The Best Salted Caramel Sauce — This homemade salted caramel sauce is creamy, buttery, rich, thick, smooth, and blows away anything you’ll ever buy. Best of all, it’s done in 15 minutes!
Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce
I love caramel sauce and could literally eat it by the spoonful. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, it’s fast and easy to make.
I’ve tried lots of recipes and methods, and I’ve found this is the best, easiest, least fussy way to make homemade caramel sauce, and it’s ready in 15 minutes. The easy caramel sauce is creamy, buttery, rich, thick, smooth, and blows away anything you’ll ever buy. You’ll never want store-bought again, which is usually thin, runny, and lackluster in flavor.
I love salted caramel and for salty-and-sweet treats, and always add a pinch of salt to my caramel. Even if you don’t want it ‘salty’, a pinch of salt helps balance the sweetness so the homemade caramel sauce doesn’t taste overly sweet.
Salted caramel sauce makes great gifts and keeps for months, but I doubt it will last long enough to give away.
What’s in Salted Caramel Sauce?
To make this homemade caramel sauce, you’ll need:
- Granulated sugar
- Water
- Corn syrup
- Heavy cream
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
How to Make Caramel Sauce
To make salted caramel sauce, combine sugar and water with a tiny bit of corn syrup (reduces the likely of crystallization) and whisk until smooth. Then just let the mixture boil away until it turns caramel-colored.
Depending on what size pot you use and the conductivity, the boiling time could range from about 5 minutes on the low end to about 10 to 12 minutes on the high end. I have an electric stove, and because I always use a pot much larger than I ‘need’ as insurance against bubble-overs, boiling usually takes about 10 minutes.
The final stage where the sauce turns from pale amber to that perfect shade of caramel can go quickly, in less than 30 seconds, so keep a watchful eye and don’t let it burn. Super stinky and you’ll have to start over.
Then just whisk in the cream, vanilla, and salt, and dig in!
Can I Make Caramel Sauce Dairy-Free?
Having never made dairy-free salted caramel sauce, I can’t say for sure if a non-dairy alternative will work in place of the heavy cream. If you find a method that works for you, please leave me a comment so I can try it for myself!
What Type of Salt Should I Use?
I used regular table salt, but you can also use kosher or sea salt. Just note that salt with larger flakes tastes less salty than table salt, so you may have to play around with the amount you add in.
How to Store Homemade Caramel Sauce
You can keep this salted caramel sauce at room temperature for up to a month. If you’re planning on giving it away as gifts, use your best judgement when figuring out how far in advance to make the sauce.
Tips for Making Salted Caramel Sauce
The tiny bit of corn syrup in this recipe helps prevent the homemade caramel sauce from crystallizing, but you can omit it if desired.
While making this salted caramel sauce, you can swirl the pan gently every minute or two if necessary, but the less the sugary mixture gets on the sides of the pan, the better in preventing crystallization in the final sauce.
There are pleasant vanilla undertones in this easy caramel sauce, which are heavenly for a vanilla fiend like myself, but the vanilla can be omitted or swapped with bourbon, rum, Grand Marnier, or a favorite liqueur. The alcohol burns off quickly, and it’s a mere 1 tablespoon for the whole batch, and what remains is an extra layer of subtle flavor.
Here’s how to make caramel sauce from scratch!
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Salted Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon light-colored corn syrup, can be omitted but helps reduce crystallization
- ½ cup whipping or heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, optional (or substitute with bourbon, rum, Grand Marnier, or a favorite liqueur)
- ½ to 1 teaspoon salt, optional and to taste (for a true ‘salted caramel’ sauce, I use 1 teaspoon)
Instructions
- In a medium to large saucepan (use a pan much larger than you think you’ll need because the sauce will bubble very vigorously at the end), add the sugar, water, corn syrup and bring to a boil over high heat, whisking until sugar has dissolved.
- Allow the mixture to boil for 5 to 12 minutes, or as necessary, for it to turn caramel-colored, at which point it will likely be smoking slightly. The final stage where the mixture turns from pale amber to that perfect shade of caramel can go quickly, in less than 30 seconds, so keep a watchful eye and don’t let it burn. Super stinky and you’ll have to start over. Throughout the boiling time, you can swirl the pan gently every minute or two if necessary, but the less the sugary mixture gets on the sides of the pan, the better in preventing crystallization in the final sauce.
- As soon as the sauce has turned caramel-colored, reduce the heat to low.
- Very carefully and slowly, add the cream. Stand back because mixture will bubble up considerably.
- Optionally, and very carefully, add the vanilla and salt, to taste. Stand back because mixture will bubble up again.
- Whisk until sauce is smooth and combined, and let it boil another 1 minute, which helps thicken it up.
- Transfer sauce to glass jar or heat-safe container (easiest to pour into a 2-cup measuring cup and then easily pour into glass jar). Allow sauce to cool uncovered to room temperature; sauce thickens considerably as it cools.
- Sauce will keep airtight at room temp for at least 1 month, although will likely last much longer; use common sense if giving as gifts with storage considerations.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Recipes That Use Caramel Sauce:
Salted Caramel Buttermilk Brown Sugar Muffins — These easy, one-bowl, no-mixer muffins are soft, wonderfully moist, and the crumb has the perfect balance of density and lightness.
Peanut Butter Twix Caramel Bars — In these bars, there’s buttery shortbread, rich and dense peanut butter, sweet and intense caramel, and smooth dark chocolate.
Salted Caramel Pretzel Blondies — Salty-and-sweet, soft and crunchy. If you enjoy contrasting flavors and textures, these easy blondies are just for you!
Caramel Apple Sheet Pan Pancakes – Craving pancakes but not the work of standing at the stove flipping them? Make these EASY sheet pan pancakes!
Caramel Macchiato Banana Bread – Banana bread that tastes like a caramel macchiato!! Soft, tender, infused with salted CARAMEL and topped with a brown sugar glaze!
Caramel Apple Crumble Foil Packs – EASY, zero cleanup, made on the grill (or oven) in record time, and tastes amazing!! Juicy apples, chewy crumble topping, and luscious salted caramel…SO irresistible!!
Caramel Cream Poke Cake — Poke cakes are always supremely moist and this one reminds me of a cheater’s version of Tres Leches Cake because it’s sweet and creamy.
Made this recipe today, but unfortunately, my caramel “sauce” turned into solid caramel when it cooled? The taste is great, don’t get me wrong, but I’m not very happy about having a huge Werther’s Original in an old marmelade jar…. Any tips how to remedy the situation? Melt in in more cream maybe?
You cooked it too long and/or the internal temperature got too high. So you made caramels, or one big caramel, rather than caramel sauce. I am not sure if trying to add cream to it over low heat (put the whole thing back into a saucepan) will thin it back out into liquid caramel or not; it may work, it may not. Thanks for trying the recipe. Just less cooking time/lower heat next time and you’ll be fine!
Awesome, I will definitely try that. Plus, I haven’t used Corn Syrup (we don’t have it here in Germany). Oh well…next time with a lower temperature then!
Yes the corn syrup is like ‘insurance’ against the problem you had so…yeah, that may be why it was prone to happening for you. I bet with the lower heat/less time, you’ll be in good shape!
Love the corn syrup trick! It looks so smooth and extra thick and gooey!!! Will have to try it… the perfect excuse to make ice cream sundaes this summer!! You’re the best, Averie!
I may have missed it, but how long does a jar keep? Does it need to be refrigerated before opening? Any storage tips or requirements?
Yes you missed it. Step 8 of the recipe – enjoy the sauce!
it looks divine!
“Tie up your hair, put your phone down, get small children out of the kitchen.” <– LOL, I'll definitely take your advice, Averie, but not for safety reasons. I don't want to share my caramel with the children, nor do I want to get the stuff in my hair or on my phone, cause you know I'll be spooning it madly into my mouth when it's done! This caramel looks rich 'n luscious 'n amazing. Pinning!
I totally love your sense of humor! Not sharing, not hurting the phone, and spooning it right in…Amen!
INSANE-loooove this gooey perfect caramel! homemade caramel is like a whole different thing from storebought-SO GOOD!
Yummy!
Oh Averie, I may or may not have licked my screen! That spoonful of caramel sauce looks fantastic. It’s my weakness! Pinned!
Thanks for pinning!
Hey Averie! I hope you are doing well :) Just letting you know Happy Valley Chows hiatus is officially over! Feel free to stop by and say hello :) This salted caramel sauce definitely looks like the bees knees! Great job
Welcome back :)
so glad to see an easy caramel recipe. Too many have too many steps. Love yours!
I agree and thanks!
Yum!! Caramel can be tricky to make, but super easy it’s mastered. I remember the first time I made caramel. It totally burned! But once I mastered it, I never wanted store bought again.
And it’s one of those food trends I don’t get, but burnt caramel is sort of a trend right now. I’m with you though, no burnt stuff, just the homemade that turns out!
There’s nothing better than salted caramel sauce, this is heaven in a jar. Pinned!
Thanks for the pin, Laura!
I need a spoon and a jar of this salted caramel sauce and I think I’ll be set for dessert tonight. Looks great, Averie. And pinned, of course. :)
Thanks for the pin, Julie!
I love step one on your directions! No excuses for burnt caramel, right?
And you’d be surprised how many people cook with their phone in hand, their kids pulling at their legs, and sometimes it’s unavoidable but with a recipe like this, safety first since this stuff is so scalding hot!
I like to think of the corn syrup as a cheap insurance policy! I don’t always use it, but there have been times when I really wish I had! This recipe looks delicious and almost foolproof, because, let’s be honest, caramel can never be completely foolproof! :-)
You’re right about the not always foolproof and the insurance policy parts – right on for both :)
Sigh….I’d eat that by the spoonful, but I have found that caramel makes me more sick than almost anything. Real caramel that is. The sugar/butter combo isn’t nearly as bad, but doesn’t taste as good either.
This….on ice cream….heaven.
Much better than buying a jar and dropping it and having it shatter on the ground, no? ;)
Oh god, you remember that post! The shattered glass jar of caramel. Gah, seems like a lifetime ago but I will never forget that day or that post!
As for the dairy, so there’s only 1/2 cup for the whole recipe and if you’re eating 1 tbsp of caramel at a time (knowing you), it’s such a small amount you’re really ingesting, like maybe 1 teaspoon or less? But I know if you’re truly dairy intolerant, that’s 1 tsp too many. But seriously wish you could try this!