. I figured the butter was too cold so I microwaved it some the second time and yet it did the same thing again.
Only potential difference I can think of is the second time I used the butter, I actually used margarine instead. Could that have made that much of a difference?
I would think margarine would be fine. I don’t know what else would cause it to harden other than temperature. Maybe try adding about half of the butter, then the other half and see if that helps?
Burnt the sugar (too much heat) first two attempts. Third attempt cream was too cold. Warmed sauce over a low temperature until all the lumps dissolved. Video definitely helped to figure out what I was doing wrong.
I’m so glad the video tutorial was helpful!
I burned the first batch, but the second one was awesome, except it had tiny sugar bits in it.. is this because I used cane sugar? Thanks for the recipie!
Burning it can be easy to do. I don’t think the little bits would be because of the cane sugar. I’ve had it happen and I think it’s from the temperature of the heavy whipping cream when it’s added. The caramel is SUPER sensitive to temperature. Anything that’s too cool will cause it to seize. My guess is that the cream was warm enough that it didn’t cause the whole thing to seize, but still cool enough that little bits formed. You could try heating the cream in the microwave or on the stove before adding it.
I love caramel and all things caramel (is that beer a word, LOL), I’ve always been too scared to make caramel but today i tried your recipe and it was just perfect. Will definitely be trying it again and hopefully it will be just as beautiful and yummy the second time around.
Wonderful! Glad you enjoyed it!
Hi there i love love your page!
Just wanted to ask can you use this caramel as a cake filling or is it not thick enough?
Thanks! Xx
It’s pretty thick at room temperature, but it’s also quite sticky. I’m not sure if I’d recommend it as a filling or not. You could definitely try it!
This worked on my first attempt, unusual for me. I reckon the trick is to use a really heavy based pan which distributes the heat well. I used a le Cruset which is a brand of dutch oven pot.
I noticed that the butter didn’t incorporate very well, there was a portion of it left over running around the top as I stirred. I still then added the cream in batches like you suggest. It all incorporated in the end and flowed well into the container. the only thing was a ring of solid caramel round the edge of the pot’s base where the whisk coudnt reach because of it’s rounded shape. Thanks for the recipe it’s delicious
This caramel sauce was amazing. I forgot how simple it is to make caramel items. Thanks for such a great recipe, this is going in my family’s recipe book!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
can i make this caramel sauce the day before or will it go hard overnight? should it be stored in the fridge or pantry?
You can definitely make it a day ahead. It should be stored in the fridge and will firm up, but you can always microwave it to soften it up again to the consistency you want.
If using this on a cake, will it lose its sheen/become white-ish after refrigeration?
Thanks either way!
I wouldn’t say it becomes white-ish, but it can loose it’s sheen when cooled.
This was my first time making it with my husband‘a help and it worked perfectly. JUST KEEP STIRRING.
Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed it!
Ok with this video it looked fool proof….kidding! This was my 4th time trying to make caramel and again it didn’t work. I’m so frustrated. I melted the sugar, didn’t let it burn, added the butter and it melted and bubbled and sort of encorperated but then got stringy and I added the whipping cream slowly as I was whisking and then it clumped and became a hard lump of sugar! What the heck am I doing wrong. I really want to make my own caramel for my kids to dip apples junto but it’s just not working!
It can be tricky to get the hang of it. It actually sounds like it was fine up until the cream. It can look a little stringy and weird after the butter, but usually smooths out nicely with the cream added. The fact that it clumped tells me the cream was too cool. The caramel realllllly is sensitive to temperature. Try heating it up in the microwave a bit before adding it next time, just to be sure that it’s not cool.
Does the caramel harden if you make ahead and keep it in the refrigerator?
It will firm up when cold, so you’ll want to microwave it.
I made this and your other recipe for gifts last Christmas, turned out beautifully. Yesterday I tried making this 3 times and they all seized up! I thought the first time my butter wasn’t room temp enough, so the next time I left it out for longer, badness. The last time I actually melted the butter a bit but I still had a few clumps that wouldn’t mix into the rest……I got about 6 ounces out of it, but it was good!
THIS IS AN ADDENDUM TO THE ABOVE REVIEW; I was determined to get this right so I tried again and found that if my butter was NOT room temperature, it seized up the moment I added it to the melted sugar 🙁 I made 2 batches that were perfect, got in a hurry for my 3rd and did not wait until butter was room temp, it seized up 🙁 Tried a 4th batch and let the butter set out for 2 hours and it turned out perfect. So…..just a tip
I also added some vanilla to the milk for one of the batches and its perfect!!!!
I tried this twice today to go with the Carmel apple cupcakes and I tanked it both times. The first time I think it was baker error because my cupcakes came out right as the butter was melted. The second time it looks beautiful but tastes super burnt! Not sure if I’m going to give it another go or not
try this one (my foolproof go-to) : melt 1 cup butter and 2 cups brown sugar over med heat. Bring to a boil, remove from heat. Whisk in 1 can of evaporated milk, 1 tsp vanilla, and 1/4 tsp salt. Makes about 2 1/2 – 3 cups. Keeps in the fridge a week or so + freezes well. It thickens once cold, so just nuke it for 10-12 sec. You can use a bit less milk if you want it super thick, and light br. sugar for a lighter tasting sauce, darker ones for a richer one (not demerara tho)
So easy and came out perfect. Took maybe 7 minutes to make! Thanks!!
Wow This sure didn’t work out to well.???? The browned sugar got real hard when I added the butter. I couldn’t get the two to combine
Did you have a chance to watch the video? That might help you see what to expect. It definitely sounds like your butter was too cool. The melted sugar is extremely sensitive and if the butter is too cool, it does exactly what you describe – it hardens. The butter needs to be room temperature or warmer. If it’s a bit cold out and your butter is still cool at room temperature, heat it up a bit before adding it.
I had the same thing happen to me the first time I made it (I didn’t watch the video). But with a little persistence and lots of stirring on and off the heat, I eventually got the hard sugar lump to dissolve/ ?melt into the butter and cream. It turned out delicious and tasted the same as future batches I have made since where this didn’t happen.
Just thought I would share this because it is a shame to throw it all out when it can still be salvaged.
Thanks for the wonderful recipe and the very helpful video!
I’m so glad to hear you were able to work it out and that you enjoyed the caramel sauce!
I want to thank you for the video. I am sure that i would have thought I had done something wrong. With the sugar or butter. Would not have kept stirring.
Oh good, I’m so glad it was helpful! 🙂
I tried this and the sugar just kept clumping. After reviewing some other recipes i realized you actually should not whisk the sugar. I also find that, for a beginner, making the caramel using a water+sugar (wet method) is much for forgiving. Then I add the other ingredients to follow this recipe. Works great.
Did you happen to watch the video? It shows the process quite well. Clumping is part of the process.
Once you remove sugar from hear do you keep it off the heat the rest of the time? Or put it back on once you add the butter and other ingredients?
The answer is sort of either. 🙂 I normally take it off the heat, turn off the burner and then when I add the butter and cream, I’ll put it back on the warm burner if it seems like it needs it.
This was really easy to make and is delicious!!! Recipe only made 3-4 oz jars so I have to make a few more. I plan on gifting these with a couple apples in a gift baggy.
Mm delicious, this turned out just right. Thanks for sharing.
Simon
It’s my first time making caramel… and my exact words were “oh my God, oh my God, come taste this!” It’s an amazing recipe, easy process and easy ingredients. Thanks for sharing.
Can I use topping cream instead of Whipping cream? If I can change it, can you tell me how to change sugar in your recipe? Because topping cream include sugar…Thanks and love you <3
I’m not familiar with topping cream. I’m sorry.
I would like to go for a mouth-open swim in this sauce. Love love love!
I could lick that caramel right off the spoon! YUMMY!
I made this sauce, it was easy and delicious!!!
What type of jar are you using to store it in?
Thanks
So glad you enjoyed it! I typically use a mason jar.
Oh my gosh! My mouth is watering. thank you for posting this. I have never tried making homemade caramel but it looks easy and so good. Loved the pictures of the apple creations.
I can’t believe I’ve never made caramel sauce, but this looks beyond perfect – can’t wait to try it.
I have some kind of caramel issue, really. I swear. Sometimes it works, and sometimes my sugar just never stops clumping and then it gets darker while clumping. Aaaaaah. But I will not give up! Yours looks perfect!
Hmm, perhaps it’s on too high heat? So then maybe it cooks too quickly, resulting in clumps that don’t get melted?
Try using brown sugar instead! Yum!
It is amaizing, the deserts is very good!!!
Just curious if there is a substitute for heavy whipping cream? I heard you can use milk and corn starch?
Not that I know of.
You can substitute evaporated milk. I tried it and it works perfectly.
There’s a simpler way. Just simmer condensed milk while still in the can and it turns into it. Just make sure the can stays covered in water.
Im pretty sure heating anything still in a sealed can is dangerous, the liquid will boil and the can could explode.. Also some cans have a thin plastic lining that will contaminate the contents. DONT DO IT!!
My mother did this and never had a oroblem
This works great!
Done it hundreds of times. But, to make from a scratch, is sooo much more fun!
That’s actually dulce de Leche. Similar to caramel in look and taste, but not the same.
I have a similar problem
It looks perfect then I add the butter and immediately it clumps
I even had the butter yp to boiling
Is my sugar too hot perhaps??
I’ve never had an issue with the sugar being too hot. If it’s not boiling or something, I’d think it’d be ok. Just be sure to whisk a lot while adding the butter. If you’d prefer to try a different method, I have a newer and simpler caramel sauce you could try.
If you add a small amount of water, just enough to wet sugar you won’t have the problem of burning clumps. It takes a few seconds longer to caramelize.