Easy Caramel Sauce Recipe
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This caramel sauce recipe is so simple, you’ll never want store-bought again! There are only 5 all-natural ingredients that all go into the pot at once and then you whisk until it’s thickened to your liking. How easy is that?! You’ll learn how to make caramel sauce in no time!
I’ve been disappointed many times looking for caramel that didn’t have high fructose corn syrup, or artificial colors and flavors, or other ingredients I couldn’t pronounce. It’s crazy! This caramel recipe is not just easy, but it tastes amazing. Nothing beats homemade caramel sauce!
I learned how to make caramel sauce from Pioneer Woman years ago and have been making this salted version ever since! The little bit of salt in this recipe balances the flavors perfectly so don’t skip it! There’s a reason why salted caramel is “a thing.”
Caramel Sauce Ingredients:
1 cup (200 grams) light brown sugar, packed
4 Tbsp unsalted butter*
1 tsp sea salt, or to taste
1/2 cup half and half (or use equal parts heavy cream and milk)
1 Tbsp real vanilla extract
*If using salted butter, cut the salt to 1/2 tsp or add it to taste.
To make the Easiest Salted Caramel Sauce:
1. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer over low heat, whisking constantly or until thickened and no longer watery (6-9 minutes). Keep in mind it thickens more as it cools.
P.S. That’s homemade vanilla extract you see up there. You only need to ingredients for it – so easy! It also makes for a great homemade gift!
Can I Make Caramel Sauce Ahead?
Homemade caramel sauce can easily be made ahead and we love keeping a jar in the refrigerator. Caramel sauce is great served warm, at room temperature or chilled with refrigeration. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 2 weeks. You can warm it slightly to make it more drizzle-able.
P.S. Be careful with the sampling – It’s easy to get carried away!
⬇Print-Friendly Caramel Sauce Recipe:
Easy Caramel Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter *
- 1 tsp sea salt or to taste
- 1/2 cup half and half or use equal parts heavy cream and milk
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
Instructions
-
Combine all ingredients in a small/medium saucepan and simmer over low heat, whisking constantly or until thickened and no longer watery (6-9 min). Keep in mind it thickens more as it cools. Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 2 weeks. You can re-warm it slightly to make it more drizzle-able.
Recipe Notes
*If using salted butter, reduce salt to 1/2 tsp or add it to taste.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
We love this homemade caramel sauce over our pumpkin cheesecake, vanilla ice cream, over baked apples, and the mini cheesecakes I will post later this week, and everything we can possibly put caramel over ;).
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Love all your recipes. I like the caramel too. How do I make caramel for apples. I want to make candy apple coated in caramel. I think the sauce recipe you have is for dipping and will not harden for candy apple. Thank you
Hi, this caramel sauce doesn’t harden the way you would want for candy apples. I have that on my list to post, but it’s still in progress.
I have not made this sauce, yet, and I need to know – will it slightly-crystalize after it cools, like other caramels I’ve made that included corn syrup? Also, how would adding bourbon affect it?
Hi Rick, I haven’t tested those add-ins so I can’t say for sure. It shouldn’t crystalize, but it does firm up. A quick heat-up will loosen it up again.
Just use the bourbon instead of the vanilla extract. Comes out perfect!
Hi Natasha, happy holidays to you and your family 🎄🎄🎄I made this caramel sauce and is very delicious 😋.
I have one question, it took about 20 minutes to get the sauce thick.
I was wondering should I start with medium heat and when it starts to bubble, should I go to low heat and let it simmer for 6 to 9 minutes?
Hi Rosy, you can try that. Just make sure not to boil or burn it. Stoves vary, and that can impact how long it takes to cook on low.
I followed the recipe exactly and it came out great. It thickened up as it cooled and was smooth. Although it was tasty, this is more of a penuche sauce and not a caramel sauce. The brown sugar taste is strong. If you want a penuche sauce this is a great recipe.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Hi Natasha! I made the recipe and it was perfect while it was hot. But when it cooled down, the sugar crystalized and had a sand-like texture. What should I do to save my sauce?
Hi Raquel, it sounds like the sugar didn’t melt completely. I would recommend making sure to use the same kind of sugar listed n the recipe. Also, a grainy appearance can be due to overcooking or undercooking. To fix that consistency, try reheating it before serving. It normally does thicken up when it cools, especially when refrigerated, so I like to warm it up slightly before serving.
Hi Natasha…love all your recipes and videos. This recipe for caramel sauce is actually the recipe for butterscotch sauce, as you are using brown sugar. Caramel sauce calls for white sugar. Makes no difference to me, but a chef friend of mine has asked that I bring it to your attention….
Thanks for bringing that to my attention, we’ll take note of these things for our future videos.
Should the sauce separate when it cools? The caramel looked great on the saucepan but quickly separated while it cooled in a glass jar!
Thanks!
Hi Sonny, normally it thickens but doesn’t separate while refrigerated. Try warming some of it and see if it comes together. I wonder if it was heated too long.
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I never knew it was so easy to prepare caramel sauce. I made it for the mini cheese cup cakes. I did not read the instruction properly and used complete amount of heavy cream since i did not have half and half. My caramel sauce is pretty thick. I was able to melt it by cooking on the stove. My question is, can i always heat it up before using or is that a bad idea and do you recommend tossing this and creating a new batch. I did warm up the caramel sauce and added it on the cheese cupcakes. I hope that does not spoil the taste.
Hi Vin, this homemade caramel sauce reheats really well and it’s ok to warm it up a little before serving. I have warmed it in the microwave and on the stovetop.
Hi Natasha. I’m Wong from Malaysia. I have tried this recipe together with the mini cheese cake. I couldn’t gibd half anf half here so i substitute it fully with dairy whipping cream. Find the caramel seems to melt and became watery on top of the cake after 2 days in the fridge. What did i do wrong here. Hope to get some advice. TIA
Hi, a substitute for half and half would be equal parts of milk and heavy whipping cream mixed together. Since cheesecake can release some moisture in the refrigerator, I prefer to add the caramel when I am serving.
Hi Natasha, please tell me, for the caramel sauce, heavy cream needs 121 ml?
Hi Manana, yes that is correct. If you click on the metric button it will convert to the liquid measurement in metric measurements.
Hi, is it possible to replace the light brown sugar for demerara sugar? Does the cooking time or consistency changes?
Thanks!!
Hi Eti, I am not familiar with demerara sugar and haven’t tested with that so I can’t say for sure.
HI Natasha,LOVE,LOVE this. I should not admit this but I will. I eat this by the teaspoon!! I can not get enough of it.My Fiance’ and oh yes, my kitty is in on the act I let her have a little taste once and now she wants it every time she sees me eating it.Do you by any chance have one for chocolate? I love all your receipes.You do a great job and I look forward to your shows. Blessings and stay safe!!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
Hi ladies!
Demerara sugar is the same then brown sugar. Azucar moreno in spanish.
@ Farah Zoquier Demerara sugar and brown sugar are NOT the same thing although you can substitute one for the other.
I have made the sauce three times and I can’t get it to thicken. I end up with a runny caramel sauce.. What am I doing wrong?
HELP!
Hello Diana, I suggest whisking constantly or until thickened and no longer watery (6-9 minutes). Keep in mind it thickens more as it cools. Also to make it thicker, cook the sauce longer. As more of the liquid evaporates, it will thicken. Was anything changed or altered in the recipe to further troubleshoot?
I cannot get this caramel sauce to thicken. Have tried twice now.
Hi Dev, to make it thicker, cook the sauce longer. As more of the liquid evaporates, it will thicken. Was anything changed or altered in the recipe to further troubleshoot?
Caramel sauce that was truly easy. Toasted great also. Definitely make again and again
I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe Ritu! Thank you for sharing this great review with me!
Don’t you need to use a candy thermometer?
Hi Julie, an instant-read thermometer also works if you wanted to check the temperature, but this can be made without a thermometer following the instructions and visual cues.
Is this the same caramel for caramel apples or is this sauce too thin?
Hi Jaime, this wouldn’t firm up like you would want for a caramel apple. I have that on my list for this year though.
What is shelf life of caramel sauce in Fridge and outside fridge
Hi, see the section above titled: “Can I Make Caramel Sauce Ahead?”
Made this to top my sticky date pudding. It was so easy to make and it tastes divine. Didn’t have regular brown sugar so I used dark and some extra cream – thanks for this incredibly simple and good recipe
You’re welcome Nisani! I’m so happy you enjoyed that!
The sauce is delicious but I could not get it to thicken no matter what I did. I probably stirred it for 20 mins straight and even added cornstarch to see if that would help. I followed the recipe exactly so I’m not sure why it wouldn’t get past the watery phase.
Hi Melinda, I suggest whisking constantly or until thickened and no longer watery (6-9 minutes). Keep in mind it thickens more as it cools. Also to make it thicker, cook the sauce longer. As more of the liquid evaporates, it will thicken. Was anything changed or altered in the recipe to further troubleshoot?
Hi Luda-
Thanks for sharing. Question for you- I know you said it can keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Are you allowed to leave it at room temp instead? How long would it keep that way?
Thanks!
Hi Brit, since there is dairy in it I would not leave it at room temperature. I would refrigerate after a day at room temperature. The sooner you refrigerate, the longer it will last.
Hi Natasha, I want to make caramel sauce and pair it up with cheesecake. Do you recommend using dark brown sugar instead of light brown? And if not, why? Please and thank you!
Hi Luda, I have only used a light brown sugar in the recipe.
Natasha, regular brown sugar had much more intense taste, but it was too much for such a tasty caramel. I used light brown sugar for my second batch of caramel (was pairing them up with my second batch of cheesecake cupcakes 🙂 ) and about 3/4 tsp salt instead of 1 tsp, and was much more pleased with results. Thank you!
Thanks for sharing that with us, Luda. That’s useful info – we appreciate it!
I made this sauce 3 times now. It tastes amazing however I cannot get it to thicken. I followed the directions and measurements and this third time I left it on heat for 30 minutes stirring constantly and adding more brown sugar and it’s still runny. Not sure what could be going wrong but it does taste good.
Hi Julia, are you using the same quantities of ingredients and making sure to pack the sugar? Check out our post on how we measure ingredients which may help.
cheese cake was delicious but I could’nt get the carmel sauce to thicken
Hi Debbie, to make it thicker, cook the sauce longer. As more of the liquid evaporates, it will thicken. Was anything changed or altered in the recipe to further troubleshoot?
I have tried your recipes, its so nice and easy. Can I have the whipped cream recipes pl.
Hi Maureen, are you referring to the Half & Half cream we used for this recipe? Half & Half is the name of a cream mixture here in the US. It is a 50/50 mix of milk and cream. I hope that helps.
i don’t care for brown sugar so I caramalise my own! Easy and YUM!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
I made this sauce with the cheese cake recipe last night. They were easy and did not disappoint! The flavor of this sauce is amazing! It turned out perfect, but after cooling in a jar, I noticed a thin layer of crystallize sugar on top. I stirred it, now it’s all grainy. Can this be fixed ?
Hi Erin, I haven’t had it turn grainy on me so I wonder if any substitutions were made. I highly recommend making the recipe as directed before making any modifications or substitutions. Also, make sure to pack the brown sugar – you’ll know it’s packed adequately when you empty it from the cup and it holds its shape.
I had the same think happen to mine after it cooled. The only thing I did different was cook it longer then you suggested to make it thinker. Do you think that could have done it. It was beautiful and silky when I first took it off the heat, but once cooled the top crystalized and went somewhat grainy once reheated. Still tasted good, but just not the nice silky consistency it originally had before cooling.
Hi Stacy, make sure to use the same kind of sugar listed n the recipe. Also, a grainy appearance can be due to overcooking or undercooking. To fix that consistency, try reheating it before serving. Also, it normally does thicken up when it cools and especially when refrigerated so I like to warm it up slightly before serving.
Hi Natasha
Do you think this would work at altitude (I am at 6700 ft elevation), or are there adjustments to make due to the lower boiling point of liquids here?
Thanks,
Laura
Hi Laura, I can’t say that this recipe will be impacted by a higher altitude to advise. I would love to know if you have that experience testing it out however!
I am going to make this to pour over warm gingerbread.
Yum! That sounds amazing! I hope you love this recipe!
Can I use Truvia brown sugar blend instead of regular brown sugar? Watching carbs.
Hi Kathy, I haven’t tested with that to advise. If you happen to experiment I would love to know how you like it!
So easy and SO delicious! I think the brown sugar really adds a great flavor.
Thank you for the wonderful review!
I tried this for the first time and it’s so delicious! I used 1/4c Condensed milk & 1/4c all purpose cream from our leftovers. Tastes like butterscotch 😋
Thank you Ms Natasha!
You are so welcome! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe.
Hi
If i am heating the caramel sauce how do I do it?
Thanks 🙂
Caramel sauce is great served warm, at room temperature, or chilled with refrigeration. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 2 weeks. You can warm it slightly in a saucepan to make it more drizzle-able.
Best caramel sauce ever so smooth and thicker than all the others I’ve tried, we all love it, I used pure cream👌🏼
Perfect! Thanks for sharing your great experience with us.
We stopped using syrup in our latte and started using this – so delicious! Goodness, I could eat a spoonful of this caramel, but I shouldn’t!…but I could.
That’s a great idea! Thank you so much for sharing that idea with me Grace!
Hi natasha! I did this but they ended up bubbling in the oven as they cook and deflated in the middle once done…. What did i do wrong
Just tried making this. I had ice cream and was craving a caramel sauce to spoon on top. Cut the recipe in half and used 1/2 thickened cream and 1/2 milk since we don’t have half and half in Australia.
It is delicious! What a quick and easy recipe. Thank you.
I’m so glad you loved the caramel sauce! Thank you for sharing your great review.
Hi Natasha,
I the Caramel Sauce and it was delicious, first time. Its being use on Baklava. I am wondering since the sauce will be used periodically, should it be refrigerated? Please let me, thank you much
Hi Christine, yes, you can refrigerate up to 2 weeks. It does keep well. You can reheat slightly if you want to drizzle it over your dessert or morning pancakes!
Hello,
I am confuse in cream and milk measurements. Plz explain what is 1/2 cup and half and half???
Thanks
Hi Bushra, Half & Half is the name of a cream mixture here in the US. It is a 50/50 mix of milk and cream. I hope that helps.
I was excited to find such an easy recipe, but it was honestly too good to be true. It was still much too thin after over maybe 15 minutes of stirring and slaving over that pot. After cooling it didn’t thicken much more at all, and didn’t taste much like caramel. It was still somewhat tasty though, hence the three stars. Maybe it was something i did, but i wouldn’t really recommend this recipe.
Hi, did you make sure to measure accurately? Make sure with the brown sugar that you pack it into the cup. When it comes out of the cup, it should keep the form of the measuring cup and that is how you know you have enough. Also, be sure to use half and half and not plain milk.
hii Natasha,
can i use half light brown sugar and half white sugar?
Hi Amirah, I haven’t tested it that way but I imagine it would be lighter in color.
Thanks Natasha
hi Natasha,
made your caramel sauce recipe to go with your mini cheesecake recipe the caramel sauce was so DELICIOUS it was salty and sweet it was so balanced LOVE IT!!!!
Thank you Natasha.
I’m so glad you enjoyed that! This is our go-to and the most favorite caramel sauce!
Hi Natasha! Can we use dark brown sugar? That’s all I have in my pantry 🙁
I haven’t tried that yet but I imagine it should be alright. Please update us and let us know how it goes if you try it!
Hi I was just wondering would I be able to just use regular whipping cream instead of the half and half?
Hi Sage, you can use 1/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream to replace the 1/2 cup of half and half.
Thank you for clarifying!!! Salted caramel is one of my favorite cheesecakes. I can’t wait to try this!!!
Is there a way to replace the half and half without using heavy whipping cream?
Hi Lucy, you can use regular whipping cream instead of the half and half and you will have a slightly thicker caramel sauce which will still work great
Is it possible to use milk and butter to replace that
I haven’t tested that specifically to advise. If you do test that I recommend trying a small batch first.
Hi Natasha
Thank you so much for the reply. My friend actually made a Youtube video making chocolate cupcakes with a salted Caramel frosting and she also made your caramel sauce. We used milk and butter as a substitute and it turned out great! I’ll comment the video link when it comes out
Sounds good, Lucy! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe.
This is the best, easiest caramel sauce! I am so happy to have found a caramel sauce recipe with a great ingredient list!
A little patience goes a long way with this. But trust me, keep stirring for a bit until it’s cooled, and it will thicken to a beautiful, silky smooth caramel with a beautiful color!
I layered this over a pumpkin cheesecake, and it was amazing!! Luckily I saved the extra to be able to add to some other goodies here soon.
Thank you so much for sharing this awesome review with us, Kelly! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Have been whisking the carmel sauce on the stove for 20 min and it won’t thicken. Used the exact recipe.
Hi Heather, I suggest whisking constantly or until thickened and no longer watery (6-9 minutes). Keep in mind it thickens more as it cools. Also to make it thicker, cook the sauce longer. As more of the liquid evaporates, it will thicken. Was anything changed or altered in the recipe to further troubleshoot?
Hi natasha que i use the carAmel sauce to filling chocolate cake .
It doesn’t get hard whe is in the fridge.
Thanks
Hi Fanny, This caramel sauce may be a little thin for certain recipes – it won’t fully harden and dry as caramel candies would, although it will if you cooked it longer, but I still think it would be sticky to the touch.
This turned out perfect. Yum! it was hard to tell when it was done. After about 9 min. it seemed quite runny so I turned up the heat and bubbled it for about 1/2 min. Since I recently made another caramel sauce recipe and scorched it I was a little hesitant. it still seemed runny but once it cooled it was perfect. I’m going to drizzle over a slice of gingerbread loaf. Thank you. So easy and now I feel like a pro! P.S. I am not a good cook.
I’m so glad you enjoyed this Trish!
Hi Natasha, I tried your sauce and it was both easy and great. Technically it’s not caramel, you just make use of the caramel taste of cane sugar, but that’s what makes it easy breezy. It tastes like caramel + butterscotch and that’s great! Thank you, Didi
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
what’s a substitute for heavy cream???
Hi Amirah, you can use regular whipping cream instead of the half and half and you will have a slightly thicker caramel sauce which will still work great
This is the most DELICIOUS caramel sauce I’ve ever tasted! Caramel is my favorite desert topping, and this is unbelievably easy and tasty. The only problem is how easy it is to eat by the spoonful! Try it in coffee with some milk for a caramel latte!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
I loved this! It was absolutely delicious! But the problem with mine was that it was very thick and it basically cooled into a caramel candy instead of a sauce. I was wondering about what I might have done wrong? Thanks!
Hi Sharon, was anything altered in the recipe? I’m curious if it was possibly cooked down too much?
I made the sauce yesterday, it was absolutely perfect, the taste is like no other. Cooled put in fridge, took it out, put on cheesecake, it was grainy. Why? Is there anything I can do to correct this now? It still tastes awesome but I don’t like the graininess.
Hi Stella, I haven’t had it turn grainy on me so I wonder if any substitutions were made. I highly recommend making the recipe as directed before making any modifications or substitutions. Also, make sure to pack the brown sugar – you’ll know it’s packed adequately when you empty it from the cup and it holds its shape.
This happened to me the first time and it was caused by overcooking.
Hey Natasha, can I just use milk instead of using half and half?
Hi McKenna, I haven’t tested it with milk but you can use 1/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream to replace the 1/2 cup of half and half.
Hi 🙂 Can i use vegetable oil or any flavorless oil instead of butter?
Hi Rahima, I honestly haven’t tried it with oil so I can’t say for sure how it would work. Sorry I wish I could give you more information.
Best sauce ever! It tastes more like butterscotch but is the best sauce in history. I will never use another recipe again!
I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed this recipe, Sophie! That’s so great!
Hi Natasha,
How long does this keep in the fridge?
Hi Jess, you can refrigerate up to 2 weeks.
Ha-ha! About 5 minutes, because you can’t stop dipping a finger in it every time you open the fridge!
The best caramel sauce ever! I love everything caramel and this is by far the best. So tasty!
Also, my 4 year old daughter loves your videos! She wants to be like Natasha:) thank you for recipe.
Aaw she is so sweet! Thank you for trying out this recipe and for giving an excellent review!
Hi Natasha, will this recipe thicken enough to set – so you could have it as a layer on millionaires shortbread say? Thanks
Hi, it does firm up in the refrigerator. It might be slightly soft for layering millionaires shortbread but could still work. Let me know if you experiment.
Thank you and will do!
It was very easy to make but I think I overcooked it a bit because it got quite thick after taking it off the heat. I timed it for 9 minutes after it started to simmer. Is there any way to loosen it now?
Hi Candy, if the caramel sauce is too thick and you want it thinner, while it is on the heat, stir in 1-2 Tbsp of heavy cream to thin it out.
awesome !! can i use this recipe as donut filling?
Hi Miriam, that sounds like a delicious idea! I haven’t tested that but it may work! If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Love this recipe. So yummy on EVERYTHING. Made this multiple times since discovering it. I end up storing in 2 mason jars so that it doesn’t get too grainy when microwave to drizzle on things like ice cream, cake etc. (It went perfect on top of your medovik cake!) And sometimes (ah-hem, like everyday), I just grab spoonful and go to town. Thank you for all of your fun videos!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review Elisabeth!
I LOVE all your cooking! They are SO GREAT! This one tastes just like the caramel candy I love. Can’t wait to put them on the cheesecake! Oh and I’m making Chicken Marsala from your recipe tonight and I’m so excited to share them with people!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Made the caramel sauce this afternoon, it tastes delicious the only problem I have its alot darker then yours, do you know why.
I did leave an earlier review but just wanted to add mine did get grainy after about 2 hours in fridge. I did read tips you gave other readers before I made it and I’m pretty experienced cook so I’m not sure what happened.
Hi Shannon, did you possibly use a course sugar? Could it have over or undercooked? I would check to make sure the sugar is dissolved before turning off the heat.
Hey ! Whisking sugar is not a normal practice when making any sugar based sauce disrupting the caramelization of the sugar causes it to usually form Crystal’s
I tend to leave mine then shock my pan in cold water on the bottom to keep it from further browning .
Also using a alcohol or acid such as lemon juice will stop sugar from getting grainy!
Hi Natasha, first of all wanted to say that i love your videos and you are so funny and adorable
I have a question about the butter. 4tbs how much is it in grams?
Thank you in advance
Hi Karina, quick tip – if you click “Jump to Recipe” at the top of the post and scroll to the printable recipe you will see highlighted in red and option to change the measurement to the metric system. I hope you find that helpful in the future. 4 tbs of butter should be about 14.2g per tablespoon.
Just made this and it’s delicious. Tasted yummy over apple slices. Quick and easy. Would be great over any dessert/ice cream that calls for caramel. Great alternative to making true caramel with thermometer… thanks!
You’re welcome, Shannon! Thank you for stopping by with that awesome feedback.
Have not tried the recipe but in the process. What size jar should I purchase to keep the caramel sauce stored? Thanks
Hi Georgia, we re-used a preserves jar for this recipe. This recipe makes 1 cup of caramel sauce.
How far in advance can I make the caramel sauce? And if I can, should I refrigerate it?
Hi Linda, yes, you can refrigerate up to 2 weeks. It does keep well. You can reheat slightly if you want to drizzle it over your dessert or morning pancakes!
We tried this recipe. I was trying to keep my boyfriend out of the stores for something non essential, like caramel, so I was going to buy some online. Your recipe popped up. Plus, when I saw your comment about high fructose corn syrup as an ingredient in most store bought brands, that got me thinking as well. We can’t believe how easy it is to make and how incredibly YUMMY it is! Thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I made this today to drizzle over a dulce de leche cheesecake I am serving at a party. This is without a doubt a delicious sauce. Whatever you do, don’t omit the salt…it is what makes this so good.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Awesome. How do you make HOMEMADE BUTTERSCOTCH????
This recipe actually is butterscotch. Caramel sauce is made with white(granulated) sugar and is a different method.
Good morning,
How long does it keep and do should it be kept in the fridge?
Hi Sylvie, you can refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. I have a note about that closer to the top of the post.
Just tried this and it is wonderful. I did substitute the brown sugar with dulcie and dark muscovado sugars. It worked like a charm and for anyone old enough to remember, it tasted like the old dark caramel candy I used to love back in the day. I made this to put on panna cotta. I am sure it will work out!
Thank you so much for sharing that with us, Jane!
Hi Natasha,
I have tried several caramel recipes and failed until l tried yours. It’s so easy to make. It tastes super delicious.
Thank you so much for your recipe!
Hi Haini! You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it.
Hi Natasha!
If I want to add rum, would that ingredient also be added in the beginning?
Thanks!
Mo
Hi Mo, I haven’t tested that but I would substitute vanilla for rum.
Rum works fine, but add a little vanilla too. Ree Drummond uses Bourbon in hers.
If you add a pinch of Cream of Tartar as the sugar starts to boil it will prevent the re-crystallization of the sugar, which makes the caramel grainy
Thank you for sharing that with me, Franko!
Hi ! Natasha I am fan of yours wanna ask what is half and half. You use in caramel .Thanks in advance ..Love your Smile so so pretty..
Hi Anne, that is a great question. Half & Half is a 50/50 mix of milk and cream. They sell it in our stores on a container labeled Half & Half.
So easy and so delish….had it over apple crisp with vanilla ice cream….my quests were very, very happy and the compliments never stopped. Thanks Natasha for making me look so good.
I’m so glad you enjoyed that, Denise!
Can I use only milk or yogurt
Hi Nina, I haven’t tested it with milk but you can use 1/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream to replace the 1/2 cup of half and half.
As part of equal part. Could heavy whipping cream be used?
HI Crystal, you can use 1/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream to replace the 1/2 cup of half and half.
i made this sauce for ice cream but when i poured it over the ice cream it turned into a solid shell.
Hi Darcy, cooking for longer may make that happen. This caramel sauce may be a little thin for certain recipes – it won’t fully harden and dry as caramel candies would, although it will if you cooked it longer, but I still think it would be sticky to the touch.
This never thickened for me 🙁
Hi Dawn, I am always happy to help troubleshoot. A couple of things come to to mind, be sure when you are packing your brown sugar, that you push it into the measuring cup and it is considered tightly packed when it holds its form as it comes out fo the measuring cup. Also, when measuring ingredients, be sure to use dry ingredient cups for dry ingredients and liquid cups for liquids to ensure the proper proportion of ingredients go into the recipe. Here is a post on how we measure. Lastly, it could be due to having it on too low of heat, in which case, I would recommend continuing ot cook until it reaches the desired temperature. I hope that helps!
Love the Carmel sauce but the next day it will as grainy could it b I whisked it on too high of heat I followed directions
Hi Darlene, I start the timer once it comes to a simmer so it is at a simmer for that time frame – There should be light bubbling of the mixture while it is simmering. If there were no bubbles, the heat was probably too low which would cause it to be thin and/or grainy. Half and half is basically equal parts milk and heavy whipping cream. You can definitely add vanilla to taste and the quality of the extract will make a difference, but I suspect the vanilla flavor was too strong due to not having it at a simmer long enough. I hope that helps to troubleshoot!
Made this tonight to drizzle over griddled poundcake slices. Turned out delicious and so easy! Perfect with a cup of Earl Grey tea.
I’m so glad you enjoyed that.
Followed directions to a t….turned out so grainy we couldn’t eat it….
Hi Carolyn, it sounds like the sugar didn’t have enough time to melt. Did you make any substitutions with maybe a course sugar or organic sugar which has a courser granule or possibly use less butter or place it over too high of heat? I hope that helps to troubleshoot.
Can i use raw cane sugar instead of brown sugar?
Hello Maisha, I haven’t tried cane sugar yet to advise. Someone commented that they substituted the brown sugar with Dulcie and dark muscovado sugars and it worked great.
Natasha sorry but i Don’t understand when you said 1/2 cup half and half. Do you mean 1/2 cup of milk and 1/2 cup of heavy cream for a total of 1 cup of liquid (milk and cream together)? I will wait for your answer, thank you.
Hi Sylvie, it is equal parts of milk and heavy cream. You should have 1/2 cup total so you will need 1/4 cup milk + 1/4 cup heavy cream. I hope you love the caramel sauce!
Delicous!!!!! I had to substitute milk for the half and half and it still turned out great. Thanks for all your wonderful recipes.
You’re welcome! & thank you for sharing that with us.
Dear Natasha, with the carameI sauce for the mini cheese cakes, I can’t make out if the cream and milk combo together makes up 1 cup or if it is half a cup of cream and half a cup of milk…? Sounds splendiferous! I’m going to bake them for my youngest daughter’s birthday which will be on 12 August. Kind regards Retha
Best caramel ever! Thank you for the recipe.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it Julie!
I tried this recipe for making chocolates filled caramel. I made it again this morning. The best and easiest caramel recipe I’ve tried so far. An absolutely no fail recipe. Thanks so much Natasha. From Anita Mumbai
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for the wonderful review!
Caramel is made by cooking sugar until it caramelizes (turns brown). This is butterscotch sauce, which is made with brown sugar and butter. Tastes great, but it’s not caramel sauce.
Thank you for your feedback Willow.
hi natasha,
can i use light brown sugar?
Hi, we did use a light brown sugar in the recipe.
This looks great! Love that you are reusing the Bonne Maman preserves jar! Just be careful if you store chipotle in adobo in one of the jars in the fridge!
Thank you for that tip Michael!
Hi Natasha, the caramel sauce was awesome. However, it is a bit grainy the next day. It is suppose to be this way?
Hi Elise, if the heat was too low that would cause it to be thin and/or grainy.
My results were just so-so. It was simple enough, but I had similar issues that others complained of- not thickening, turning grainy when cooled. Still, fine enough to drizzle on some cupcakes, though I wish the flavor were richer.
Hi Sarah, I haven’t had it turn grainy on me so I wonder if any substitutions were made. I highly recommend making the recipe as directed before making any modifications or substitutions. Also, make sure to pack the brown sugar – you’ll know it’s packed adequately when you empty it from the cup and it holds its shape.
I would like to use this receipt to be mixed into my homemade ice cream. Should I thin it out so it will not become too hard in the ice cream? If so, how should I do that?
Hi Kymme, I haven’t tried that but I think the consistency should work for ice cream without having to thin it out, but I would suggest testing a small batch to make sure it works the way you hope it will. Let me know how that goes. Caramel ice cream sounds awesome!!
I swapped out the vanilla for a tablespoon of maple whiskey. It was amazing! Takes dessert to the next level!
That’s so great, Nicole! Thank you for that wonderful review!
Is salted caramel sauce same as caramel sauce?
Hi Carol, yes that is correct. The little bit of salt balances the sweetness and salt is common in a good caramel sauce. 🙂
Whilst this did come out tasting rather lovely with a nice consistency. Following the recipe precisely resulted in a butterscotch sauce more than a Caramel sauce- likely due to the use of brown sugar and butter. For a more caramely tasting sauce, I’d suggest substituting the brown sugar for white granulated or at least half light brown and half white.
Still lovely though x
Yum yum! Just made this for a choc poke cake recipe. So so good!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Can I use dark brown sugar for the caramel sauce?
Hi Kim, I have always made this with brown sugar. I haven’t tried it with dark brown, I’m assuming that should work but can’t advise.
Yes, i made some yesterday. It turned out fabulous! It just looks a bit darker then the light, but tastes the same.
Can this recipe be used for caramel apples? I am looking to dip apples to use as a party favor.
Hi Patricia, It would work as a dip but it won’t form up around the apple.
I made it today but too thin and watery…it didn’t even have a slight of thickness…i’m a newbie here and confused about the measuring of cream and milk…
What do u mean by 1/2cup half and half?
Thank you
Hi Mercy, 1/2 cup of half and half is the same as 4 oz (in a liquid measuring cup). half and half is the equivalent of equal parts milk and heavy whipping cream. It is sold in stores labeled “half and half” but you can substitute with 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream and 1/4 cup milk to make half and half. I hope that makes sense.
Thanks for the great recipe, Natasha! I made your caramel to pour over and melt chocolate bowls containing ice cream and mixed berries as part of my entry into our family’s “Come Dine With Me” challenge – and it stole the show! I had never made caramel sauce before, and it was absolutely stunning. Thanks from Sunny South Africa 🙂
Wow! That’s amazing! I’m so inspired reading your review. Thank you!
Cheesecakes are delicious and the sauce is so good but it won’t get past the liquid stage even though I’ve been cooking it for 15 minutes.
Hi Lo, to make it thicker, cook the sauce longer. As more of the liquid evaporates, it will thicken. Was anything changed or altered in the recipe to further troubleshoot?
Great recipe! However, the vanilla flavor and salt was too much so I had to add more cream and sugar. Vanilla flavor still a bit strong so I think I will do a teaspon next time. But tastes really good! Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you for your feedback, Insiya!
I agree.1 tablespoon left too much of a vanilla flavour. I think 1 teaspoon would work. Good recipe.
What does 1/2 cup half and half mean?
Does it mean:
1/4 cup of cream
plus
1/4 cup of milk
I really would like to try this it sounds delicious!!
half and half, also known as ‘half cream’ in Europe. It is equal parts of whole milk and light cream.
I just tried making this recipe and while it has a good flavour I have some questions about the process.
In the cooking stage should it bubble, if so how much? Or keep the heat low enough for no bubbles at all?
Do you start timing once everything is melted?
What fat % is half and half?
I used 10% cream and cooked it 12 min adjusting the heat for no bubbles. Then as it was still really thin I let it bubble on low heat for another 2 min. It’s a bit grainy.
I used store bought pure vanilla extract and the vanilla flavour is a bit strong. Maybe your variety is milder?
Hi Jan, I start the timer once it comes to a simmer so it is at a simmer for that time frame – There should be light bubbling of the mixture while it is simmering. If there were no bubbles, the heat was probably too low which would cause it to be thin and/or grainy. Half and half is basically equal parts milk and heavy whipping cream. You can definitely add vanilla to taste and the quality of the extract will make a difference, but I suspect the vanilla flavor was too strong due to not having it at a simmer long enough. I hope that helps to troubleshoot!
This is the best home made caramel ever. Thank you so much. In my country you cant buy heavy cream… So i could never make my caramel at home… I am so happy… Finally… And its so tasty… Yummmy
I’m so happy you discovered our blog & this recipe! Thank you for the wonderful review!
Could this be canned to preserve?
Hi Kat, I haven’t tried so I can’t say with certainty. You might google some recipes with shelf life and see how their process and proportions differ. I wish I could be more help with that question!
Is it suppose to be a tablespoon or teaspoon of vanilla
Yes, A tablespoon is correct.
Ok thank you so much can’t wait to try it
I tried the caramel sauce and chocolate sauce it was AMAZING THANY SO MUCH FOR SHARING I made it for a homemade cheesecake that I make your recipe are very delicious
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review 🙂
This recipe looks so good! I am going to try it for Thanksgiving! Thank you and love the video!
Thank you for that great feedback!! I’m so happy you enjoyed that!
This. Was. A. Hit!!! I never knew that it would be so easy to make a caramel sauce. One thing I don’t understand and I probably never will is a salt in this sauce… But that’s just me. Next time I’ll omit salt at all. But crepes with this sauce were sooooooooooo good. Thank you, Natasha!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite Natalia!
You bet! Making a cheesecake in IP now and guess what’s going on top of it? Your caramel sauce!
Yum! I’d love to know how this turns out Natalia!!
It will help me in my bakery business…thanx so much
I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe!
I have mold to make home made turtles would the caramel sauce recipe be ok for them
🙂 thanks
Marina, this caramel sauce may be a little thin for homemade turtles – it won’t fully harden and dry like caramel candies would. I think it might work if you cooked it longer but I still think it would be sticky to the touch.
Try to experiment adding a bit of corn starch to it. It migh make it thicker….
Thank you for sharing that with us!
Wow! This is definitely the best caramel sauce recipe, so easy to make and oh the taste, i could just eat the whole thing myself 😀 can’t wait to try the mini cheesecakes with that sauce, thank you Natasha!
You’re Welcome!! Thank you for that wonderful review Dia!
Delicious, perfect caramel sauce !
Isn’t it?! Thank you for this review!
can you use country crock churn style instead of butter?
Hi Tina, I honestly haven’t tried that substitute. If you experiment, please let me know how it works out. If anyone else has tried, please let us know! 🙂
Thanks for this recipe. My grown son likes to have caramel sauce and apple cake for his birthday, and this year I made your recipe. It’s in the refrigerator right now waiting for his party and I hope it doesn’t mysteriously disappear before then.
I hope not either, Jane! Although that would be a great compliment! Wish him a Happy Birthday!
Love this recipe. But my turned out grainy . What did I do wrong?
Hi Fatema. It could be due to the sugar not dissolving completely.
Love this recipe. Taste was very good. However, the sauce was grainy. What did I do wrong?
Hi Fatema, I’m happy you enjoyed the recipe. My guess is it could be crystallization or the sugar did not dissolve completely.
Keto blt salad and dressing.
Do you have the nutritional break down for the dressing.
Hi Bonnie. If you are looking for the nutritional break down of this recipe you can locate it on the print out option towards the bottom of the post 🙂 If you are looking for the dressing alone I recommend copying the ingredients into a calorie counter like this one. I hope this helps.
Such an easy recipe. I am from Bangladesh. And it is almost impossible to find a good quality readymade caramel sauce. This recipe will help me a lot.
That’s so great Sadia! Thank you for sharing this with me! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe!
Hi, what I can use to substitute heavy cream?can I use all purpose cream instead?thank you
Hi Jenn, you can use regular whipping cream instead of the half and half and you will have a slightly thicker caramel sauce which will still work great 🙂
I was all excited about this recipe (because we ADORE salted caramel), until I saw “Pioneer Woman”.
It is sooo good! Thanks you for reading!
Can I use regular sugar instead of brown?
HI Maria, I have always made this with brown sugar. I think it could work but you probably wouldn’t get as nice of a caramel color using white sugar since the brown sugar has molasses in it for color.
Thank You for the answer!
You’re welcome!
Can this be made with margarine instead of butter? I liked it, and plan to make 80 jars at a gift making party. Margarine is just SO much cheaper.
HI AB, I honestly haven’t tried it with margarine so I can’t say for sure. If anyone else has tested it with margarine, please let us know.
Delicious!!! I had to use whole milk because that was all I had and I wanted carmel sauce for my apple cake and it turned out perfect
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing that with us!
Would I be able to use heavy cream instead of half and half?
Hi Vivian, I would suggest using equal parts of heavy cream and milk to substitute for the half and half (1/4 cup of heavy cream and 1/4 cup milk)
You can just use straight heavy cream, no half and half. I use 36% cream and as always it works great! I also use 36% cream when making Caramel candies.
Hi
The amount of sugar.. is it 200 g? or 220 g? and how mangy grams of butter please.
I Sara, when I weighed it, it was 200grams. The recipe converter uses an algorithm and sometimes can be off a little bit. I manually corrected it. Thanks for asking!
Hello! Can you use this caramel for dipping apples into it?
Hello Yuliya! It would work as a dip but it won’t form up around the apple.
Instead sea salt, can I substitute the unsalted butter for salted butter?
Salted butter should work fine 😀
Thank you very much for the quick response, I really appreciate it. I’m going to try this caramel sauce on panna cotta. I can’t wait!
My pleasure, glad to help!
Where has this recipe been all my life? Thanks for sharing this Natasha. xoxo
My pleasure Aida! I’m glad you love it!
Hi Natasha,
I made this recipe yesterday and the results is Fantastic! I put it on top of my chocoflan and all my friends said they love it! Thanks a lot for sharing your recipe.
PS: I made caramel sauce twice with different recipe from other famous blog/website, but the results are disaster.
Hello Retha! I’m glad to hear the recipe is such a success! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review!
Hi there,
It looks delicious. How long does it keep in the fridge if I give it as a gift
Hi Victoria, you can refrigerate in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.I have a note about that closer to the top of the post.
If I use regular salt instead of sea salt and vanilla extract instead of real vanilla extract will anything change?
Hi Lana, those substitutions will still work. Add the salt to taste since table salt is smaller crystals than sea salt so 1 tsp of table salt will taste saltier than 1 tsp sea salt.
I followed the recipe but my caramel sauce didn’t thikened but overcooked.
Hi Lana, I haven’t had that happen but I am always happy to help troubleshoot. Did you measure the ingredients as stated in the recipe, measuring dry ingredients in dry ingredient cups and wet in liquid measuring cups? Also, when brown sugar is “packed,” it should keep the form of the measuring cup when you empty the measuring cup as shown in the image. If it is not packed, it will take longer to form. Also, it may be that the heat was on too high – it should be cooked over low heat. I hope that helps! 🙂
Yes I did. What if the brown sugar was in the container, does it work?
Hi Lana, I’m not sure what you mean by the container.
Hey, I’m making this at my in laws for thanksgiving to go with that cheesecake, they only have old fashioned brown sugar which I would assume is dark brown sugar ‘cause it’s definitely not light. It would have more molasses in it…would this still work to use in this caramel sauce ?
Hi Stefanie, I have always made this with brown sugar. I haven’t tried it with dark brown, I’m assuming that should work but can’t advise.
Hi Natasha,
Will this set up enough for homemade turtles?
Thanks,
Julie
p.s. I’ve purchased all the items to make/gift your homemade vanilla!
Hi Julie, this caramel sauce may be a little thin for homemade turtles – it won’t fully harden and dry like caramel candies would. I think it might work if you cooked it longer but I still think it would be sticky to the touch.
we made this for my birthday cake it was SO delicious and got to the perfect thickness. Thank a lot
You’re welcome Isla! I’m glad you love the recipe! Thanks for sharing your great review!
Natasha – how would I make the caramel sauce thicker? it is great but sometimes I would like it thicker. Thanks
Hi Richard, to make it thicker, cook the sauce longer. As more of the liquid evaporates, it will thicken 🙂
Natasha – thank you so much
You’re welcome Richard!
For how long can I leave the caramel sauce at the room temperature?
Hi Anastasia, I would refrigerate after a day at room temperature. The sooner you refrigerate, the longer it will last. 🙂
I made this today to go on top of the miniature cheesecakes! I had a good feeling about the recipe, so I made a double batch of the caramel and I’m SO glad — it was absolutely delicious! I am even going to give a jar to my mom for part of her birthday present this week! I will never buy caramel from the store again! The whole family at dinner this evening loved it!
I’m so glad to hear how much everyone loves the recipe! Thanks for sharing your excellent review Morgan!
Will this work well for Carmelo’s apples? Does it set up enough for that purpose?
It would work as a dip but it won’t form up around the apple.
I never even thought of googling how to make a homemade caramel sauce. I made it yesterday and I will never never never buy it in the store again. Even the most natural ones in the store have an odd taste, but this one is the recipe of all recipes. In addition, these simple ingredients are staples in each household. As always, good job Natasha. I don’t follow many cooking blogs, but I like the fact that you reference where you got the recipe originally.
Thanks Galya! I’m so glad to hear how much you enjoy the recipe! Thanks for sharing your great review with other readers!
Hi Natasha,
This looks awesome! Can’t wait to try it especially with your pumpkin cheesecake. Thanks so much!
Hello Tammy! It’s my pleasure, I hope you love the recipe! Please let me know what you think!
Amazing! I could never have any store bought caramel sauce since most of them have high fructose corn syrup and I am allergic! And the sugar free versions taste awful… I resigned myself to not having any until now. Just made this last night and can’t get enough of it. My husband loved it too
That’s great! I’m glad to hear you both enjoy the recipe! Thanks for sharing your fantastic review Julia!
made the recipe and it’s amazing! thank you so much Natasha the taste reminds me of russian caramels. i’ve been trying to limit myself on how much of this i eat:)
You’re welcome Luba! I’m glad to hear that! Thanks for sharing your fantastic review!
How awesome! Will need to try soon. I’ve made caramel sauce using a different recipe before, and I like to add it to coffee with milk. The result tastes better than the Starbucks coffee I’ve tried! I’m sure this one would add an amazing flavor to coffee as well.
Mmmm that sounds amazing! Wishing I had some leftover from my last recipe to try it on my coffee tomorrow morning. Good thing it’s super easy to make! 😉
Wow! Definitely going to try! I’d really like to see your take on platsindi, with feta or pumpkin.
Hi Diana, I have never heard of those! Is there a great recipe online you could recommend?
Dear Natasha, thank you for this multi functional ingredient. Festive days are getting closer and no one can skip using this one ! Enjoy the day !
Thank you so much! Yes I agree – this one is a perfect topping for so many Autumn and holiday desserts! I hope you love it 🙂
This looks so easy. I’m a little obsessed with homemade caramel sauce. Thanks for sharing, Natasha!
My pleasure! I hope you love it!
Gurl! This is amazing! Yay to home cooking! Thank you Natasha.
You’re welcome Katy! I’m glad you love it! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I like the fact that you use brown sugar (so far I have never made caramel sauce with brown sugar successfully) and that all ingredients are combined at once. Sounds perfect. Will report back once I try it!
Hi Jenny, thank you! The color and flavor is wonderful and this recipe is so easy. I hope you love it! 🙂