How is caramel sauce made from scratch?

Combine brown sugar, butter, and milk in a saucepan and bring ingredients to a boil. Remove thickened mixture from heat before adding (optional) vanilla extract. Let the caramel cool slightly before using. The result is an impossibly rich sauce that is guaranteed to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Can I use milk instead of cream for caramel?

Absolutely! You can use any milk you have at home, whether whole, non-dairy, or evaporated, to make a deliciously creamy caramel sauce .

How many parts of sugar and water to make caramel?

Generally, for 200 grams (1 cup) of sugar, use 58 grams (¼ cup) of water . The amount of water, however, does not need to be precise. You simply need enough to hydrate the sugar. If you use more water, it will just take longer to cook the mixture until you reach caramel stage.

Is caramel sauce better with brown or white sugar?

Sugar Note: Most chefs say that only granulated sugar can be successfully caramelized ; other sugars — such as brown sugar and unrefined sugar such as cane sugar — contain impurities that can inhibit caramelization. It's those impurities that can burn before the sugar has time to caramelize.

What are the two methods for making caramel?

Wet caramel is made by combining sugar and a liquid and cooking them together, while dry caramel is made from just sugar, heated in a dry pan until it liquefies and browns .

Which method is quickest in caramel making?

For the "dry" caramel method, you simply heat the sugar in an empty pan until melted and caramelized. It's quick and direct, but the risk is that some parts of the sugar melt faster than others, and can burn before the rest had made it even to light amber.

Is caramel just sugar and water?

According to Fine Cooking, caramel can be made using either a dry or wet method: Dry: White granulated sugar is placed over a medium-high heat and cooked until it turns liquid and becomes golden brown. Wet: Water is added to the pan, which allows the sugar to cook longer and develop better flavors.

Why shouldn't you stir sugar when making caramel?

Don't stir the pot The reason that caramel turns back into sugar crystals and becomes grainy is because too much moisture has been lost in the cooking process. When sugar is dissolved in water it loses its structure and becomes the liquid that develops into caramel.

Why add butter to caramel?

Once the sugar has all dissolved and turned brown, we add butter. The heat of the caramel will melt the butter and create even more wonderful flavors.

What type of sugar is best for caramel?

You should use refined white granulated or caster sugar to make caramel. Avoid using brown sugar or raw cane sugar as they contain impurities that inhibit caramelisation and also the already brown colour can make it harder to assess when the all important reaction is taking place.

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.

What is homemade caramel made of?

Sugar! Caramel is simply sugar that has been melted and then cooked until it browns (caramelized). Salted caramel is the same, just with the addition of salt.

What is real caramel made of?

Caramel candy, or "caramels", and sometimes called "toffee" (though this also refers to other types of candy), is a soft, dense, chewy candy made by boiling a mixture of milk or cream, sugar(s), glucose, butter, and vanilla (or vanilla flavoring).

{Quick and Easy} Caramel Sauce Recipe (2024)

Follow this easy recipe to make homemade caramel sauce – salted or not. It only takes 10 minutes and 5 simple ingredients. Then drizzle it on ice cream, cakes, pancakes, cheesecake, stir it into iced coffee, or use as a dessert dip for apples!

Right next to my homemade chocolate sauce, this homemade caramel sauce has got to be the easiest recipe ever. And it is pure Heaven!

Sure, you can buy caramel sauce at the store, but as with most foods, homemade tastes so much better and doesn’t have any added unnecessary ingredients. Plus, in the time it would take you to drive to the market, this caramel sauce would be done!

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. I do use just a pinch though for regular caramel and add more for salted caramel. Salt is such a great ingredient and gives wonderful balance to sweet foods.
Vanilla is purely optional, but it really does elevate the flavor.

How to Make Caramel Sauce

You’ll add sugar and water to a heavy bottomed saucepan, allow it to dissolve and gently bubble for about 9 minutes until it caramelizes and turns a beautiful amber color. Then butter, cream, vanilla, and salt get blended in. The mixture is set aside to cool and then poured into a glass jar to cool completely. It will be thin and loose at first, but will thicken as it cools.

There are a few more specifics (and tips – keep reading!), but that’s the gist of it. So easy!

Do I need a Candy Thermometer?

Sometimes I use a thermometer and sometimes I don’t. You definitely don’t need one. If you have a thermometer and want to be very precise, the target temperature you’re after is between 338 and 350 degrees F. Above 350 degrees, it’ll start to smell burnt (and the finished sauce will taste bitter.) Below 338 degrees F, and you won’t be able to achieve the proper color and caramelization.

If you follow this recipe exactly, without deviation, all you really need is a good nose and set of eyeballs!

Does homemade caramel sauce need to be refrigerated?

Yep! Because it has dairy (cream and butter), it will need to be refrigerated once it cools. You’ll reheat it, as necessary.

How to Store Caramel Sauce

After the caramel cools down, you’ll pour it into a lidded glass jar or container.

Store in the refrigerator, tightly sealed, up to 3 weeks, or freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature, before using.

Caramel solidifies in the refrigerator so it needs to be reheated, either on the stove or in the microwave, until desired consistency is reached. Note: reheating the caramel will make it thinner and runnier.

Can I use this caramel sauce for caramel apples?

Unfortunately, no. This caramel is not thick enough to coat apples for caramel apples. But it sure makes a great dessert dip for apple slices!

Recipe Tips!

The utensils you use do matter. It is important to use either a wooden spoon or a heat-resistant silicone spoon to make the sauce.
Resist the urge to stir! As the sugar and water are heated, if you stir them, you’ll cause grains to form and it will not be smooth and creamy. Instead, you can gently swirl the pan over the heat if needed, but be sure not to let the caramel go high up the sides of the pot or this will make the caramel sauce crystallize and become grainy, as well.
What if my sauce does crystallize? Luckily, you don’t need to start over. Whew. Add a scant 1/4 cup of water and bring the sugar back to a gentle bubble. (Heating it up with the water should dissolve the crystals. Then proceed with the recipe until you get color on the sugar.
Use unsalted butter. Even if you want salted caramel sauce, I recommend using unsalted butter. This gives you better control over the saltiness of the finished product. For salted caramel sauce, I like to add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, but I recommend starting with 1/8 teaspoon and adjust to taste.
Stay put and be patient. Do not step about from the stove while the caramel is cooking. This sauce is super easy, but it can take anywhere from 8-12 minutes to thicken and turn that gorgeous amber color. Since you don’t know where your sauce will land in that window, you need to be paying close attention.

This caramel sauce is sweet and buttery and going to rock your world, trust me! You’ll likely never get store-bought again.

Uses for Caramel Sauce

It’s the perfect topping for so many things!

Poor it over ice cream.
Stir it into a Mocha Frappuccino.
Drizzle it over brownies or angel food cake.
Layered it in a chocolate trifle.
Use it as a dip for fruit.
Give it as a gift!

Watch the video for Caramel Sauce

I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full onFacebook,Instagram,Pinterest, andYouTube!

Easy Caramel Sauce

4.98 from 223 Ratings

Follow this easy recipe to make homemade caramel sauce - salted or not. It only takes 10 minutes and 5 simple ingredients. Then drizzle it on everything!

Print Recipe Rate Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 2 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Cool down 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 22 minutes minutes

Ingredients

1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
6 tablespoons unsalted butter ,cut into pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt

Instructions

Add the sugar and water to a 3-quart heavy bottomed saucepan; stir a little so it sits in a flat, even layer.
Warm pot over medium heat and cook until the sugar dissolves, turns clear, and starts to bubble. (It will be cloudy at first, but will turn into a clear, bubbling liquid.) This takes about 3-4 minutes.
(At this point, do not stir again - simply allow to bubble, swirl the saucepan occasionally and brush down the sides of the pan, as needed, to prevent crystallization.)
Sugar will form clumps, but continue swirling and cooking until the mixture thickens and turns a deep amber color like honey (this can take anywhere from 8-12 minutes), keeping a watchful eye so the mixture doesn’t burn.
Carefully add the butter and whisk until completely melted. (The caramel will bubble up rapidly, so be careful and continue to whisk.)
Remove the saucepan from the heat and slowly pour in the cream, whisking continuously until all of the cream has been incorporated.
Whisk in the vanilla and salt.
Set aside to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
Then pour into a lidded glass jar and allow to cool completely. (It will thicken as it cools.)

Video

Notes

Read the full article for recipe tips and watch the video!
Store in the refrigerator, tightly sealed, up to 3 weeks, or freezer for up to 2 months. (Caramel solidifies in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave until desired consistency is reached.)

Nutrition

Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.

Other Notes

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Caramel Sauce, Caramel Sauce Recipe

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