caramel candy recipe

These delicious homemade caramels are soft and chewy and the perfect holiday gift. Our tried and true recipe has been in the family for over 30 years and results in buttery caramels every time!

Homemade Caramels

Tablespoon butter, softened

heavy whipping cream

milk

sugar

corn syrup

salt

vanilla extract

Line a 9-inch square baking dish with foil....

Line a 9-inch square baking dish with foil. Butter the foil. Set aside.

In the top of a double boiler, combine...

In the top of a double boiler, combine the heavy cream wi th the sweetened condensed milk. Heat pan over low heat until milk and cream are warm. Keep on a low simmer, stirring occasionally.

In a large 3-4 quart saucepan, combine the...

In a large 3-4 quart saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Heat over medium heat until boiling, stirring with a wooden spoon. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan.

Very slowly, over medium heat, add 1/4 cup...

Very slowly, over medium heat, add 1/4 cup of the warmed cream mxture to the boiling sugar mixture, while stirring with a wooden spoon. Wait about 3 minutes between each addition of cream (this process will take about 45 minutes). Be sure to continuously stir the mixture.

Once all the additions of the warm cream...

Once all the additions of the warm cream have been added, monitor the candy thermometer until it reaches 242 degrees F.

Remove from heat and immediately stir in the...

Remove from heat and immediately stir in the vanilla extract. Quickly pour the caramel into the buttered foil-lined baking dish.

Allow caramel to set at room temperature for...

Allow caramel to set at room temperature for several hours, or overnight.

To cut the caramels, lift out of the...

To cut the caramels, lift out of the pan and place onto a cutting board. Remove the foil. With a large, sharp knife cut the candy into long strips (about 1-inch wide). Turn pan and cut the candy in the opposite direction in about 1 1/2-inch pieces (they will be the size of a small tootsie roll).

Wrap candy in small pieces of plastic wrap...

Wrap candy in small pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper. Cut 5-inch squares of plastic wrap or parchment paper, place the caramel on top, roll the caramels, then twist both ends.

Gingerbread Caramels are a fun twist on a classic caramel recipe. Caramel pairs awesomely with hints of molasses and ginger.

Gingerbread Caramels

heavy cream

butter

brown sugar

molasses (not blackstrap)

water

ginger

cinnamon

nutmeg

allspice

cloves

sea salt Flakes

Line bottom and sides of an 8 or...

Line bottom and sides of an 8 or 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, then lightly oil parchment. (Related: Kitchen Tip: Lining Pans with Parchment)

Bring cream and butter to a simmer in...

Bring cream and butter to a simmer in a small saucepan, then remove from heat and set aside.

Pre-measure the spices and salt out into a...

Pre-measure the spices and salt out into a small bowl. Pre-measure the vanilla into another small bowl. You will need to access these ingredients very quickly at the end of the recipe.

Combine the sugar, molasses, and water in a...

Combine the sugar, molasses, and water in a 4 to 5-quart heavy saucepan over medium high heat.

Boil, without stirring but gently swirling pan, until...

Boil, without stirring but gently swirling pan, until all of the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is a deep amber color.

Turn heat to low. Carefully stir in cream...

Turn heat to low. Carefully stir in cream mixture (mixture will bubble up).

Return heat to medium to medium-high and simmer,...

Return heat to medium to medium-high and simmer, stirring frequently, until caramel temperature registers no higher than 248°F on thermometer, 10 to 15 minutes.

Turn off the heat and immediately whisk in...

Turn off the heat and immediately whisk in the vanilla, salt and spices. Pour into baking pan.

Once the mixture has cooled slightly but is...

Once the mixture has cooled slightly but is still tacky to the touch, sprinkle the tops very lightly with additional sea salt, if desired.

Then, allow the caramels to completely cool before...

Then, allow the caramels to completely cool before cutting.

Remove caramels from pan and cut into 1...

Remove caramels from pan and cut into 1 inch pieces.

These homemade caramels are soft, chewy and FULL of flavor! They're not hard to make and use simple ingredients. With my detailed instructions and step-by-step photos, you'll be gifting homemade caramels to everyone you know!

Soft Homemade Caramels

(414 grams) sugar

(180 milliliters) water

(420 milliliters) heavy cream, room temperature

(120 milliliters) light corn syrup

tsp vanilla extract

Instant candy thermometer

Pastry brush

Pre-cut wax paper wrappers

Line an 8 or 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Either size pan will work, the 8-inch will just give you thicker caramels.

You’ll start by making the caramel sauce

In a medium to large saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Cook over medium-low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add ½ cup of the butter and let it melt.

Turn the heat up to medium and bring the mixture to a boil. Use water and a pastry brush to clean the sides of the pan (this helps the residue on the sides of the pan not cause crystallization). Stop whisking and don’t whisk at all during this part (again to help avoid crystallization).

Allow to boil until the mixture turns a deep golden copper color and reaches 330°F (if you’re using a candy thermometer), about 10-15 minutes, maybe longer depending on your stove. Keep an eye on it, but do not stir. If needed, you can occasionally tip the pan from side to side to help things cook evenly, and to give you a look at how dark it is and make sure it isn’t burning.

Remove the pan from the heat and immediately add in the heavy whipping cream in a slow, steady stream. The caramel will bubble up quite a bit, so be careful with this step. Whisk quickly and well as you add the cream, whisking until well combined.

Now it’s time to turn the caramel sauce into caramels

Add the remaining ½ cup of butter and let it melt, then add the corn syrup and stir to combine.

Place the pan back over medium heat and bring to a boil (it’ll happen quickly). Stir often with a silicone spatula to help prevent burning. After stirring, you can use water and a pastry brush to clean the sides of the pan (this helps the residue on the sides of the pan not crystallize).

Cook the caramel until reaches 240-245°F (I prefer 245°F). The higher the temperature, the firmer the caramels will be. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, you can also test it the old-fashioned way by dropping a spoonful of hot caramel into a cup of ice water. If you can shape it into a fairly firm but slightly sticky ball, it should be ready.

Remove from heat and stir in the salt and vanilla extract. It will bubble up a bit, so be careful.

Pour the caramel mixture into the prepared pan and allow to cool completely. They can cool at room temperature or in the fridge. They are firmer and easier to cut when cold, and are softer (but totally still cut-able) at room temperature.

Cut the caramels to your desired size and wrap them in wax paper. Store them in an air-tight container at room temperature or in the fridge, but serve at room temperature. They should keep well at room temperature for about six to nine months.

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Top 3 caramel candy recipe recipes from across the web

The most viewed caramel candy recipe recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

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Homemade Caramels

Gingerbread Caramels

Soft Homemade Caramels

The most viewed caramel candy recipe recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine