Learn How to make easy salted caramel sauce recipe with this foolproof method! Made with six simple ingredients: water, vanilla extract, salt, granulated sugar, butter, and cream. No candy thermometer required for this amber colored homemade salted caramel sauce. It’s so delicious on ice cream and brownies! And makes a great holiday gift!

Let’s Talk Salted Caramel Sauce

Are you a salted caramel sauce fan? Considering you’re ready this post for my salted caramel sauce recipe… I’m guessing you are. Me too! I make a jar almost once a month.

Between ice cream, salted caramel cake, salted caramel apple crisp, and salted caramel sticky buns… it disappears quickly! And while you can easily buy a jar at any grocery store or specialty food shop. Why not make some homemade salted caramel sauce instead?

Making your own caramel is cheaper, more fun, and more delicious. And I promise once you see how easy it is, you’ll be making jars of caramel all the time! You use salted caramel sauce on all of your favorite treats and in your favorite recipes. And it makes a great gift!

Salted Caramel Sauce Recipe: Ingredients

• Granulated Sugar: Brown sugar will technically work, but will create more of a butterscotch. So for best results use granulated sugar and don’t reduce the amount called for.
• Water: Regular tap H20 works great. Don’t sub more heavy whipping cream or milk for water.
• Butter: Unsalted butter works best, but you can use salted butter in a pinch. Do not sub oil for the butter. 
• Heavy Cream: Aka heavy whipping cream. This is an essential ingredient, so make sure you have it before making this recipe. Do not sub milk or half and half. 
• Pure Vanilla Extract: As always, pure vanilla works best. But a bourbon vanilla extract would also work great in this recipe.
• Flaky Sea Salt: If you use salted butter, reduce the salt to taste. 

How to Make Caramel Sauce

1. Water and Sugar: Whisk the granulated sugar and water in a saucepan with tall sides. Don’t use a shallow pan or pot, the caramel sauce will bubble over. Cook this mixture until the sugar completely dissolves.
2. Add the Butter: Drop the butter in carefully and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes, or until amber colored. Do not stir the sauce during this process! (NOTE: This step could be more like 15 to 20 minutes depending on your pan and range.) 
3. Add the Cream: Once the salted caramel sauce reaches the amber color, remove the pan from heat. Immediately add in the heavy whipping cream, stirring constantly. Be careful during this step – the caramel will hiss and bubble up aggressively!
4. Vanilla and Salt: Remove from heat and stir in the salt and vanilla. Vigorously whisk the mixture smooth and set aside. The caramel thickens as it cools to room temperature, so cool completely before used. 
5. Store Caramel: In the fridge until needed. The salted caramel sauce will be quite thick right out of the fridge. To thin it out, reheat in a sauce pan over medium heat until completely melted. Or microwave for a few seconds.

Salted caramel sauce makes a great homemade holiday gift or housewarming gift! I suggest pouring it in a cute mason jar and wrapping a cute ribbon around the top of the jar. 

Salted Caramel Sauce Tips

• Use a pot with tall sides, because when you add the heavy whipping cream, the mixture will bubble up and hiss! A shallow pan can cause the sauce to pour over. 
• Speaking of the pot, be sure to use a high-quality heavy metal pot. Most cheap cookware is too thin and heats unevenly, so avoid using them for caramel sauce. I also don’t recommend non-stick pans since high-heat can damage them.
• Once you’ve added the granulated sugar and water to the pan, whisk them together until combined. Then avoid stirring the rest of the time. Instead, occasionally, and gently, tilt the pan side-to-side to help the ingredients cook evenly and avoid burning. This no-stir method helps avoid sugar crystals from forming.
• The caramel takes time to develop, so be patient while it boils. You want it to reach a deep golden brown amber color before removing it from the heat. Removing it too soon can cause gritty caramel. Be patient here… it takes the time it takes. 
• Once you’ve removed your salted caramel from the heat, add your cream right away. Use a spouted measuring cup so you can slowly add it in. As mentioned earlier, the mixture will aggressively bubble up, but as long as you used a tall sided pan, it won’t overflow. Be sure to whisk the mixture together well after adding the cream.
• Because the caramel is so hot when it comes off the stove, it will look thin. However once it cools it will thicken up quite a bit. If you’d like to return the caramel to a liquid form, simple reheat it in the microwave or on the stove top.
• Be sure to use quality sea salt. I recommend Maldon because it’s flaky, flavorful, and easy to find!
• Finally, if you burn your caramel… there’s unfortunately no method of saving it. Just toss it and start over again. Making homemade salted caramel can take practice, so try not to get down if your first attempt isn’t perfect. 

How to Use Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce

And just for the record, this homemade salted caramel sauce is not just for ice cream! It’s way more versatile than that. It’s great on apples, brownies, chocolate chip cookies, cakes, etc. And you can use it in most recipes that call for salted caramel sauce such as:

• Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
• Salted Caramel Cupcakes
• Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Mini Cheesecakes
• Salted Caramel Apple Pie

Easy Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce

Ashley Manila

Learn How to make easy salted caramel sauce recipe with this foolproof method! Made with six simple ingredients: water, vanilla extract, salt, granulated sugar, butter, and cream. No candy thermometer required for this amber colored homemade salted caramel sauce. It's so delicious on ice cream and brownies!

4.99 from 55 votes

PRINT RECIPE PIN RECIPE

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine Candy, Sauces

Servings 1 cup

Ingredients

 

• 1 cup (199g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (113ml) water
• 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup (113ml) heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt

Instructions

 

• Whisk together granulated sugar and water in a medium-sized saucepan with tall sides.
• Cook over medium-low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 3 to 5 minutes, but maybe a little longer depending on your stove.
• Add in the butter and bring the mixture to slow boil over medium-heat. Continue cooking until the mixture turns a deep golden brown/copper color, about 12 minutes, maybe longer depending on your stove. Do not stir during this process!
• Once the caramel reaches this color, remove from heat and immediately add in the heavy cream. Be very careful during this step – the caramel will hiss and bubble up aggressively!
• Finally, stir in the vanilla and sea salt. Vigorously whisk the mixture smooth and set aside to cool. Store caramel in the fridge until needed.

Video

Notes

• You may use salted or unsalted butter.
• You may make this caramel sauce up t0 2 weeks in advance. Just be sure to tightly cover it (I love storing mine in mason jars)  and store it in the refrigerator.
• Heavy cream can be found in the diary aisle in most grocery stores. Whipping cream may also be used. Do not use milk!
• All stoves run a little differently, so be sure to watch the caramel as it evolves, and time accordingly. You might need to add an additional 5 or even 10 minutes to the boil time if your stove top runs low.

Keyword salted caramel sauce, caramel recipes, christmas recipes

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