Homemade Caramel Sauce
As most people do, I sometimes have difficulty restraining myself when it comes to eating certain foods.
Caramel is one of those things.
I distinctly remember the shock and horror when I discovered that caramel was basically nothing more than sugar…
Well, sugar with sometimes butter or cream added to it (does that make it better or worse?!?! I really don’t know).
Caramel is certainly an indulgent food that must be enjoyed in moderation…most of the time.
I usually keep a bottle of this stuff in the fridge so I can make my own caramel macchiatos at home, or add a little caramel sauce to my ice cream.
Here’s a video on how to make it:
Homemade Caramel Sauce
Ingredients:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Directions:
- In a heavy bottomed pan, combine the sugar and water, and stir (from here on out, no more stirring, only swirling). Cook the mixture over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Raise the heat to medium high, and cook until it turns amber colored. Add in the butter and wait a few seconds for that to melt and stop sputtering.
- Remove the pan from the heat, and add the heavy cream and vanilla extract. It will bubble up violently but will calm down within 5 to 10 seconds. Let the caramel sauce cool, then transfer to a container.
All images and text ยฉ.
No, it was way too watery. I didn’t let it cook long enough, it never really turned to that real pretty amber color. Finally got it though. Thank you ๐
Oh good! Glad you got it the next time. Enjoy =)
Does the cream need to be at room temperature or can it be cold?
Hi Christina, it doesn’t matter, either works. If the cream is cold it might take an extra 30 seconds or so for the caramel to warm up and become homogenous but both will be fine.
I’ve tried making this three times. Each was a disaster. Now, I’m a fairly competent cook and have made everything from pies, cakes, and candy to complete five to eight course meals. But this one has me stumped! Twice the syrup never browned and once it just turned into a rock. What am I doing wrong? Help before I hang up my apron and toss my pots and pans!
Hi Rob, I would love to help troubleshoot the issues you’re having. For the times the mixture didn’t brown, did you try turning up the heat a bit? Stoves vary and sometimes it needs to be medium, sometimes medium high. Then for the time it turned into a rock, was it after you added the cream? Sometimes the caramel can harden up, but if you put it back on the heat for a minute or two, it loosens up and gets a normal texture. Let me know, I’d love to help! Sorry you were having trouble with this one, it should be smooth sailing.
Hi Joanne,
The first time I turned it to med-high as per the directions. Second left it at medium. Neither time did any brown appear. The third time I tried back on med-high and let it cook. Of course that’s when it turned into rock. Never did get as far as adding the cream!
I agree, this is a simple recipe and I shouldn’t be having any problems but for some reason…
Hi Rob, this is very strange, how could the sugar not brown at all? I’m stumped. Is the sugar at least getting to the point where it dissolves and turns clear, into a sugar syrup?
I’ve also had this problem.You have to be patient with it,really.it took me like 15 minute watch for it to watch get it atleast a little bit coloured after it dissolved to a clear sugar syrup.amber takes time and patient
This is my go to recipe for caramel sauce. It always turns out perfect! Love love love this.
Hi , just wanted to know if i could use this caramel sauce for making caramel filled chocolates.
What burner are you using?
Love this caramel recipe….looking forward to making it…
but have a question….could brown sugar be used instead of white sugar ?
You know, I’ve never tried it personally, but I’ve heard from other people that it doesn’t melt properly. So I guess the answer is I’m not sure since I haven’t tried it, but maybe? If you try it let me know how it goes!
This didn’t work. I followed the directions to the T. I put the butter in and I was amazed how it quickly became a caramel sauce. I took it off the heat and added the cream vanilla mixture and it did the violent bubbles but then the cream didn’t incorporated as I swirled stirred and then the caramel seized up and became a caramel mess with the cream on top. I scooped the caramel piece out and it looks like I have caramel candy. But what happened with my sauce? ๐
Hi Christine, the caramel mixture can seize up if the cream is really cold, but if you leave it on the heat and keep cooking (usually only 3-4 minutes), it will homogenize. If you are still able to cook it, I bet you could bring it back to a boil and salvage it!
Thanks for your response! I tried putting it back on the heat to stir and I did see the caramel start to melt but I thought I was just making matters worse. I took the caramel out and put in on parchment (just tasted it and it’s hard sugar pieces :/ ) but I kept the cream and put it back on the stove and just reduced it and now it’s a caramel color and thick for a sauce and tastes great! Some of the caramel incorporated before it seized so I still got some of the flavor! Will make note of that for next time! Thanks for your recipe and for your helpful tips! This is my first caramel making experience and I’ll know what to do for next time! ๐
So glad that you’re back. How are you doing? You were missed.
Great, thank you! How was your weekend?
Oh Gawd!!! For anyone who is contemplating making this, MAKE IT!!! MAAAAKKKEEE IITTTTT!
This is so incredibly delicious. I’ve never had nor made homemade caramel sauce before, but I decided to try this because it seemed so simple and I had the ingredients on hand. I think I added the cream a little too early, as my caramel sauce kind of turned into a surgary blob and dark, creamy juice, but I stirred, and stirred, and stirred til that sugary blob was but a memory. The result was nothing short of a culinary triumph over all almost-ruined caramels.
And I have to say, after making this stuff, I’m not sure I can go back to the dodgy, store-bought goo…
YAY so glad to hear this Sarah! And yes, sometimes it seizes up when you add the cream, but if you continue to heat and cook it, it smooths out.
Is the butter supposed to be unsalted? Or can I use salted butter
I typically use unsalted but salted butter would be fine here too.
Well… I am confused.
First thank you for the recipe.. I have never tried homemade caramel but this recipe worth trying.. for sure.
Now, in the recipe (step 3 – Remove the pan from the heat, and add the heavy cream and vanilla extract. It will bubble up violently but will calm down within 5 to 10 seconds)no stirring is mentioned after removing from hea. And then reading all comments it seems after adding the cream you have to stir.. not only stir but in the reply to Sarah on July the answer was: “but if you continue to heat and cook it, it smooths out”.. That means we have to keep it cooking
So now after adding the cream do i need to stir on heat? to keep it cooking without heat? no stirring at all? can you please specify.
Thank you
Hi Hala, You don’t need to stir necessarily, and if the caramel really seizes up, it will be so hard you won’t be able to. But putting it back on the heat will make it all melt together and smooth out again.
Hi,
I was wondering, after I make the sauce, how should it be stored? Does it need refrigerated? What is the shelf life of the sauce once made or how long will it keep? Thanks!
Hi Glenna, yes, store in the refrigerator (note that it will be firmer when cold). It should keep for a month or two, at least. Enjoy!
Joanne you use heavy cream in your caramel sauce is that thicken cream
Hi Jennifer, I’m not sure what thicken cream is? Heavy whipping cream is the one I buy. Are you from outside the US?
Hi! I made this caramel and it taste very good. The only problem is my caramel is soupy even when I put the heavy whipping cream in. I was wondering how long did your caramel sit to thicken up and if not long how do I get it to thicken up? Thanks!
Hi Kaya, did you refrigerate it? It gets much, much firmer as it chills. Let me know!
Hi I did the caramel recipe but the water and sugar mixture took SUPER long at medium heat, so I add started adding the rest of the recipe and now I lokks like butterscotch and a bit watery is there any way I can make it creamy and ‘ stronger ‘
Thanks
It looks like butterscotch because of the butter.