Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe (2024)

Jump to Recipe

Homemade Caramel Sauce –this smooth and creamy caramel sauce is perfect with ice cream, apples, or even cheesecake!

At my house, we love pouring this caramel sauce over frozen caramel torte, caramel turtle cheesecake, and cinnamon ice cream.

When I was in high school, there was an ice cream parlor called Leatherby’s a few minutes from my house thatI would often visit with friends. They served a killer turkey sandwich, and the BEST caramelsundaes.

The caramel sauce was made from scratch, and it was my absolute favorite. When I went away to college I would dream about that caramel sauce! Any time I came home I would try to fit a visit to Leatherby’s into my schedule so I could get my fix.

If chocolate is more up your ally, don’t miss my easy hot fudge sauce recipe!

It took me two decades, but I finally found an easy recipe for caramel sauce recipe that tastes just like I remember, andI am in heaven! You will be too if you make this stuff. It’s phenomenal!

How to make caramel sauce:

Ingredients:

  • brown sugar (I use light, but you can use dark brown sugar.)
  • granulated sugar
  • corn syrup
  • butter (I use salted butter.)
  • evaporated milk (You can substitute cream if you prefer.)
  • vanilla extract
  • salt

The recipe is pretty simple, and you don’t even need a candy thermometer. Just cook and stir the first five ingredients over medium heat till it’s as thick as you like it, then add vanilla and salt. If you’re the type that loves using a thermometer, cook the sauce till almost to soft ball stage.

It does require a bit of stirring, so be prepared for that. You can use a spoon or silicone spatula, but I happen to love this whisk.It does a great job of getting into the edges of the saucepan!

Frequently asked questions about Caramel Sauce:

Q: How should I store the caramel sauce?
A: Leftover sauce should be stored covered in the refrigerator. I like to store mine in mason jars with plastic lids.

Q: Can I use cream instead of evaporated milk?
A: Yes, light or heavy whipping cream is an acceptable substitute. It actually makes a richer sauce, but I prefer the evaporated milk because it tastes more like the sauce I remember.

Q: Can I use dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar?
A: Yes, that is just a matter of preference. It will taste slightly different and may turn out a little darker, but that’s fine.

Q: What can I use in place of corn syrup?
A: I’ve never tried a substitute, but I’d imagine that honey or agave nectar would work. Honey would definitely change the flavor though.

What can I serve with my homemade caramel sauce?

This caramel is smooth, rich, and basically perfect. We of course love it over ice cream, but it is also fantastic served with sliced apples or drizzled over cake or cheesecake. Or you can just eat it by the spoonful. I won’t judge.

Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe (5)

It’s National Caramel Day today, so you have the perfect excuse to make this caramel sauce! And of course I’m teaming up with some other talented bloggers to bring you even more unbelievable caramel recipes. Prepare to drool!

Instant Pot Caramel Dipping Sauce from 365 Days of Slow Cooking
Smoky Salted Caramel Creme Brulee from Hey Grill Hey
Turtle Cake from Real Mom Kitchen
Chocolate Dipped Caramel Marshmallows from Ashlee Marie
Iced Caramel Macchiato from Gather for Bread
Vegan Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars from Namely Marly
Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars from Baking with Blondie
Caramel Banana Bread from Yellow Bliss Road
Coconut Chocolate Caramel Nests from Life Made Simple
Chai Creme Brulee from Foodie with Family
Homemade Caramel Sauce (you’rehere!)
Caramel Pretzel Brownies from The Baker Upstairs

And a few more caramel recipes just for good measure.Decadent Caramel Brownies / Chocolate Caramel Truffles / Caramel Shortbread Cookies

Frozen Caramel Crunch Torte / Gourmet Cinnamon Roll Caramel Corn / Turtle Pie

Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe (9)Toffee Caramel Apple Cake / Salted Caramel Bars / Chocolate Caramel Shortbread

Homemade Caramel Sauce

Yield: 2 1/2 cups

Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe

Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe (10)

Rich and creamy homemade caramel sauce - perfect for topping ice cream!

Prep Time5 minutes

Cook Time20 minutes

Total Time25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup corn syrup
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 12 oz can evaporated milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • dash salt

Instructions

  1. Combine brown sugar, sugar, corn syrup, butter, and evaporated milk in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
  2. Boil, stirring constantly, for 15-20 minutes or till mixture thickens. I like mine pretty thick (almost to a soft ball stage if you want to use a thermometer). Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and salt.
  3. Sauce will thicken as it cools. Serve warm over ice cream.

Notes

*If your heat is set too high, the sauce may appear curdled. If this happens, just let it cool a little, then pour it into a blender and blend till smooth. Works like a charm.

Recipe adapted from The Provident Pantry

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

20

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 147Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 71mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 0gSugar: 23gProtein: 1g

Did you make this recipe?

Leave a comment below and pin the recipe to Pinterest!

Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is caramel sauce made of? ›

Ingredients for this Caramel Sauce Recipe

Sugar, butter, and cream are the essence of making caramel, but I also add water, vanilla, and salt, which play important roles. Water helps the sugar dissolve, reduces the risk of burning, and heat more evenly. Salt turns caramel sauce into salted caramel, which is amazing.

How do you make caramel sauce more liquid? ›

To thin caramel, just add some cream or water over heat. Melt caramel loaves in the oven. You can also add corn syrup or lemon juice to caramel sauces to prevent them from crystallizing.

What not to do when making caramel? ›

12 Mistakes To Avoid When Making Caramel
  1. Not assembling your ingredients. Juanmonino/Getty Images. ...
  2. Choosing the wrong pan. Milanchikov Sergey/Shutterstock. ...
  3. Using the wrong sugar. ...
  4. Getting the temperature wrong. ...
  5. Stirring the sugar too much. ...
  6. Forgetting about safety. ...
  7. Not heating your liquid. ...
  8. Stopping before the sugar browns.
Jan 29, 2024

Which method is quickest in caramel making? ›

Dry caramel is quicker to make than wet caramel, but it's also trickier: Without additional liquid, the sugar can caramelize very quickly, burning before you realize it.

Is caramel just boiled sugar? ›

Ok you may not have known this but, ~newsflash~ caramel is literally just cooked sugar with a little bit of butter (for stability) and heavy cream (for flavor & mouthfeel) stirred in at the end. The longest (and “hardest”) part of making caramel is just toasting and melting down the sugar at the very beginning.

What's the difference between caramel and caramel? ›

Carmel and caramel are not different spellings of the same word. Caramel is the correct spelling if you're talking about food or colors. Carmel is a misspelling when used in those contexts, but it is a word that can be used as a name for people or places.

Does caramel use white or brown sugar? ›

The difference between toffee and caramel is that caramel is made with white granulated sugar and cooked to 340 degrees Fahrenheit, whereas toffee is made with butter and brown sugar and cooked to 295 - 309 degrees Fahrenheit.

What is the formula for caramel? ›

Explanation: The typical formula for caramels is C24H36O18 , so the elements of water have been removed from the sucrose.

How is caramel traditionally made? ›

Traditionally, caramel is made by heating sugar at a particular temperature until it melts and gradually turns brown. Usually, this process begins around 320°F, when the sugar melts and becomes a clear molten liquid. After that, if the temperature increases, the caramel will begin turning into a darker shade of brown.

How many parts of sugar and water to make caramel? ›

The main ingredient for making a caramel is sugar. A liquid caramel can be made using any quantity of sugar or water just as long as it follows the ratio of 2 parts sugar: 1 part water.

Why did my homemade caramel get hard? ›

If the temperature gets too hot and the caramel becomes too hard as it cools, you can put it back in the pan with a couple of tablespoons of cold water to try and save it.

Why is my homemade caramel sauce not thickening? ›

Add more sugar to the sauce.

Most caramel sauces are made by caramelizing sugar and adding milk and a little salt. If you increase the amount of sugar in the recipe you'll end up with a thicker caramel. Try increasing the sugar by about 1/3.

Why is my homemade caramel so runny? ›

The amount of water added was simply too much to produce a syrup of the desired thickness. It's probably clear by now that you can simply heat the syrup up again, boiling off some of the water, to achieve a thicker syrup. You probably want to end up in the 220 - 235 F range, if you have a thermometer.

How to stop caramel from crystallizing? ›

Adding a little lemon juice or corn syrup also helps prevent crystalli... | Caramel Recipe | TikTok.

Do you add milk when melting caramel? ›

The key to getting it right is to use soft caramels as opposed to hard. You must also add some sort of liquid, such as milk or cream, to prevent the caramels from drying out. Knowing these tricks will help you to melt caramels with ease.

When making caramel, should it boil? ›

Stir the water and sugar together in a large heavy-bottomed, light-colored pan. Set the pan over medium high heat. Stir occasionally, allowing the sugar to dissolve. Once the sugar granules have dissolved completely, quite stirring the mixture and allow it the sugar to come to a boil.

Why is my sugar not turning into caramel? ›

Why is my sugar not caramelizing? If you don't add enough water, the sugar molecules will crystallize and become unstable when you turn off the heat. To fix this, add extra warm water to your pan and redissolve the sugar until it caramelizes.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Clemencia Bogisich Ret

Last Updated:

Views: 6339

Rating: 5 / 5 (60 voted)

Reviews: 91% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Clemencia Bogisich Ret

Birthday: 2001-07-17

Address: Suite 794 53887 Geri Spring, West Cristentown, KY 54855

Phone: +5934435460663

Job: Central Hospitality Director

Hobby: Yoga, Electronics, Rafting, Lockpicking, Inline skating, Puzzles, scrapbook

Introduction: My name is Clemencia Bogisich Ret, I am a super, outstanding, graceful, friendly, vast, comfortable, agreeable person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.