This post may contain affiliate sales links. Please read my disclosure policy.
With three basic ingredients and fewer than 20 minutes, you can whip up the most luxurious homemade caramel! Whether it’s used as a dipping sauce for apples or a topping for ice cream, this sweet Brown Sugar Caramel Sauce will steal the stage.
Looking for something more traditional? You’ll love my Classic Caramel Sauce.
My Favorite Homemade Caramel Sauce
In many cases, the condiment makes the meal, and I think the same is true for dessert food. From sauces to dips to spreads, condiments always have me scraping the container with a spoon to savor every last taste. If you’re anything like me, that’s exactly what you’ll be doing with this caramel sauce.
It has a silky-smooth texture and a wonderful caramel flavor thanks to the use of brown sugar. Plus, theres no meed to melt sugar down. And the sweet, caramely goodness is wonderful!
Why I Love This Recipe
Brown sugar caramel sauce doesn’t just taste amazing – it’s a must-make all around. Here are some more key advantages to this particular recipe:
- It’s Super Quick and Simple
- You Only Need 3 Ingredients
- It Doesn’t Burn as Easily as Your Typical Caramel
- You Can Control the Consistency
- It Stays Good in the Fridge for Weeks
- It’s Freezer-Friendly
What You’ll Need
Let’s talk about the trio that makes it all possible. For specific amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.
- Butter: Even if you’re making Salted Caramel Sauce, it’s best to use unsalted butter and add your own.
- Light Brown Sugar: If dark brown sugar is your only option, you can use that instead – just keep in mind that it will intensify the flavor and may affect the texture as well.
- Heavy Cream: This gives the sauce a nice consistency for drizzling.
How to Make Brown Sugar Caramel Sauce
I like to measure out my ingredients before I get started so that everything is ready when I need it. You’ll have to work pretty quickly while the caramel cooks.
- Melt Butter: Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan.
- Add Sugar & Cream: Add the brown sugar and heavy cream, whisking constantly over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved.
- Boil: Bring the mixture to a boil and allow it to boil for no more than 3 minutes.
- Let Cool: Remove your caramel from the heat and allow it to cool. If you’re not serving it right away, transfer the cooled caramel to a covered container and keep it in the fridge.
Tips for Success
Make sure your caramel is up to snuff by reviewing the following tips. You can easily tailor it to suit your preferences!
- Never Touch Hot Caramel: It’s always important to prioritize safety when you’re cooking, and caramel sauce is certainly no exception. This stuff gets hot – even hotter than boiling water. Don’t forget to wear long sleeves and heat-proof gloves while you cook it in case any caramel splatters out of the pan.
- Whisk Only Until the Sugar is Dissolved: You’ll want to whisk your caramel constantly when you add the brown sugar and heavy cream. Once the sugar is dissolved, stop whisking. The caramel must be left undisturbed while it boils.
- Fine-Tune the Consistency: When this caramel sauce is warm, it has the perfect drizzling consistency without being too runny. It becomes a bit firmer at room temperature, but you can always warm it up in the microwave if needed. If you prefer a thinner caramel, you can add some extra cream.
Ways to Use Caramel Sauce
There are tons of tempting ways to serve your brown sugar caramel sauce. Let’s eat!
- Drizzle It Over Brownies
- Make Caramel Apple Cupcakes
- Layer It Into a Trifle
- Swirl It Into Blended Coffee
- Use It as a Dip for Pretzels or Fruit
- Drizzle It Over Ice Cream
- Mix It Into Yogurt
- Toss It With Popcorn
Storage and Reheating
Once your caramel has cooled down, transfer it to an airtight jar or container and refrigerate it for up to 3 weeks. It will harden as it chills. Pop it into the microwave for 20-30 seconds at a time to bring it back to a drizzling consistency, stirring after each increment. If you make it too thin, simply let it rest until it creates a nice drizzle.
Can I Freeze This?
Yes, as long as it’s not in a glass container. The freezing process causes the caramel to expand as it solidifies, which would likely break the glass. Instead, keep it in a freezer-safe container made of a more flexible material. Make sure you leave a little extra space in there as well.
Once your caramel has fully cooled, it can be frozen for 2-3 months. Thaw it out in the fridge overnight before you reheat it. If it’s still frozen after sitting in the fridge, let it rest at room temperature until it thaws.
Print
Brown Sugar Caramel Sauce
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 10
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: American
Description
With three basic ingredients and fewer than 10 minutes, you can whip up the most luxurious homemade caramel of your life! Whether it’s used as a dipping sauce for apples or a topping for ice cream, this sweet Brown Sugar Caramel Sauce will steal the stage.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Melt butter in a saucepan.
- Add brown sugar and heavy cream and whisk constantly over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.
- Bring to a boil and allow to boil for 3 minutes, no more.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool. Store in refrigerator.
Notes
- Makes about 1 1/2 cups caramel sauce
- Recipe slightly modified from Pioneer Woman’s Easy Caramel Sauce.
- To Store: Transfer cooled caramel to an airtight jar or container and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks. It will harden as it chills. Microwave it for 20-30 seconds at a time to bring it back to a drizzling consistency, stirring after each increment. If you make it too thin, let it rest until it creates a nice drizzle.
- To Freeze: Transfer cooled caramel to a freezer-safe container (make sure it’s not made of glass). Freeze for 2-3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating. If it’s still frozen after sitting in the fridge, let it rest at room temperature until it thaws.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 TBS
- Calories: 143
- Sugar: 16.3 g
- Sodium: 6.6 mg
- Fat: 8.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 16.4 g
- Protein: 0.2 g
- Cholesterol: 24.1 mg
Categories
More Easy Dessert Sauces to Try
Need more mouthwatering condiments for your favorite sweets? Allow me to assist you.
I didn’t experience any grainy texture, like others have said. Mine is 100% smooth and tastes amazing.
I used it for adding to a caramel buttercream to use on top of butter tart stuffed cupcakes
I followed the recipe to a “t” Smooth and carmel like after simmering for 3 minutes. But after it cooled down, there was sugar crystals on top. Now the carmel sauce is grainy. Can I save it by turning it back to smooth?
You can try heating it back up again and see if it’ll further melt. You want to be sure to cook it low and slow, to really give it time to melt. Assuming it was fully melted, adding a teaspoon or two of corn syrup to the caramel when you make it can help reduce the grainy-ness.
can i keep this on warm in the crock pot after being refrigerated?
I haven’t tried it, but I think it’d be ok.
Can you please share why my Carmel becomes grainy after cooling, placing in the fridge then reheating
It should not be grainy if all the sugar was fully melted. If it is a consistent issue though, try adding a tablespoon of corn syrup when making it and see if that helps.
my husband enjoys this recipe very much. So far I have used it for “Turtle Cheese Cake” and over Chocolate Zucchini cake with whip cream,,, total success… thank you for sharing this recipe. I can’t eat it because I have an issue with sugar,, but I may try to make it with stevia some day
I’m so glad he enjoys it!
I browned the butter. Took it off heat and added brown sugar and cream, then hit it with emersion blender to make it smooth. Put it back on heat, once the edges started bubbling I started a 3 minute timer. I poured the caramel mixture into another cold pot to stop cooking and added vanilla and about 10 drops of fresh lemon juice. I believe that all caramels need a few drops of acid. Apple cider vinegar works too.
I usually always make the standard white sugar caramel and actually had 3 failed attempts before using this recipe and it is very good.
This caramel will be topping a 3 layer dark chocolate and coconut cake. I would have used it in between the layers but the cake is already in a crumb coat in the fridge.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I know some of the white sugar recipes can be a little tricky, but this caramel sauce is fairly simple if you’d like to give it a try sometime.
This recipe needs water to dissolve the sugar crystals. Otherwise it is gritty. Just a couple tablespoons is enough. It is so good though! I made a double batch, added a little corn syrup and boiled it a few minutes to make perfectly chewy caramel candies. I will cover them in bittersweet chocolate and a couple granules of sea salt.
This is by far the easiest caramel sauce I have ever made and soooo delicious!!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Ok! Did it. Great easy sauce. I halfed it and had a nice amount for dipping my apple slices
So glad you enjoyed it!
Awesome recipe made this to go with your awesome brown butter pecan cheesecake which is off the hook delicious 😋 as always an awesome recipe. Thank you.
So glad you enjoyed it!
As always another awesome recipe and so simple
Come on guys it’s just caramel but its soooo good
Holy smokes. I only had whole milk and added a couple of punches of Salt (with salted butter ) to get a salted caramel vibe , phenomenal thank you so much !
I love this recipe. I made a pumpkin cheese cake, as the topping I used chopped pecans and caramel sauce. It was marvelous.
I am going to make this tonight. My only question is Salted? Or Unsalted butter?
You could use either. I’d personally use salted.
LOVE the taste but it’s a little gritty… I’m assuming that means i didn’t let the sugar melt. Should I reheat it and try to dissolve it a little better?
Yes. I’m not sure it would work if you reheat it, but you could try.
Do u use soft brown sugar or granulated brown sugar in this car
We only have one kind of brown sugar. I assume it’s more like a soft brown sugar.
How long can I safely store this in the fridge and out of the fridge?
Caramel sauce is generally safe at room temperature for three days, safe in the fridge for three weeks and safe in the freezer for three months.
I don’t usually comment on recipes but this one is amazing! I drizzled this on some apple slices and it gave me the caramel apple taste I wanted without the mess! Thank you! 😋❤️
This is the recipe I was searching for! Just perfect caramel in 5 minutes, and only 3 ingredients too! Would’ve saved myself a lot of burnt sugar, tears and pain from whisking over the stovetop if I found this earlier. Thank you for this beautiful recipe!
This recipe is so good its so simple how long can i store it in my fridge for?
soooo unbelievably easy, i never knew.
now to find an equally easy butterscotch syrup recipe!!
Would this be suitable for making gourmet caramel apples?
Probably not.
Love this recipe, so easy. You can add Kari light corn syrup to recipe for caramel apples.
I love this recipe! its smooth and sweet. thankyou so much! (it goes PERFECTLY with my ice cream!)
this recipe was great and so easy i loved it and my family loved it to thank you!
I have a question pls! Is brown sugar caramel sauce the same thing as butterscotch sauce?
Love how the smell and the taste of your recipe thank you for sharing this super simple caramel sauce
This was so easy and so delicious! Way better than using the white sugar and I can never get that one right. I always end up burning it. But this?? This is my new go to!
Best caramel sauce I’ve ever had but why did it crystallize? What did I do wrong?
In case anyone else runs into the same trouble, I find that it’s more likely to crystallize if making in very humid climate.
Also, stir it over low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Then, turn up the heat to medium as the recipe states, but do not stir at this point. If there is undissolved sugar on the sides of the pot, you don’t want it to get it into the bubbling mixture because it can make the sauce crystallize. I don’t stir it again until it’s cooled down and I’ve poured it out of the pan into another container.
Other recipes I’ve seen take a pastry brush and paint a little water around the edges of the cooking caramel to keep crystals from forming. This isn’t necessary if there are no crystals forming. Stirring after mixing can cause them to grow.
Another way I’ve seen is to put a lid on it, best if it’s a glass lid. The steam will wash down the sides. Just peak in occasionally to keep an eye on it, if your lid isn’t glass.
I ran out of brown sugar so I used coconut palm sugar instead. Very tasty!
So easy and so tasty.
I love this recipe too. So much easier than using the recipe with white sugar, and tastes just as good.
Easy recipe to follow and I believe it’s cool proof, I Love this recipe. I’ve always got the ingredients in the kitchen 🌟⭐🌟⭐🌟
So glad you enjoyed it!
Just made this and boy is it delicious!! I didn’t have cream so I substituted it for 2%milk and a bit and cornstarch and viola! Will definitely make this again. Thank you!
Could I use this for in a caramel slice by pouring the caramel onto my cooled shortbread base, and refrigerating? Thanks!
I’m a disaster in the kitchen, I under cook and burn things…at the same time. So when I attempted this last night I expected the worst. But it was so easy!! I’ve never made caramel, but I know a good caramel when I try it and this is SO good. Thank you for the simple, yet wonderful recipe.
Wonderful recipe. I was looking for something easy for my daughters to try after they kept burning my pots using traditional white sugar caramel. They easily made it with little help. Added benefit that I didn’t have to fix crystallized sugar for them. So easy and simple and made 2 girls happy to finally be able to make caramel.
hi may i know how long can the caramel be kept for and can i use whip topping as heavy cream??
It should be fine in the fridge for 3-4 weeks.
I’m excited to try this recipe…love caramel!!
I want to make. Guava caramel…could I just add guava paste and or fresh guava? Or would the recipe need to be modified?
I’ve honestly never tried making a caramel sauce like that so I’m not sure. You could try replacing some of the cream with it and see what happens.
Looks great. Just got finished making some caramel and pecan praline today for fudge. I did a 1:4 ratio heavy cream to sugar (white sugar) – no butter. Learned how to make it this way from a Chef I worked for a few years ago. Turned out really good – I may have to give this one a try one day. Thanks for posting!
I thought I ruined it at first. I didn’t stir constantly for the 3 mins. After reading comments, I put it back on the burner for 2 mins & added 2 tablespoons more of heavy cream & it was saved!! I served immediately over the cold cheesecake I made last night & Happy New Years Eve to me!!!
This is my new favorite caramel sauce!! Ty for sharing!!
I’m glad it worked out and that you enjoyed it!
My kids love this recipe! They decided this is what they wanted to make for teacher Christmas gifts.
this did not work not didn’t even look like caramel it didn’t even taste like caramel i did exacltly what the recipe said this is TERRIBLE!!!!!! DON’T TRY
Hi….can you tell me if this is one cup packed or unpacked brown sugar? Cant wait to try it. Thank you!!
Packed brown sugar
Wow! I’ve had so much trouble trying to make caramel, but this batch came out perfectly! This recipe is practically fool proof and tastes amazing!!!
I’m so glad to hear that and so glad you enjoyed it!
This sauce looks delicious! I may have to try your method – I haven’t had too much luck making my own in the past.
I’m so glad I found your recipe!!! I lost my camel recipe when I moved. I make this all the time for carmel rolls with one difference…. I use French vanilla ice cream instead of heavy cream my oh my!!!! It makes the most scrumptious caramel!!! Its a trick a friend of mine shared when she brought carmel rolls to work and I ate almost 1/2 the pan! ???? lol. Let the cinnamon rolls do their 2nd rise in this carmel and it will change your life !????
I’m so glad you enjoyed! 🙂
Super easy and good. I added a pinch of sea salt at the end.
I’m so glad you enjoyed!
I think this is actually butterscotch, and not caramel because it’s made with brown sugar and not white. Super yummy! Thanks!
Technically, yes. 🙂 Glad you enjoyed it!
Caitlyn, to make it a caramel sauce, I used white sugar with the brown sugar and voila!!! It’s a GREAT caramel flavor!!!!
OMG, this is so GOOD! I can’t believe how easy it is.
Awesome! Glad you enjoyed it!
Ok so I love this caramel sauce. But it always seems to get grainy when it cools. What am I doing wrong or what should I be doing?
I believe it’s because the brown sugar isn’t fully melted. You could try turning the heat down a bit to more medium low so that it melts slowly, but all melts.
Oh my gosh! I just made this, this evening. We had been grocery shopping and I noticed that I had forgotten to pick up caramel for my coffee. I had an oh no moment lol… I am so glad I found this recipe, it’s super easy! Took about 15 mins to makes and tastes worlds better than store bought! I will never buy store bought caramel again!
I did make one small alteration, I didn’t have heavy cream so I substituted evaporated milk and it came out amazing, I used the same measurements and directions 🙂 it came out perfect!
I made this according to instructions, it did not separate however…..this is more like penuche candy than caramel sauce. Its really great, super sweet but slightly gritty, just like penuche candy is. I loved it and will definitely make more.
If you want really good caramel sauce try her other recipe “Homemade Caramel Sauce”. I made that one as well, it was super easy and so good……
Hi – although this caramel sauce was extremely easy to make, the end result came out badly for me. As it sat to come to room temp, it separated. I have no idea what when wrong as I followed the instructions exactly as they were given. Any idea what happened. I had to throw the entire batch out which was unfortunate. It tasted great but with the butter separating from the rest of the sauce I was afraid to use it in the cheesecake.
Hmm that seems strange and I’ve never had it happen before. I did a little googling and a few common suggestions where not stirring enough while it cooks and then humidity can sometimes be a factor. If it came together well while cooking, it does seem strange that it’d separate though. I’m not sure.
What are the instructions to use on making Caramel Apples? Would you make the sauce when you want to make the apple or make ahead and reheat. If it is the make ahead option, reheat on the stovetop or microwave?
This caramel sauce isn’t thick enough for caramel apples and I don’t have one on my site that is. I’m sorry.
Hi,
I am a first time caramel maker. lol I made this recipe today of yours and the taste is amazing. the only problem is now that it has cooled it has seemed to crystalized and is not a thicky creamy liquid like yours looks in the pictures. When it was cooling is also seemed greasy and is still the same way. Do you use a specific butter? I used butter kirkland brand from Costco. Do you think I didnt bring it to a high enough boil? I did boil it for the 3 minutes. Im just trying to figure out what i am doing wrong. I am going to put this in mason jars with apples as a gift for the teachers for halloween. Any help you could recommend would be so appreciated.
struggling caramel maker!
nikki
Hmm, that’s strange. I’m not sure, I’ve used Costco brand butter before and it’s been fine. It’s so hard to say without being able to see it. I’m sorry.
Hi i have a question, since english is not my mother language.. When you write “Bring to a boil and boil about 3 min”, does it means i put all the above ingredients in to a boil water and mix for 3 min, or do you mean i put the sauce pan in top of/inside a boiler?
Thank you
There is no water used. The ingredients in the sauce will all come to a boil in their pan. Does that help?
I made the Easy Caramel Sauce and it has cooled in the refrigerator. Mine is sugary. Did I cook it to long? If I warm it will it get smoother? Thank you It’s delicious!
I wouldn’t think it’d be because it cooked too long. It could be because it heated up too quickly, without having a chance to melt all the sugar. Maybe try a lower heat setting next time.
This was absolutely fantastic!!! I made it for Xmas gifts last year. However, after awhile it began to crystallize in the fridge. Anyway to stop that from happening??
Do you know how long it was in the fridge? It’s probably best to use it within a week or so. If that happens, you could try heating it up again and stirring it to see if it comes back together.
So. This was freakin delicious AND easy. Thank you thank you thank you! I haven’t made caramel in a loooong time, just because I’m always anxious I’ll either ruin it or get burned 🙂
I just made it and it is wonderful!!! I’ve made many versions of caramel glaze/sauce, but I really like this one!! It’s less work!!!
I’m so glad you’re happy with it!
[…] Easy Caramel Sauce over at Life Love and Sugar […]
Is there a way of substituting the heavy cream to make this dairy free?
Thanks!!
I’m not very familiar with dairy free substitutes, but it’s possible that coconut milk might work.
I’ve made this 5-6 times with flawless results!! Made it today and it was a gloopy sugary mess :/ Maybe I didn’t cook it long enough? I always double the recipe and it works great.
So I’m tried this recipe for the first time for my brothers birthday and everyone loved it! But when I made the caramel sauce it only made about 3/4 cups and not the 1 1/2. I don’t know what happened so next time I’ll just double the ingredients!
Made this and then stored it in the fridge. Tried to heat it up a couple hours later, in the microwave at 30 second intervals, and the oil from the butter separated! I tried mixing it, but it was mostly a trying to mix a hard caramel blob with oil…. 🙁
Hmm, I’ve never had that happen before and I’ve made it quite a few times. Perhaps it didn’t cook long enough?
Same thing happened to me. It looked great at first. Brought it to room temp and about an hour later it started looking super gritty, so I tried reheating and all the oil just separated out.
That’s strange. I don’t why it would separate. I just made it again the other day and it was fine. It can be a little gritty at room temperature. Try putting directly into the fridge to cool, then heat it up when you need it.
Do you stir the sauce during the 3 minute boiling time? Thanks !
Yes, you’ll want to keep whisking it the whole time so it doesn’t burn.
[…] and not actually give you a caramel recipe! Life, Love, & Sugar gives a basically fool-proof Easy Caramel Sauce recipe so you can make your own at […]
[…] 3/4 cup caramel sauce* […]
I am looking for a carmel recipe to do for my wedding favor do you think this can be made 2 days in advance n does it have to b kept refrigerated or room temp
Yes, it can be made 2 days in advance. You could leave it at room temperature, but just so you know it can get a little gritty that way. Once it’s heated back up though, it’s fine. The caramel sauce used in this recipe stays smoother at room temperature, if you’d rather try that. Both would be fine, just a preference.
Ha ha! “Harder to ruin” is ALWAYS a selling point with me. And that one picture with a scoop right out of the middle of the jar makes me weak. I’m definitely giving this a bash soon. Thanks!
Lol, thanks Erin! 🙂
This sounds so delicious- I love caramel! I have one question. Is the stick of butter salted or unsalted? Just want to make sure it’s the right one!
Thanks Heather! I use salted butter.
You’re welcome Lindsay, and thank you so much! Off to make some caramel sauce and the caramel apple cookie cups! I must try them!
This looks so good! I am goning to make it for sure. Do you know how long it will keep?
Thanks Carol! It should keep for 2 weeks.
Wow i absolutely love this! it’s amazing
This is brilliant! I’m always so intimidated by caramel, but I’m going to try this this weekend for sure. 😀
Oh my goodness, how delicious this caramel sauce looks! Looking forward to what you have planned for next week… Have a great weekend!
Ooooo brown sugar caramel! That sounds amazing! It is perfect for Fall and I can’t wait to see what you have in store for us with it!!
Mention caramel and you have my full attention! Your photos are great on this post.
Thank you Linda! 🙂
Just made this to serve over pumpkin cobbler and vanilla ice cream! It is perfect! As I needed to eat breakfast while preparing this Thanksgiving potluck dessert, I decided to taste test the caramel sauce over my morning oatmeal. Enough said. Thank you for the simple recipe and Happy Thanksgiving!
YES to homemade caramel. It is SO easy and better than store bought.
I could lie and tell you I am going to smother this on an apple but, really, I am just gonna face-plant straight into it. Pinned!
I couldn’t wait to dig in either, I drizzled it into my coffee-What a treat.????????????????????????????????????????????
Sounds delicious! Glad you enjoyed it!
I am so looking forward to finally meeting you and tailgating with you and your family this weekend!! Can’t wait to see what yummy treat you are bringing!!!
I can’t wait to meet you either Tina! It’ll be a fun day tomorrow for sure! 🙂
I’m super excited by this recipe because caramel is kind of my nemesis. I manage to mess it up all the time! But this seems kind of foolproof, so I can’t wait to give it a shot!
Well then you definitely have to try this one – nice and easy. 🙂
It is easy. Had another recipe with about 3 more ingredients, but this was easy and very good. I’m making a turtle trifle for a neighborhood ladies Christmas get together and didn’t want to use a jarred caramel sauce. This will make it tastier. Loved your scripture for the week.
You’re right Lindsay this is easy. I subbed dark brown sugar for the light and it tasted awesome. Also I had tried previously making it with granulated sugar and half and half and it turned out a thin water like consistency-even after resting at room temp and refrigeration. Thanks for the great recipe.????????????????????????????????
I am too! I will be drizzling it over my vanilla cupcakes. I think I made your vanilla cupcakes, Lindsay! Anyway the caramel looks delightful and my mouth is watering just looking at it! Thanks for such a great recipe, Lindsay! 🙂
I must have done something wrong because my caramel is gritty. What did I do wrong?
This one can be a little tough to get rid of the gritiness. You have to really cook it slowly on low heat at first for the brown sugar to fully melt. I have a couple other caramel sauce recipes that are not as prone to gritiness, if you want to check those out.