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Learn How to make easy Salted Caramel Sauce with this foolproof recipe! Made with six simple ingredients you probably have in your kitchen right now! No candy thermometer required!
Salted Caramel Sauce Recipe
How to Make Caramel Sauce
Last month we went to LA for my 30th birthday and celebrated with a 5 day marathon of my favorite activity: eating. Because we all know calories don’t count on your birthday, right?
One of the places we indulged at was Salt & Straw; a Venice beach ice cream shop notorious for its creative flavors… and long lines. After 45 minutes of waiting, we finally reached the counter and sampled a bounty of impressive flavors. But the one that really won me over was the sea salt with caramel ribbon. I know… it sounds pretty basic, but it was incredible! So naturally, I’ve been trying to recreate a homemade version that does my memory justice. The first step? Make a killer salted caramel sauce!
So, that’s just what I did. And honestly, this sauce is so good I’ve all but forgotten about making the ice cream! Because drizzling this stuff on top of a bowl of store bought vanilla is almost just as good ♥
And just for the record, this salted caramel sauce is not just for ice cream! It’s way more versatile than that. It’s great on apples, brownies, cookies, cakes, etc. And you can use it in most recipes that call for salted caramel sauce!
Tips and Tricks for Recipe Success:
- You’re going to want to use a pot with very tall sides, because when you add the cream to the caramel it will bubble up furiously!
- Speaking of the pot, be sure to use a high-quality heavy metal pot. Most cheap cookware is very thin and heats unevenly, so avoid using them for caramel. I also don’t recommend non-stick pans since high-heat can damage them. I love using this Kitchenaid saucepan.
- Once you’ve added the sugar and water to the pan, you’ll want to 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 color before removing it from the heat. Removing it too soon can cause gritty caramel.
- Once you’ve removed your caramel from the heat you want to add your cream right away! Make sure you’ve placed it in 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 very 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.
Salted Caramel Sauce Recipes:
If you try this recipe for Easy Salted Caramel Sauce, let me know! Leave a comment below and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it #bakerbynature on instagram! Seeing your kitchen creations makes my day
Easy Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 4 ounces (1 stick) butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 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 9 to 10 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.
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.
Thank you. I try to do it. This summer I have a rest from all things it’s my first lazy summer and I bake nothing Soon I’m going to start baking.
You add the butter *before* the caramel boils? That’s seems odd.
Yes, you add the butter once the sugar has dissolved. It will be bubbling at that point. May I ask why that seems odd to you?
Normally in a wet caramel, you boil the sugar and water until it turns Amber and then add the cream and butter.
I don’t know how this is *usually* made…but I have made this sauce many times now and IT. IS. AMAZING! I’d say the recipe is perfect the way it is!
Thank you for this recipe!!! I make a Kentucky Bourbon butter layer cake with cream cheese frosting and homemade salted caramel sauce. I’ve been stirring the water and sugar (per that recipe’s instructions) prior to the addition of the butter, and have always had crystals to first mash and then strain out. I’ve grown weary of the headache and extra time, so here is a hug of gratitude from northwest Wisconsin.
Oh my goodness, Jeri – that cake sounds phenomenal!!! And I’m so happy you love this recipe as much as we do 🙂
I’ve learned that adding 1 tablespoon of corn syrup to the sugar and water mixture prevents it from crystallizing. I use this hack whenever I make caramel
I tried this but it flopped. Wondering what I did wrong: first, I cooked the butter in the simple syrup for 6 min LONGER than recipe said but never achieved the golden brown color. When I added the cream, it didn’t bubble up furiously. And now that it’s cooling, a bit of butter is separating out. Maybe my stove’s ” medium” heat isn’t hot enough?
Definitely eatable but not as beautiful as pictured!
Update: tried a second batch and cooked it significantly longer after adding butter (~17 min) until it really reached the golden brown color and it came out perfectly. Big hit! I learned to go by color, not time!
Hi Brittney! So happy this worked out for you the second time around 🙂 When it comes to caramel, it’s definitely best to trust your instincts, as every stove top runs a little differently. I’m going to add a note about this right now 🙂
Ive just made this, i was so sure id messed it up but then i mixed in the cream and had the biggest smile on my face as it started to look like *caramel*!!! Feeling so smug and my partner is going to love it in his chocolate fudge birthday cake. Thank you!!!!
I’m glad I read this comment, mine is taking forever to turn color
I had the same issue. The caramel just did not change colour! I tried for 20 minutes and gave up! Also had to add more salt than mentioned, couldn’t taste it otherwise. It tastes fine now but doesn’t look caramely. Quite sad 🙁
Hi Samam. It sounds like your stove top heat may run low, so I would try increasing the heat slightly next time. It’s very important that the sugar has completely dissolved before adding the butter. And as I mention in the post, you must be patient as it boils and give the caramel color time to evolve. If you have any questions – just ask 🙂
This is exactly what happened to me. I didn’t cook the first batch long enough so it turned out pretty runny. I read your comment and followed your advice about colour rather than time and the next batch turned out perfectly. Thanks so much!
Is there a temperature that’s just right for the caramel color…the right number to pull it off the stove, rather than minutes? Thanks
Your salted caramel chocolate cake recipe calls for almost 1 and 1/2 cup of sauce. Do you recommend doubling the recipe or making two separate batches?
This turned out so great I made a second batch!
We are addicted to this sauce. I gave small mason jars of it as Christmas presents to some of my favorite people. And my sister-in-law, now 9 months pregnant and unable to eat sweets, has specifically requested I bring her a jar in the hospital just as soon as her baby girl (my niece!) is born.
I ran into the caramel color issue when I tried to make this at my sister’s house last week. Alas, we needed higher heat. But it tasted like butterscotch and was STILL a hit. Cue the ice cream!
Hi. Tried this today. N it has not turned put nice. after removing from heat when I added the cream the sauce got crstalized. So I kept the sauce back on heat, crstalized meted n sauce looked nice. After it was cooked the sauce is crstalized again n oil is separting from it. Is there any way I cn save this sauce?
Maybe you should learn to type first so that you can read recipes properly! Cheers!
Kulsum, and to Tina K: No one is perfect and a genuine question with typos or not is fine with me! I have had a fair share of typos in my life!
Greetings from Dallas oregon
I am going to try making this. I am wondering if it can be processed and put on my canning pantry
Thank u
may i know what the temperature should the mixture reached to be ready to add cream ?
This sounds amazing, I love salted caramel especially when you dip pretzels in it, yummm!
This is delicious! Having a hard time not “sampling ” throughout the rest of the dinner cook!! Thanks for posting this.
Thankyouthankyouthankyou!
What an amazing caramel and so easy to make!
My new favorite. Yummie…
I love your recipes but the whole cup thing is such a pain in my behind…
In the Netherlands we use grams and milliliters so it really is a sit down moment to convert the recipe.
Every, or let’s say a lot of substences have their own weight and not every site has the same measures i noticed.
But i have tried Some of your recipes and they were a big hit! Thanks
I have the same issue in reverse when recipes are in metric. But I understand and accept that the person writing the recipe will use the measuring method that is familiar to them and their region. If I want it different or converted, then I say thank goodness for the internet and conversion charts! 🙂
Worked like a charm! Yummo!!!! TY!
This caramel sauce was amazing! I’ve tried other caramel sauces over the past year and they just weren’t the same. I also loved that it was easy. Thanks for sharing.
Salt & Straw, from Portland, has their own book, just out, where he describes in detail how he got the caramel sauce to work in his ice cream.
It’s an awesome book, you should check it out!
Hi
Can you use the cream and butter straight from the refrigerator or do they both have to be at room temp.
I realy want to know it as well because it isn’t mentioned 🙁
The sauce turned out Amazing! I just made it and I swear I would just lick the jar clean. Thank you for the recipe.
The sauce turned out Amazing! I just made it and I swear I could just lick the jar clean. Thank you for the recipe.
Can you just make a dubble batch by doing it twice the amiunt of ingredients ? Or does it become something different ? It tried it once and it just looked like melted butter, im trying it again now and im waiting for it to get a realy intens darker color because it rely gets pale when adding the heavy cream 🙁
Hi! Thank you so much for this fabulous recipe! It did take quite a bit longer to come to the right color for me; ~20 minutes or so, but it is definitely worth the wait. I can’t wait for it to thicken up as it cools. It’s already so delicious as is. I’m so excited to put it on a chocolate cake! Thanks again!!
This sauce is AWESOME!! I made it to drizzle over my pumpkin cheesecake for our family’s Thanksgiving feast. It did take my stove nearly 30 minutes to come to a nice golden caramel color. I almost gave up, and I’m sure glad I didn’t! If you’re reading this and your sauce is taking a hot minute to come to color, BE PATIENT! It’s worth it!!
I’ve tried making Carmel sause before and for some reason it never worked out. But this one worked to perfection!!! I am so excited. Now waiting to put together the chocolate cake as well. Thank you for you ‘hints’ .
Could I use brown sugar instead of white?
Made this and it’s a keeper for sure. Last minute dessert needed? Then make this sauce and drizzle over vanilla ice cream. It took me a lot longer than nine minutes to get it to the brown/copper colour but it still was easy. I LOVE this IG account!
I made it and it was so good! Thank you! ❤️
I made it the other day, and it was perfect! Thank you!
I made the apple crisp and this over the weekend. So easy and delicious! Definitely a good thing to make to give as a gift! Thank you so much 🙂
I made the mini cheesecakes with this salted caramel sauce on top…AMAZING! A BIG hit
I used your recipe for salted caramel to use in your chocolate salted caramel cake and just YUMMM! Will be saving, cherishing and using this recipe again and again!
I made some this weekend and it’s so delicious that I want to put it in a cake for an occasion in 3 weeks time – will my current batch keep or will I need to make some more? 🙂
Soooo sooo good!!made my very first salted caramel and it turned out heavenly.thank you for the recipe:)) FYI used an electric hand mixer while pouring the heavy cream and tadah…smoothest and creamiest!
This recipe was so perfect!!! The texture, the taste, everything turned out just as it was supposed to!!! Thank you!!
At Christmas I make a choc plate trifle with brownies, chocolate sauce and caramel drizzle like yours. It is to die for and never any leftovers.
Yum! This looks amazing!!! I was worried about burning so I think I kept it too low for too long….. it took a lot longer to boil and such……. next time I will do a little higher!
Patience’s is key!!!!!!! Perfect results if you take the time and wait for the results- the time frame given is just a suggestion …… to by the instructions …. (if it says until sugar is melted and bubbly then wait till you see that)
I don’t know how to insert a picture sorry
I’ve made this twice now and it turned out perfect both times! So delicious! It only takes my stove
about 6 minutes to turn golden brown so maybe the people who say it takes forever need to turn up their heat.
I made the sauce today and it turned out beautifully, not to mention the fabulous taste. The only problem that I had was it turning that pretty gold in color. Mine took about 20 to 25 minutes to get to that point. And it was boiling quite nicely the whole time. However, since reading some of the comments ,next time I think I will turn up my stove a little bit higher. It really is a very simple recipe. Looking forward to tasting it in your caramel apple pie. I am planning on making that tomorrow. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
What is my problem? Every time I add the Maldon salt it collects at the bottom of the pot and doesn’t dissolve no matter how much I stir. Last time I made caramel I used a granulated sea salt instead. That seemed to work better Thanks for the easy recipe.
Hi!!
I need to make it vegan, what kind the milk you recommend??
Thanks
Used this to make salted caramel core cupcakes, so good!! Be patient y’all! That butter will brown, it took about 20 minutes for mine but it is worth the wait.
What is the shelf life of the caramel? Was thinking about making it in jars for Christmas presents.
I’ve found that my Gas burner even has a hotter side. As I start to see the color come up I will turn and gently swirl my sauce to keep it evenly uniform in color and not burn. The tablespoon of corn syrup trick works to keep it from crystallizing on the sides of the pan, too. I can also go a little darker with this particular recipe that cooks the butter with the sugar because the cream lightens the color up considerably. I’m just always nervous about caramel since I burned a batch! Really yummy – thank you!
Can I use heavy whipping cream?
Yes!
Hi. Can I use non-dairy whipping cream for this recipe?
DELICIOUS! I have never come close to attempting to making caramel but I needed it for a cake I’m doing. It turned out so well on my first try! It tastes like a liquid Werther’s candy. I’m in love!
INCREDIBLE!!!! This recipe is not only simple but it is by far the BEST Salted Caramel Sauce I have ever had! My youngest daughter never used to like caramel until I made this sauce. Thank you so much for sharing yet another perfect recipe.
Shut the front door!! This is sooo delicious! It actually took me an hour to make – since I waited for the dark colour to form, BUT it was worth it.
Now I am wondering do I even need a cake to put this on! Maybe I can just throw the cake topper on this and have the guest enjoy it as much as I do 😉
Thanks so much for the recipe!
P.s. I will attempt to make the cake tomorrow, and I hope it turns out half as good as this
Just made this for my coffees and it’s so good! This is my first time making caramel sauce and this is the recipe that wasn’t so scary to try. I’m glad I made it.
This recipe would have been amazing except I accidentally put the temperature too high and slightly burned it but other than that DELISH!
OMG this turned out so delicious. Tastes *exactly* like a Werther’s caramel. I am using it to mix into buttercream to fill my macarons. Amazing recipe!
This is my second time making this sauce and I love it. It is so simple and quick. I also made the chocolate salted caramel cake best cake ever YESSS
Thank you
Dear Ashley, I am already a fan of your Cocoa Fudge Brownie. I do not like caramel much, but decided to give this recipe a try because it looked very simple. Also I had made mango ice cream so thought this caramel would go well with it. I did not have heavy cream at home, so used low fat cream(25% fat). I halved the recipe too, because I did not want a lot of caramel. In the end, it turned out sooo good and easy to make that I am a fan of caramel sauce now. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. Greetings from India !!!
Thank you so much for sharing this truly amazing recipe!
It turned out so silky and decedent.. I’m in love!
I can’t believe how easy this was. It turned out delicious and I don’t even like caramel. I made 2 batches because I’m using it for your Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake recipe that I’m making for my sisters birthday. She loves everything sweet and requested that cake.
My burner is crazy and spontaneously ups the temperature at random so I had it at a medium temperature & it took about 20 minutes to get to the right color. You just have to be patient & watch it but seriously super easy & delicious! Thank you for the great recipe!
Thank you for this delicious recipe! I was wondering if you have ever frozen it? I have read you can freeze caramel sauce, but was just hoping to hear someone’s experience with freezing this sauce. I’d hate for any of this deliciousness to go to waste. I’m trying to get ahead on holiday recipes. Thanks!
This is the easiest and most delicious caramel recipe ever! I’ve made it several times and it comes out perfect every time. Except for today. I forgot to add the butter when I was supposed to so I added after the cream. Now the caramel is blonde colored instead of a deep golden color. Is there a way to salvage this fail?
Just made this recipe (so haven’t tasted it yet). Mine took 45 minutes- in a le Creuset pot on a thermador stovetop.By the end, the flame was up very high, and the bubbles finally turned a golden-brown. Be patient!!
Ok,
I had a Gestalt & decided to use this in my pumpkin spiced (caramel filled) Babka with streusel topping. Um….SNARF!
The only minor change I made was to add 1/4 tsp of lemon juice in with the water. This helps reduce the crystallization.
I have made this caramel sauce multiple times and love it! Everyone that I have shared the recipe with loves it too. It has turned out every time. I do reduce the salt just a bit but other than that I follow all the other directions on this no fail recipe! I cannot count how many times I have made it, mostly because of all the requests I get to make it. It’s a great recipe. Thank you!
Made a double batch of this to use for eh salted Carmel chocolate cake. It turned out perfect. I followed the recipe exactly but had to add an extra 5min or so to the cook time (which the recipe mentions).
I made mine with salted butter and thought the sauce tasted perfect. If using unsalted I may suggest tasting during the last step and adding a pinch or two more of salt.
So glad this was a hit, Rhi! And thank you for all of your helpful tips!
This is my go too caramel sauce. So yummy! Today as the caramel was bubbling I realized I didn’t have any cream so I used whole milk… Before I noticed the note about *not* using milk. It failed. Oh well! Just curious about why? Is it too much water?
Turned out phenomenal! Like many others, I had to slow boil the butter mixture for about double the amount of time the directions called for so definitely go by color, not time. No crystallizing either, but I also added 1 Tbsp. of Dark Corn syrup to the sugar/water mixture. Great recipe! Now for my next feat… the Carmel apple pie!