My Homemade Caramel Sauce tastes perfectly buttery, smooth, and sweet with a hint of salt. It’s irresistibly good, and even better, the recipe is simple with just 5 ingredients and no thermometer required. With my tips below, you’ll be whipping up a batch of salted caramel like a pro!
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Helpful Reader Review
“Never thought I would be able to make it like the picture. It turned out better than I thought it would. Absolutely delicious, creamy, it’s perfect. Thanks for the easy recipe. “ – Rosalind ★★★★★
Homemade Caramel Sauce
I published this recipe years ago, but I have updated it to be more foolproof and authentic. What I love most about this caramel sauce recipe is that it’s a true caramel sauce. If you prefer the original version, I have (more accurately) filed it under Butterscotch Sauce.
If you’ve ever shopped for caramel sauce at the grocery store and had a difficult time finding one without mystery “natural flavors” and corn syrup as the primary ingredient, this recipe is for you! It’s simple to make with only 5 basic ingredients and tastes amazing–better than anything at the store!
It’s so delicious, you’ll want to drizzle it on everything. Use it to dip Apples, and drizzle over countless desserts like my Pumpkin Cheesecake, Apple Pie, hot or Iced Coffee, ice cream… You name it! This is such a versatile sauce, and it keeps well in the refrigerator.
Caramel Sauce Ingredients
I suggest avoiding substitutions, since it’s perfectly balanced to prevent crystallization.
- Granulated sugar – melting white sugar slowly with water makes the base of the caramel sauce.
- Unsalted butter – cut into cubes. Make sure your butter is at room temperature since cold butter can break the sauce! European butter has a higher fat content and less water, which can make the sauce better and easier to make. I love Kerrygold butter.
- Heavy cream – warm before adding to keep the sauce from sputtering and breaking.
- Vanilla extract – Use Homemade Vanilla Extract or store-bought.
- Salt – cuts the sweetness to create an irresistible salted caramel flavor. You can add it to taste.
How to Make Caramel Sauce
The key to a successful homemade caramel sauce is to dissolve the sugar before simmering and not to stir at any point. This can flick sugar granules onto the sides of the pan, which will fall back into the mixture later and cause the whole thing to crystallize.
- Melt the sugar – Add the sugar to the bottom of a heavy-bottomed saucepan and shake the pan to distribute it evenly. Drizzle the water over the sugar and let it sit for a minute to fully moisten the sugar. DO NOT STIR – you don’t want sugar to get splashed on the sides of the pan. Set over medium-low heat and, without stirring, let the sugar dissolve completely until clear, about 5 minutes.
Pro Tip to Prevent Crystalization:
If you do see any sugar crystals at the edges, cover the pan with the lid for 30-60 seconds as it simmers; the steam will help wash the pan walls. If it does crystalize and firm up, add 2-3 Tbsp of hot water and stir until it melts again, then proceed.
- Simmer – Without stirring, bring to a simmer and increase to medium heat. When it starts to take on a little color, swirl the pan occasionally until it’s light amber or honey-colored (it takes about 5-8 minutes on my stove). Don’t let it brown too much, or it will taste bitter. As you swirl towards the end, any stray sugar crystals should dissolve.
Natasha’s Safety Tip:
Be careful not to touch or lick the hot utensils or the pan — melted sugar and caramel is scorching hot! Also, let the pan cool before washing it, then soak it in hot water to easily remove the caramel sauce.
- Add the butter – turn the heat to low, and whisk in half the butter. It will bubble vigorously. Once incorporated, stir in the rest of the butter. If it separates, remove the pan from the heat and stir until it comes together.
- Add the cream – while whisking, drizzle the warm cream into the pan (it will bubble up) and whisk until smooth (or 220°F), then remove the pan from the heat. Make sure you DO NOT add cold cream, or it may splatter.
- Finish with vanilla and salt – Whisk vanilla and salt to taste into the caramel off the heat.
- Cool and store – It will thicken in consistency as it cools, so let the caramel cool for a few minutes before using. Store cooled caramel in jars in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
How to Fix Crystalized Caramel Sauce?
I’ve had my fair share of crystallized caramel batches in developing the perfect recipe, so hopefully my tips above will prevent it for you. If it does look crystallized and seized at any point (see photo below), don’t worry! To fix siezed caramel: Add 2-4 Tbsp hot water to the separated mixture, and then reheat over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and swirl the pan to capture any remaining sugar crystals.
My Caramel is Liquid – is that Normal?
The caramel will be more liquid and drizzling consistency when it is still hot/warm and will thicken as it cools. After refrigeration, it will become very thick and will hold its shape on a spoon. Reheating it on the stovetop or in the microwave will loosen it up again.
How to Serve Caramel Sauce
I wasn’t kidding when I told you this homemade caramel sauce was versatile, so here is a long list of ideas, and I’m just scratching the surface!
- Caramel apples or dip for sliced apples
- Apple Turnovers (inside or out)
- Cinnamon Rolls
- Baked Apples
- Caramel French Toast
- Caramel Corn Pops Treats
- Churros Dip
- Mini Cheesecakes topping
- Crepes
- Apple Crisp Drizzle
- Pumpkin Waffles topping
- Apple Pancakes topping
- Affogato
- Banoffee Pie
- Apple Coffee Cake
- Cheesecake drizzle
- Sourdough Dutch Baby
- Dutch Apple Pie drizzle
My easy homemade caramel sauce recipe tastes amazing on top of so many desserts and dishes! It’s simple to make and tastes so much better than anything at the grocery store. Mix up a batch to keep on hand, and then tell me in the comments how you use your caramel sauce!
P.S. If you preferred my original sauce, check out my Butterscotch Sauce recipe.
Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened at room temperature, cut into cubes
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, warm
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp sea salt, or add to taste
Instructions
- Melt the sugar – Add the sugar to the bottom of a heavy-bottomed saucepan and shake the pan to distribute it evenly. Drizzle the water over the sugar and let it sit for a minute to fully moisten the sugar. DO NOT STIR – you don't want sugar to get splashed on the sides of the pan. Set over medium-low heat and, without stirring, let the sugar dissolve completely until clear, about 5 minutes. The mixture should be clear, and the sugar fully dissolved before it simmers.
- Simmer – Without stirring, bring to a simmer and increase to medium heat. If you see crystals on the sides of the pan, cover with lid for 30-60 seconds. When the caramel starts to take on a little color, swirl the pan occasionally until it's light amber or honey-colored (about 5-8 minutes). Don't let it brown too much, or it will taste bitter. As you swirl towards the end, any stray sugar crystals should dissolve.
- Add the butter – Reduce the heat to medium-low and carefully whisk in half of the softened butter cubes, then stir in the rest. The mixture will bubble vigorously — that’s normal. Keep whisking until the butter is fully incorporated. If it separates, remove from the heat and whisk until it comes together.
- Add the cream – Slowly stream in the warm cream while whisking constantly. Again, it will bubble up and steam. Keep whisking until smooth, then remove from heat.
- Finish with vanilla + salt – Turn off the heat and whisk in vanilla and salt. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
- Cool and store – Let cool slightly before using. It will thicken up quite a bit as it cools. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It firms up when refrigerated. Re-warm gently to drizzle.
Notes
- Do Not Stir – Stirring the sugar and water mixture can cause sugar crystals to stick to the pan walls. If those fall back into the pan later, it can “seed” the whole pan and crystallize your caramel. Also, let the sugar fully dissolve and turn clear before simmering. Be patient.
- Even Heating – use a heavy-bottomed saucepan (avoid non-stick pans) for even heat distribution and avoid temperature swings (add room-temperature or warm ingredients as directed).
- Don’t Rush It – Patience is key at every step. Don’t rush this with higher heat, or it can crystallize.
- Use a Lid – If you see sugar crystals at the edges of the pot at the simmering step, cover with a lid for 30-60 seconds; the steam will help wash the pan’s walls.
- Swirl occasionally – as soon as you start to see some color developing, gentle swirling helps to distribute color evenly and helps clear any remaining sugar flakes from the surface and walls.
- Use warm cream so it doesn’t splatter, separate, or burst, which can happen if you add cold liquid to a blazing-hot caramel sauce.
- European butter has a higher fat content and less water, which can make the sauce better and easier to make. I love Kerrygold butter.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Homemade Dessert Sauces
Dessert toppings, like my homemade caramel sauce, just taste better when made from scratch–and they are easy! Try these next:
Followed the instructions and it all just separates
Hi Nadea. I wonder if it was overheated? To fix a caramel that separates, you can add a little water (1 to 2 Tbsp), bring it to a boil. Once it’s smooth again, remove it from heat.
Natasha’s recipes are always consistently excellent. Sorry to hear it did not work for you. I love baking and experimenting…this caramel sauce has become my go to recipe. Quick, easy, has not failed me yet. I use it in apple crisp, with cinnamon buns, topping for many different cakes or loaves…so much zucchini from garden right now have been trying lots of different recipes. Last week was making in evening and recipe was a zucchini cake with cream cheese icing. I decided to just do quick batch of caramel sauce and my co-workers LOVED it. (In fact, while they enjoyed the zucchini cake, they kept eating the caramel sauce by itself lol
Hi bit confused by the half cup and half – is it 1 cup of either all cream or 1/2 cup of cream and 1/2 cup milk ? 🙏
Hi Suzy. 1/2 cup half and half refers to needing the measurement for the ingredient called “half and half”. it’s sold in most local grocery stores. Half and Half is equal parts milk and cream. So you will need a told of a 1/2 cup of “half & half”. I hope that helps.
Thank you. Can’t wait to try this sauce on cinnamon buns.
Can this sauce be prepared ahead of time and be frozen for gifts or future use?
Hi Diane! I haven’t tried freezing it to know if affects the consistency. One of my viewers shared this: “Keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, leave in the fridge overnight, or to quick thaw, place into a warm water bath until it thaws. Store in an airtight container so the caramel sauce doesn’t absorb any off odors.”
Never thought i would be able to make it like the picture. It turned out better than i thought it would. Absolutely delicious, creamy, its perfect.
Thanks for the easy recipe. Yum
I made this sauce twice now and it’s fantastic! It’s the easiest recipe. Perfect sauce for ice cream, dessert topping, fruit ……. I made it exactly per the recipe and it came out perfect both times. Will be on regular rotation in my house!!
I’m so happy to hear you found a favorite on my blog, Julie! Thank you so much for your wonderful review!
Sorry with the Carmel sauce recipe it’s says half and half. ( of what ingredients)
1/2 cup half and half, or use equal parts heavy cream and milk
“Half and half” is a mixture of heavy cream and milk in equal parts. It’s sold in grocery stores pre-mixed (for those of you who don’t know what it is). You can use 1/4 c. of heavy cream, mixed with 1/4 c. of whole or low-fat milk to equal a total measurement of 1/2 cup for the recipe. I hope that helps clarify.
I have a curiosity question. 🤔 What does the half and half do in the caramel sauce, please? Thank you!
It makes it smooth, creamy, and rich.
Half and half is an American thing. It’s a 50/50 blend of light/single cream and milk.
I make this with vegan butter and oat cream and it comes out beautifully.
It tastes so good and very easy to make. I substituted the light brown sugar for normal brown sugar as I didn’t have any light.
Can this caramel sauce be drizzled over sea foam frosting?
I bet it would be delicious over sea foam frosting. It’ll add a rich sweetness to the light frosting. Be sure the caramel is cooled before adding it. I hope you love it.
I just made it exactly to the recipe and normally I will make my own spin on things, but this was perfect. Absolutely delicious and it does thicken upon cooling.
I’m so happy to hear that!
Can you use just heavy cream for the half and half?
Hi Lisa! Heavy cream works too but it will be richer and thicker.
Absolutely delicious! Didn’t thicken on the stove like I thought it would/should, but it did when it cooled.
This turned out good but I stood at the stove for 35 minutes- not 6-9. I did use cold butter though.
I really appreciated this recipe in a pinch when I was out of heavy cream and white sugar! It’s very easy. I decided to reduce the brown sugar a tiny bit and added 1.5 tablespoon of 100% maple syrup. It was heavenly. I also added about a 1/2 tsp of vinegar and reduced the salt by 1/2. Then I remembered that I had not yet put in the vanilla. I decided to add just 1/2 tablespoon of vanilla because I feared to much liquid. Well, in the future I would almost leave out the vanilla because it overpowered my maple. The sauce is really good for drizzling over a bundt cake or ice cream. Thank you!
I needed to jazz up some leftover apple pie that I was serving with ice cream. I read several caramel sauce recipes, but they seemed too complicated. I was just about to give up when I saw this recipe. Trust me, it is super easy and delicious!
Love this recipe. It is so easy and very delicious.
This caramel is so good and totally giftable! Smooth, creamy, and so good I don’t want to share, but it’s easy enough to make that I don’t mind! 🙂
Making 2 weeks before chridtmas. I have been using your recipes I thank for about 4 yrs. one word comes to mind,every single recipe i try is “consistence” Your recipes are thorough and tasty
So happy to hear that, Bill. Thank you.
Hi Natasha,
I’ve made your caramel sauce and it’s divine, but I’ve noticed it’s separating a bit in the refrigerator. The bottom has a bit of a dark “liquidy” layer and then the rest is normal. Will a stir solve that, or should I reheat it?
Hi Tanya, this could be due to overcooking (make sure the heat isn’t too high). Also, avoid dark brown sugar which can seize the caramel and turn it grainy. To fix a grainy caramel or a caramel that separates, you want to add a little water (1-2 Tbsp), bring it to a boil, and re-dissolve the crystalized sugar then remove it from heat.
Excellent and easy! Would start with 1/4 tsp sea salt and build up to taste. I used unsalted butter and the amount called for and it’s definitely more of a salted caramel as written. What a treat!
I’m glad you love this recipe, Simone!