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You’ll only need 6 ingredients to make this easy salted caramel sauce. It’s so simple and delicious and it makes for the perfect topping for just about any dessert. From ice cream to brownies to cheesecake, you won’t be able to resist.
Easy Salted Caramel Sauce Recipe
Just hearing the words “salted caramel sauce” makes my mouth water. The rich, sweet flavor of classic caramel with just the right amount of cream marries beautifully with a perfect pop of salt, creating an unforgettable dessert topping. The addicting flavor and the silky smooth, velvety texture of this caramel sauce make it good enough to eat out of the jar, but I suppose you could go a more conventional route and drizzle it over ice cream or a gooey brownie. However you choose to enjoy it, you won’t be sorry. Plus, it’s super easy to make!
This is the perfect recipe for those of you looking to dip your toes into the world of caramel. Other versions, like my Classic Homemade Caramel Sauce, are a little trickier to get right. This recipe, on the other hand, is super user-friendly and will yield fabulous results every time.
Why You’ll Love This Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce
I have been perfecting this salted caramel sauce recipe for years and, I’ll tell you what, it really is something to write home about. Here’s why I love it so much and why I think you will too.
- Surprisingly easy. Making your own sauce might sound complicated but it’s really not. In just a few simple steps (and only 6 ingredients) you’ll have yourself a restaurant-quality salted caramel sauce. You don’t even need a candy thermometer for this one!
- Adjustable. You can make this dessert topping as salty (or unsalty) as you want. Start with 1/2 a teaspoon, give it a taste, and add more if you’d like. Not that into the “salted” part of salted caramel sauce? Add just a pinch of salt to elevate the flavor without overwhelming your taste buds.
- It goes on everything. Ok maybe not chicken, but you can drizzle this caramel sauce over pretty much any dessert you can think of. Check out the section below titled “Ways To Use Salted Caramel Sauce” for inspiration.
What You’ll Need
Here’s a list of ingredients needed to make the best salted caramel sauce ever. Don’t forget to scroll to the recipe card below for precise measurements.
- Granulated sugar – The sugar actually melts and turns into caramel as it cooks. This is where your flavor is coming from.
- Water – This helps the sugar not burn as it sits and boils. The addition of the water is why it’s called “wet-method” caramel sauce.
- Unsalted butter – You really want to be able to control your salt content here, so go for unsalted butter.
- Heavy whipping cream – This is giving the caramel sauce it’s pourable factor. The high fat content in heavy cream also gives it a creamy texture. Don’t swap this out for milk or something else or it’ll thin out your sauce.
- Vanilla extract – For nice flavor.
- Salt – Use as little or as much as you like to achieve your desired saltiness.
How To Make Salted Caramel Sauce
It really is easier than you think. Just follow these simple (and few) steps and you’ll be drizzling homemade caramel sauce over every dessert in sight in no time.
- Dissolve the sugar. Whisk together the granulated sugar and water and cook over medium-low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Add the butter. Add the butter and let it melt.
- Cook. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat and boil until the mixture turns a deep golden copper color.
- Make it creamy. Remove the pan from the heat and slowly pour in the heavy whipping cream, whisking as you go.
- Add some flavor. Whisk in the vanilla extract and half a teaspoon of salt (or more if you’re feeling spunky).
- Cool. Allow the caramel sauce to cool. Note that it will thicken as it cools.
Tips for Success
Striving for the perfect salted caramel sauce? Good. Here are some tips and tricks that will set you on the right track.
- Hands off. Once you bring the caramel sauce to a boil, it’s time to stop whisking. Whisking the sauce is a one-way ticket to crystallization, which you don’t want here. So, leave it be until it’s reached that deep golden copper color you are looking for.
- Keep an eye on it. While you shouldn’t whisk or stir while the caramel sauce is cooking, you do want to keep an eye on it. It’s possible that some parts of the sauce will brown more quickly than others. If needed, you can occasionally tip the pan from side to side to help things cook evenly.
- Stay safe. When you add the heavy cream, the caramel will bubble up quite a bit. So keep any exposed skin (and/or eyes) out of the way.
Ways To Use Salted Caramel Sauce
Gosh. I feel like homemade caramel sauce could go on anything. I’ve picked some of my favorites to set you in the right direction, though. Don’t be afraid to explore my blog for other options. It’s full of dessert recipes that would love the company of this sweet, velvety treat.
- Brownies. Drizzling salted caramel sauce over brownies is one of the best things I have ever encountered in the history of all desserts. Test it out with my Like a Box Brownies, these Ultimate Peanut Butter Fudge Brownies, or The World’s Fudgiest Homemade Brownies.
- Cake. Almost as good as caramel sauce on brownies is caramel sauce on cake. Drizzle some of this glorious confection over a slice of my Chocolate Mousse Cake, this Ultimate Layered Cookie Cake, or my Devil’s Food Cake.
- Cheesecake. Gosh, I love cheesecake. Maybe more than I love salted caramel sauce…but that’s beside the point. Combining the two is utter dessert heaven. Whip up my Chocolate Cheesecake With Cake Bottom, this New York Style Cheesecake, or The Ultimate Tiramisu Cheesecake and drizzle caramel sauce all over your slice.
- Ice cream. Spoon this dessert topping over a scoop of vanilla ice cream or my Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream. You could even add it as a finishing touch to my Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream Pie, Oreo Brookie Ice Cream Cake, or this decadent S’mores Ice Cream Cake.
How Long Will Homemade Caramel Sauce Last?
Once the caramel sauce has cooled completely, seal it in an airtight container and store it in the fridge. It will stay good for up to two weeks.
More Sauce Recipes To Try
Adding a sauce to a dessert really takes it to the next level of deliciousness. It’s that perfect little flare that no one even knew they were missing. I encourage you to experiment with some of these other fabulous dessert sauces once you get this salted caramel one down.
Watch How It’s Made
PrintEasy Salted Caramel Sauce
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: about 1 1/4 cups
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Easy Salted Caramel Sauce is about as simple as caramel sauce gets! It only uses 6 ingredients. Plus, it’s perfect for topping ice cream, brownies, or pretty much any other dessert!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (207g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (120ml) water
- 1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 to 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- In a medium to large sauce pan, combine the granulated sugar and water. Cook over medium-low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the butter and let it melt
- Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Stop whisking and don’t whisk at all during this part to help avoid crystallization. Allow to boil until the mixture turns a deep golden copper color, about 10-15 minutes, maybe longer depending on your stove. Keep an eye on it, but do not stir. If needed, you can occasionally tip the pan from side to side to help things cook evenly.
- Remove the pan from the heat and immediately add in the heavy whipping cream in a slow, steady stream. The caramel will bubbly up quite a bit, so be careful with this step. Whisk quickly and well as you add the cream, whisking until well combined.
- Add the vanilla extract and half a teaspoon of salt and whisk to combine. Add additional salt to your desired saltiness.
- Allow the caramel sauce to cool. It will be fairly thin, but will thicken as it cools. Store it in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: – Full recipe
- Calories: 1604
- Sugar: 203.9 g
- Sodium: 1208.4 mg
- Fat: 89 g
- Carbohydrates: 204.1 g
- Protein: 3.9 g
- Cholesterol: 256.5 mg
Categories
Adapted from Baker by Nature.
Absolutely delicious caramel and easier to make than other recipes! Just watch it carefully, pull it off the heat quickly when it’s the right color and whisk away so it doesn’t burn! This was so yummy, I couldn’t stop shoveling it in when I was supposed to be saving it for a cake!
I’m so glad you were happy with it!
Hi there, I love this caramel. I usually make a much thicker one, but the flavor of this caramel is better. I tried using it for a drip cake the day after making the caramel…after it had thickened, but a lot of the caramel dripped all the way off the cake, taking my rosettes with it! I put it in the freezer before putting the rosettes on it, so I don’t think it was too warm…? The drips all ended up on the cake board. Would you recommend thickening it, and if so, what would you recommend? More sugar? I don’t want it to be too sweet either. I’m working on a new cake tonight, if there is any way you could respond as soon as possible, I would greatly appreciate it! Thank you so much for all of your wonderful recipes. I have used other ones of yours as well!
As the caramel sauce reaches room temperature, it’ll drip down more. To thicken it up, I’d try adding a little less heavy cream. I hope that helps!
Best homemade salted caramel, and easy to make! Thanks for the recipe. 🙂
Love this recipe! It’s truly easy to make, tastes great and keeps well.
So glad to hear that!
I found a recipe for a topping for a baked brie that uses chopped apples cooked in cinnamon and some other ingredients. They recommended a salted caramel sauce that I didn’t care for. Does anyone have experience using this sauce for a baked brie?
I have not used it for that, but I would think it would be great.
I’ve made this twice this week! It’s been a huge hit with coworkers and friends. A coworkers said “that is one of the best things I’ve ever put in my mouth”.
As to a comment below, I had no problem getting the caramel to brown this first time, but the second time it took longer as I kept it on medium low. I’d recommend making sure to boil on medium.
I’m so glad it’s been a hit!
Question
Can I use stevia sugar to make carmel sauce for apple cupcakes?
I haven’t ever tried it. Usually when you use sweeteners like that, don’t you reduce the amount? I would look for a recipe that is made for those types of sweeteners for best results.
Hello, I just made this & for some reason it is not golden brown or very thick. not sure why or what I did wrong. I gave it 20 mins boiling on step 2 but still not brown hmmm…
Did you possibly double the recipe or something? That can make it take longer to turn brown. I really just sounds like it hasn’t cooked long enough yet. As for not being thick, it’ll be very thin while still hot, but thickened as it cools.
I love the detailed instructions/tips; I’ve tried making salted caramel sauce before, and it came out grainy because (as I learned from this recipe) of crystallized sugar. Now I know why – thanks for the heads-up on not stirring the sugar/water/butter mixture while it is boiling.
I’m glad it was helpful!
I’ve tried making caramel before and without success (too impatient I think 😉!) I had bought some syrup at the store to drizzle over some mini cheesecakes but it tasted a little too artificial so I thought I’d give it one more try. Easy, breezy. Turned out dark, thick, and delicious!!! I did halve the recipe as it was only for a drizzle and let it boil (without touching it regardless of the temptation!) for 11 minutes. A full recipe might have to boil a bit longer. Thanks for making me look like a baker!!! ❤️
Awesome! I’m so glad it worked out well!
First time I’ve ever made caramel sauce. The instructions were perfect and it was so delicious! I will definitely make this again! Thanks for the great recipe.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I just made this recipe. The taste is great, however I am straining out crystal chunks. Once I added the butter I did not stir into the whipping cream was added. I usually make this with the dry method and wikk certainly go back to that recipe in the futur.
This recipe is easy and delicious. Is there a way to make it a bit thicker for a drip?
I can’t remember if I’ve already commented, but I’ve been using this recipe for a couple years now, and it’s amazing. I’ve gotten pretty good at making larger batches (harder than one would think) and EVERYBODY raves about. I only use about 1/8 tsp of salt (sodium conscious) and sometimes a Lil bit of vanilla bean. Amazing. Super vetted recipe, I’ve done a light blonde to a deep caramel, best results every time.
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Awesome! Glad you enjoy it and thank you for sharing!
This turned out delicious! Made an apple crisp and thought a little Carmel sauce would be a good topper. I was kind of leery, but it was easy. Only issue was when adding the cream do it at the side and whisk on the side – that steam was painful! You warned us, but I just poured it in the middle like an idiot. Great recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I do love this recipe!! I make it 3 or 4 times a month! Tonight I made it and while it was cooling I fell asleep. It was on the stove, off the heat for 5-6 hours. Do I need to throw it away and make a new batch?
I’m glad you enjoy it! Are you worried it went bad? If so, it’s fine. No need to make a new batch.
Super easy & tastes absolutely delicious! Best recipe I have come across so far for salted caramel!
So glad you enjoyed it!
so I made this before it was amazing! I tried to make it today and omg it went wrong? I use double cream instead of whipping cream? is this why it didnt work? am left with sugar syrup with butter and double cream? can I save it? or throw away?
It sounds like there wasn’t much color to your sauce, which means that the sugar-water mixture didn’t cook for long enough. I’m not sure if cooking it more at this point would help it. I don’t think so.
My go to recipe for caramel! I can’t believe how easy and simple it is and how amazingly delicious it turns out! Goes good on so many things, apple crisp, cheesecake, ice cream or for dipping apple. My family is obsessed!
Glad you enjoy it!
I made this as a topping for a cheesecake, it didnt turn brown and I let it cook for over 20 min, it also seems to have crystals in it, once you have cooked it and it didnt turn brown, can you try to cook it again with the whipping cream in it to see if it would resemble a caramel color. Thank you,
Did you happen to double it or anything? It may take longer to brown if you did, but otherwise I’m not sure why that would happen unless there was something off about an ingredient.
I tried this recipe for the first time. I’ve never made caramel before so this is the first time doing it and it turned out amazingly well! It was like a liquid form of those caramel hard candies. It tasted divine! And with a bit of patience turned out really well! Thanks for this recipe will be adding this to my black book of deliciousness!
So glad you enjoyed it!
This recipe is amazing. I’ve tried other ones before and failed miserably when the caramel burnt, but this was perfect! I added it as a sauce topping to ice cream with apple cake…perfect! Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Could i make this with regular cream instead of heavy whipping cream
Heavy whipping cream has a higher fat content so it’s going to produce a thicker and creamier sauce. You can use regular cream but the sauce may be a little thinner.
Made this recipe and it was delicious and easy easy! Will definitely make again!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Can I substitute the heavy whipping cream with evaporated milk?
I haven’t tried it to be able to say.
I have to say I really underestimated myself when it came to making this. I thought I’d fail, and I surely did not. This is such a simple recipe! So far I’ve made it twice and used it for caramel apple cupcakes and caramel apple pie. My husband even loves to dip his apple slices in it, and it’s hard to get him to eat anything sweet so I call that a win. Thank you for this recipe!
I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed it!
Can you use this recipe to dip whole apples?
No, caramel for dipping apples is thicker
I’ve never made caramel before, but wanted some for a thanksgiving dessert, and WOW. Was floored when I tasted it because it tasted like… caramel! Delicious and easy to follow instructions.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I want to make this for a Christmas bazaar, is there a way to make it last longer than 2 weeks?
Well, it can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Love it! It was so good with my upside down banana cake. My kids have it over ice cream
So glad you enjoyed it!
REALLY, really good. The timing is definitely different for my stove (it took a bit longer to get a nice, deep brown colour), but I’m loving the finished product!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I use this to top cheesecake. Everyone loves it!
So glad it’s been a hit!
Lindsay, will this recipe do ok to triple it, so I can use it for your salted caramel cheesecake recipe?
I don’t see why it wouldn’t, but you should expect a longer cook time.
Absolutely delicious, although i could not get it down to a golden copper colour, even after 30 mins.
Will definitely try again sometime!
I had the same problem, I think it may be because the sugar syrup began to really boil before I added the butter which caused the butter and sugar syrup to split
Just made this for a drizzle on my wife’s birthday cheesecake tomorrow and Holy $#!& ts fantastic. Going to be putting it in the fridge overnight. What’s the best method for warming to drizzle over the cake?
So glad you’re happy with it! I typically warm it in the microwave.
Sooooooo delicious. My family and friends adore it.
I can not get it to brown at all. I boiled it for 30 min!! Should I just keep letting it go longer?
Sounds like you need to keep cooking it. Did you double it?
i love
Cooked for 17 minutes didn’t go very dark . Didn’t I cook it enough and didn’t go thick enough
More important than the time is the color. If it’s not dark enough, you need to let it cook longer.
First time ever I was successful with a caramel sauce, it always ended up in a sugar ball. Super impressed with this recipe!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Hi! I’d love to try this recipe. I have a question though, am I supposed to lessen the salt I’ll put if I use salted butter?
Yes, but if you like more salt, you can add as much as you like.
What I do to thin this up? Any suggestions?
If you want it thinner, you could add additional cream.
Can you can this recipe
I don’t know much about canning, I’m sorry. I would guess it’d be ok.
Not sure what happened but I taste a slight scorched taste? Should I turn the heat up and cook it faster or turn it down and cook it slower?
You may have just over cooked it, but you could also turn it lower and cook it slower. You don’t want to turn the heat up and cook it quicker.
I made this recipe to use as a dipping sauce for churros, and it was delicious. I was expecting it to be rather hard to make but to my surprise, it was rather easy. defiantly would recommend it and will definitely make it again.
Followed the recipe as instructed, using a 2.5qt sauce pot. It took around the 23 minute mark after the boil to get good caramel color though. It’s very delicious and I plan to use it for the caramel apple cupcake recipe.
I just made this but substituted the heavy whipping goat yogurt and it’s delicious. The goat yogurt gives it a tangy taste and overall depth of flavor.
Just used it to in my Fall Apple cake.
Took longer to cook than expected, but excellent! I did half vanilla half imitation rum extract, awesome!
How well does this freeze??
I haven’t tried it but it should be fine.
This is my usual go to recipe always! It’s fabulous! But today,it seems to have become a little darker than usual. Tastes sweet not bitter. But looks more brown. Anything to fix?
Did it possibly just cook too long?
Can you can this?
I don’t know much about canning, but I would think you could.
This is the only caramel sauce recipe that I use. My question, and I think I see the answer on your post but I will ask anyway. 🙂 This recipe can be doubled or tripled, looking at your post and just clicking on how many times to make the recipe. Just making sure, and that the results will be the same (because this caramel is great)! Thank you.
I don’t think I’ve tried doubling it before but I think it would be fine. It just may take longer to turn amber colored.
I was coming here looking for the same answer. I’ve made this sauce so many times and it’s my favorite by far!! But I wanted to double it myself so I can make all of my jars at one time. This sauce is just so amazing and one day I’m going to get the courage to do the dry method. Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
I tried this and it’s so easy to make and comes out really well following the procedure. Thanks for sharing.
I substituted for Brown sugar and it turned out great maybe a little bit shorter cook time.
I loved this recipe so much…I just wanted to know the shelf life for this recipe
Generally it should be good for about 2 weeks in the fridge.
I tried this, took ages to dissolve the sugar and ages again for the mixture to caramelize. The mixture was bubbling so much I couldn’t see the underlying colour. I added the cream after it had been FAR more than 15 minutes and I noticed the mixture getting tan and sticky; I didn’t want to overcook. It turned out to be too early and now my sauce is watery. Why is it taking so much longer than it’s supposed to, and how do I know how long to cook if I can’t see the colour?
I just made this and it really was the easiest caramel sauce I’ve ever made. And it’s delicious. I often have a hard time with caramel sauce but this was so simple. Great instructions. I used Maldon sea salt flakes (1/2 tsp) and it is the perfect amount of saltiness for me.
Hi I’ve used this recipe and it’s perfect every time.
Can you substitute caster sugar with brown sugar in the wet method?
Would it change anything?
Glad you enjoy it! I’ve never tried it with brown sugar, so I’m not sure.
Delicious! The best caramel I’ve ever made!
Love this recipe! The flavor is amazing – the touch of salt really makes it special. It is super easy and fairly foolproof. I watched it closely and just when I thought it would never turn amber/copper, it did. My friend is having a major birthday and she requested a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, and salted caramel drizzle. I love that I could make it ahead.
AMAZING! I have made salted caramel sauce more times than I can count. But this Recipe… IS BY FAR THE BESTTTT EVER!!! It was the perfect deep gorgeous amber color. It’s so beautiful to look at in the Jar! Thank you for the perfect caramel recipe!
I made this last night and I think I made a mistake. I double the recipe and while it tastes good (great, actually) it does not have that beautiful color caramel ususally does. It is very pale, almost blonde.
Do you think it is becasue I doubled the recipe?
If you double it, it will definitely need a longer cooking time. It sounds like it just didn’t cook long enough to turn a darker caramel shade.
I have tried the dry recipe earlier and it’s a hit and miss. But this was Spot on!!!! Thanks
Made salted caramel for the first time ever tonight, it came out great as a filler for my vanilla cupcakes. Dropped the rest off with a friend who loves caramel sauce and she was already planning on what else to put this over as she liked the cupcakes too. Very easy to make. My kids are asking when I can make more to put over apples! Thank you for this easy and wonderful recipe!
Just made this recipe twice today, as well as twice yesterday too! I love it!
If there are any people reading my review and you are new at making caramel, I can offer this information.
I tried making the sugar only recipe (someone else’s), and it became concrete. I found it to be too touchy for me.
With the addition of water to the sugar in the beginning, you have it made! So easy.
As I am dissolving the sugar and water, after a few minutes I put a drop between my fingers to make sure it’s smooth.
In the second step, *and I make sure the cream and butter are room temp*, you just put the butter in and let it go. It will boil and become frothy. I watch the color of the foam and when it’s a deep golden color (don’t take off too soon or your caramel will be pale), on my stove around 14-15 min, that’s when you remove from the heat.
The addition of brown vanilla gives extra color.
I use 3/4 tsp of salt to balance the sweet.
One recipe made 10 oz of caramel. I have filled some cute little mason jars and will give as gifts.
Great recipe and the only one I use.
Can this recipe be made with salted butter? Unsalted butter is hard to find right now for some reason.
Yes it can.
I really love this recipe.
I do have a question though. Can I freeze a batch of this caramel to store it longer than the month in the fridge?
So glad you enjoyed it! I haven’t tried freezing it, but I think it should be ok.
Have made this twice and both times turned out fantastic. Kept very well in a mason jar in the refrigerator. To reheat i found putting the mason jar in water on the stove with the lid off worked better than the microwave, not sure why.
Thank you so much!
So glad you enjoyed it!
WOW! Just made this with margarine instead of butter and used coconut cream instead of the cream for a great non-dairy substitute. It took a bit longer for the mixture to darken, actually I almost thought i had burned it but, nope added the coconut cream and viola! It’s already thickening up nicely and tastes amazing!
Hi, Lindsey!
My first caramel attempt & I’m glad I found this easy recipe!! We only needed a little for topping some brownies, so halved the recipe & it’s delicious! (Also, made it with half-n-half & salted butter but scaledback the added salt!) Will definitely make it again!!
Do you think coconut cream would work instead of heavy whipping cream?
This sauce is SO GOOD!! I made a batch and decided to immediately make a second because it’s sooooo good! Thank you for this recipe!
So glad you enjoyed it!
If I decide to double this recipe, do I need to double the water or is its purpose just to dissolve the sugar?
Yes, double everything.
Thank you so much for this recipe! I haven’t made caramel in a few years and I always found it irritating to make using the dry method so I’m glad I tried this recipe. It was so easy to make and the taste is to die for!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Hello would this recipe be suitable to use for a salted caramel tart? I used it before but found the caramel a little funny for the tart but maybe I did but let it cool enough?
I wouldn’t say so. It’s softer than you’d probably want.
Hi, looking to make this receive this weekend, but what is the guidelines for storage?
Would you recommend the fridge or just in the jar on the side?
How long do you think it would keep for… as I don’t want a sugar coma from eating it all in one go 🙂
Thanks
You’ll want to store it in the fridge and it should be fine for up to 2 weeks.
Thanks Lindsay, this looks awesome!
Does anybody think that margarine will work as a substitute for the butter? (I need a non-dairy version.)
Oh my goodness.. this caramel sauce is amazing. My better half’s daughter’s birthday is today (17) and she wanted a salted caramel cheesecake with a brownie bottom from a recipe I had found. I used the salted caramel recipe for this and the caramel is amazing… wishing I had made a double batch for some extra (and for myself lol). I will remember next time to not use a small whisk when stirring in the heavy cream… less chance of burning fingers if a bigger whisk is used. 🙂
So glad you enjoyed it!
How long will this last for in the fridge? I made a large batch but don’t need to use the rest of it for another month! Should I freeze it or can it be left in the fridge for that long?
It should be fine for about 2 weeks. You could try freezing it.
hi! i love this caramel recipe! my only problem is that when i refrigerate it, it becomes grainy the next day…i don’t know what i am doing wrong… right after cooking it is so smooth but after a day there’s that grainy texture again….
Hmm, I’m not sure. Have you tried heating it back up to see if that goes away when warm?
Hi, I love the taste, but wasn’t thick like I expected it to be. What did I do wrong?
Have you given it time to cool? It’s quite thin at first, but thickens as it cools.
yip I did Lindsay, but I reboiled it the next day and it became thicker, so I think it was just not on the boil long enough at first…I was too impatient. Thanks for your response
Wow! This is an amazing recipe. I doubled it. It took about 30 mins to get to the right color. Can’t wait to make this one over and over again. I love that I can follow your directions and the recipes come out EVERY time!!
My caramel came out really grainy. This is the second time that’s happened. Why does this happen? Other than the taste is amazing.
Hmm, it really shouldn’t be grainy. It sounds like the sugar might not have melted fully before you moved on to the next step. I’d be sure to check that next time and maybe lower your stove temperature a little bit. Sort of like ovens, I think stoves can run at different temperatures too. It’s best to melt the sugar over a lower heat, rather than heat it too quickly and not allow enough time for the sugar to melt. I hope that helps!
If your caramel is grainy, it normally means the sugar has crystallized. Adding a small amount of corn syrup or cream of tartar at the start can help prevent this. Also, brushing some water down the sides of the pan to dissolve any sugar at the edge, or putting a lid on the pot early on to create condensation on the sides of the pot can also help.
I tripled the recipe so I could use it in a brownie trifle and have leftovers for the fridge. It took about 55 minutes to reach the color needed. I was expecting a looonnngggg cook time since I had so much more water to evaporate. I also threw in about 3 Tbsp of corn syrup to help with the graininess some cooks experienced. Patience and my new LG stove ensured a good even cook without burning. To be safe I placed my pan down in the sink when it came time to whisk in the heavy cream. Protect your hand with a mitt—-the steam that billows up is HOT. Did not triple the salt, just added to taste. Great recipe.
Glad to hear that tripling it worked well for you and that you enjoyed it!
This was my first attempt at making caramel for the turtle cheesecake. I didn’t even know I liked caramel, but this is delicious!! I am already wondering what else I can make that I could put this on!
Awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
If making a large batch (for christmas gifts) do you have any suggestions? Is it ok to attempt a large batch or does the caramel have a tendency to burn in large quantities? I am hoping to make approx 30 jars, 3 oz each, so around 12 cups of caramel. Thank You!
I’ve honestly never made a large batch so it’s hard for me to say. I would think it might be OK but I would keep an eye on it while it’s cooking to make sure that it cooks somewhat evenly.
This sauce is DELIIICCIOUUUSSS!
I just tried it and standing here licking the pan! I did half the recipe as i had just a few ounces of 3% milk and used Amaretto instead of vanilla …cannot wait for the chocolate to finish baking to have with it !🥳🥳🥳🥳
So glad you enjoyed it!
Made this twice now, followed the instructions exact and slowly….within minutes it turned rock hard in my jar (ball jar that I can things in…..Might try it again, but we’ll see.
If you followed the instructions, I really can’t imagine why it’d be rock hard. Caramel does get hard if you don’t add the right amount of butter and cream to it. It also firms up in the fridge and just needs to be reheated. Beyond that, it shouldn’t be hard if made properly. I’m not sure what would’ve gone wrong.
I follow the recipe. But my caramel sauce turns like theres a lil bit chunks of sugar in it. Not that smooth. Its like the caramel sauce surface’s gets harden and turns into some “sugar chunks”. What did I do wrong?
Btw, I apologize for my bad English
I doubled it and turned out fine…. just took longer to make
Can this recipe be doubled?
Should be just fine.
Hi could you use this recipe for a drip cake?
Great recipe!! I once made a Carmel sauce that just didn’t taste good but this stuff was a winner!!
Hello. My caramel sauce using the dry method turned out beautifully (and I am not a baker). I was a little concerned it was not getting thick but I just turned up the heat a smidge while stirring for another minutes and took it off the heat. It did thicken. I could have eaten the whole thing. Thank you. Looking forward to trying other recipes on your site. Love the name of your site. Appreciated how you explained what to look for when making this sauce.
So glad you were happy with it!
Hello
I was wondering can you this caramel sauce to put on top of cheesecake or will it be too thin?
Thank you
Sumayya
Yes, you can. You’ll just want to let it cool a little bit so that it thickens some before adding it.
My sauce is not turning copper colored, should I leave it on the burner to cook longer? Or was it because maybe the heat wasnt high enough?
Yes, I’d let it cook until the color changes.
Just made this recipe, after trying the “dry” version (someone else’s dry recipe). My first attempt, with the dry, made caramel concrete!!! Wow!!!!
Second attempt: your recipe including the water. For me, this was easier, even tho it may have taken a bit longer. Great instructions, easy to follow, and the result was actually pourable caramel!!! I put it into a mason jar to cool. Yay!! Never give up, right??!!
I’m so glad to hear this version worked well for you! Everyone deserves amazing caramel sauce!
Made it.. I usually try the dry method and I am never happy with the results.. this method I will use forever .. it came out perfect! No more store bought caramel for me..
Thank you so much for this recipe.
Awesome! I’m so glad to hear it worked well for you as an alternative to the dry method!
I made this recipe exactly and firstly the colour was very light (amber instead of copper) and it was very runny. The taste was perfect though! Any tips on how to thicken it up please?
Have you let it cool yet? The sauce continues to thicken as it cools.
I never try to do caramel, but looking for recipes, I found this page. And im glad to do. I try this recipe, and came out perfect. Thanks
Hi! This recipe looks amazing and super simple! Would it change the recipe if I used half & half instead of cream?? Thanks so much!
Half-and-half is going to have less fat. The caramel sauce may be a little thinner, but should otherwise be fine.
Thank you for posting this method of caramel making! I was using your other recipe (dry method) and while it came out great, it did have a burnt aftertaste. I will try this method. Would love to see how you do this in a video!
Your sauce looks sublime Lindsay! I’ve never used the wet method, but I’ve used the dry method before in a number of recipes. I adore homemade caramel, whether you pour it over ice cream, layer it in a cake, or eat it right out of the jar! Thanks for another great recipe 🙂
Mmmmmm! I lovvvve making homemade caramel sauce! The recipe I typically use uses the dry method, but I’ve made a recipe using the wet method once before as well. Your sauce looks lovely, Lindsay! 🙂