easy caramel recipe

We’re breaking down exactly how to make homemade caramel. Rich and delicious, this easy caramel sauce is perfect for all sorts of recipes! We took out any guess work with step by step photos so you’ll know exactly how to make caramel like a pro!

How To Make Homemade Caramel

sugar

butter, room temperature

cream

sea salt

How to Make Homemade Caramel

In a heavy bottomed sauce pan, heat the sugar on medium low heat until its completely melted, swirling the pan gently every 20 seconds or so. The sugar will start to form clumps before melting slowly. Be patient and keep an eye on it to make sure it does not burn.

Once melted, remove from heat immediately and stir in the butter. The mixture will violently bubble. You’re doing it right.

Next, pour in the heavy cream and sea salt. Stir until everything is combined.

Pour into small bowl or cup and allow to cool completely before using.*

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/LnGIMlY8.mp4

Homemade Caramel - BB Final -Adjusted

This easy caramel sauce recipe is to die for! It's a classic homemade caramel recipe that you'll make over and over again.

Easy Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe

tbsp salted butter, cubed, room temperature

heavy whipping cream, room temperature

1. Pour sugar into an even layer in a large saucier pan.

2. Heat on medium-high heat, whisking the sugar until melted. The sugar will clump up first, but will eventually completely melt. This will take about 10 minutes.

3. Once the sugar has melted, stop whisking. You can allow to cook until the sugar has turned to a little darker amber color to get a deeper caramel flavor, if you like. You may notice a nutty aroma. The change in color will happen quickly, so don’t let it go too long or get too dark or it’ll burn. Remove caramel from the heat.

4. Add butter and whisk until combined. The mixture will bubble up, but keep whisking until all the butter has melted and combined.

5. Slowly pour the heavy cream into the caramel and whisk until incorporated. I find it can help to add just a bit at a time until the caramel starts to thin out, then you can add the rest.

6. Cool for about 10-15 minutes before using. Store leftovers in a jar with a lid. Refrigerate up to 2 weeks.

If you add a small amount of water, just enough to wet sugar you won’t have the problem of  burning clumps. It takes a few seconds longer to caramelize. 

I had the same thing happen to me the first time I made it (I didn't watch the video). But with a little persistence and lots of stirring on and off the heat, I eventually got the hard sugar lump to dissolve/ ?melt into the butter and cream. It turned out delicious and tasted the same as future batches I have made since where this didn't happen. 

Just thought I would share this because it is a shame to throw it all out when it can still be salvaged. 
Thanks for the wonderful recipe and the very helpful video!

So easy and came out perfect. Took maybe 7 minutes to make! Thanks!! 

This was my first time making it with my husband‘a help and it worked perfectly. JUST KEEP STIRRING. 

Thanks for the awesome recipe! 

This worked on my first attempt, unusual for me. I reckon the trick is to use a really heavy based pan which distributes the heat well. I used a le Cruset which is a brand of dutch oven pot. 


I noticed that the butter didn't incorporate very well, there was a portion of it left over running around the top as I stirred. I  still then added the cream in batches like you suggest. It all incorporated in the end and flowed well into the container. the only thing was a ring of solid caramel round the edge of the pot's base where  the whisk coudnt reach because  of it's rounded shape. Thanks for  the recipe it's delicious

I burned the first batch, but the second one was awesome, except it had tiny sugar bits in it.. is this because I used cane sugar? Thanks for the recipie!

Hi - Thank you so much for this recipe!  This is exactly what I'd been searching for as an alternative to store-bought caramel sauce.  I did substitute evaporated milk for the whipping cream (because I live a distance from town and that's what I had on hand); it turned out perfect!  Love your website - can't wait to try more of your recipes!

Just made this, as I've been having the weirdest cravings for caramel. I stirred the sugar almost constantly, heated my butter, and it worked perfectly. The cream was probably a bit too cool, but I kept stirring it over low heat and it came together. Tasting it out of the pan as I poured it into a storage jar, it seemed to lack something, maybe a pinch of salt. But it pure perfection on popcorn (I think the salt on the popcorn helps.) My partner, who is not as big a popcorn fan as I am, can't stop eating it. Wow.

Next time I do it, I may try some vanilla, a dash of cinnamon . . . and some peanuts when it goes over popcorn again. Would also be incredible with some bourbon.

This tastes pretty darn good! My first attempt seized because the sugar would not mix with the butter, I didn’t have a chance to let the butter get to room temperature so I melted it in the microwave, bad idea? The second attempt went a little better, I partially melted the butter this time and it started to seize so I started mixing like crazy after adding the butter and added the cream. I had to stir really fast and it worked but I have a few hard sugar clumps. Do you think it’s because I didn’t use room temperature butter? I also marked up the cream for 10 seconds in the microwave to take away the chill. 

Love this! Thank you very much. This worked out exactly how you said it would. You were not joking about the 10 minutes of whisking. I cheated a little and melted the butter in the microwave😬 I use this to make my morning coffee. Times like this it is important! 
Note for those of you that had problems, make sure your flame is under your pan! Size of burner to pan ratio can change this very fast.
Once again thank you 💕

First of all thank you for this recipe!! The taste is amazing! I’ve been letting it sit for about an hour or so, but it’s still really thin? Did I do something wrong or could I refrigerate it to make it a bit thicker?

Me and my friend tried it twice, did not work out either times. Second time it got the color and that’s it. Looked promising but ended up tasting like burnt sugar. Took us over an hour to get that and where not happy with the results. 

I had never even tried making caramel before in my life, because I've heard it's really tricky. So you can imagine I was very anxious making it, but how excited I was that it turned out sooo good! I'm also one for having as few ingredients as possible in any recipe, that's why I picked this one. And so glad!!

I have seen different recipes for caramel but these instructions are by far the best! I have actually sent someone this recipe because she burnt her caramel following other instructions. This is my second time making this recipe and its awesome. 

I have tried this recipe and its DELICIOUS! 
My only problem was that my whisk and sauce pan were clumped with hard, dried sugar so I put it in hot water and it worked pretty well.

This recipe is pretty easy and soooo good! We use it in coffee drinks, desserts, and just dip apple slices in it... thanks for the amazing recipe! &lt;3

Absolutely DELICIOUS!!!  Just keep stirring, stirring, stirring and you will win the prize!  SO GOOD!!!

i made this and the directions were perfect.  my only issue is that the end product tasted a bit "strong tasting" and lacked a little of the "caramel" flavour.  consistency was perfect,  Any suggestions as an "add in" after to get more of that carmely flavour??  thank you

I made the recipe, followed the suggestion to substitute with evaporated milk; the flavor and color is there but it seems a bit liquidity... :( I'm not sure where I went wrong... and suggestions?

I made this and it worked wonderfully for me. My only issue is that my sauce has an ever so slightly burnt flavor. Did I maybe cook the sugar a tad too long? Could I add vanilla to help fix this??

Oh my Carmel!! 😱🤯🥰 This was my first attempt at Carmel and the video and instructions were so detailed and clear I aced it! It came out so good and it is the best caramel that I've ever tried in my life! 😋 Thank you so much for this recipe and the video was perfect explanation! yum yum yum my family is so happy!! 😊😊 Happy New Years Y'all, God Bless 2021!! 🙏🏻🙏🏼🙏🏽🙏🏾🙏🏿

Thank you so much! This is the first caramel sauce recipe that has ever turned out for me. And it is delicious! Thank you for this wonderful recipe. 
P.S. I love your “I love Jesus and naps” shirt!

it has been said, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. And I say, the way to a wife's heart is through caramel! I whipped this up before the wife got home. I served it on Tillemooks vanilla bean ice cream and 
she was in heaven! absolutely loves it! thank you so mich for such a simple recipe!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KO-g8c8q6bw

This caramel sauce is wonderful and made with only 3 ingredients! Perfect for any time, but especially fall and the holidays. Full recipe - https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/2015/09/08/homemade-caramel-sauce/

Homemade Caramel Sauce

This caramel drizzle recipe can be used to flavor frosting, decorate a cake or cupcakes, or even drizzled over ice cream! It&#x27;s the perfect additional to any dessert.

Caramel Drizzle Recipe

sugar (200 grams)

Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature (85 grams)

heavy cream, room temperature (60 milliliters)

tsp fine salt (2 grams)

Place a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat.

Pour in 1 cup sugar gradually, adding 1/4...

Pour in 1 cup sugar gradually, adding 1/4 cup at a time. Wait until the sugar is mostly dissolved, then add in the next bit of sugar. As the sugar melts it will slowly deepen in color.

Stir occasionally until the sugar is fully dissolved...

Stir occasionally until the sugar is fully dissolved and has become a deep amber color, then turn off the heat.

Slowly mix in 6 Tbsp of butter (2...

Slowly mix in 6 Tbsp of butter (2 Tbsp at a time) then stir in 1/4 cup of heavy cream and 1/4 tsp salt. The mixture will be thin but will thicken as it cools.

Pour into a separate container, then place in...

Pour into a separate container, then place in the fridge to cool and/or store. When you're ready to use it, heat the caramel in the microwave in short 15-second intervals until it's a more workable consistency.

https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/video/upload/sxtmlhage7smtao8peuu.mp4

This caramel recipe can be used to flavor frosting, add caramel drips to a cake, or even over ice cream! It's the perfect additional to any dessert.

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How To Make Homemade Caramel

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Top 3 easy caramel recipe recipes from across the web

The most viewed easy caramel recipe recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

How To Make Homemade Caramel

Easy Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe

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The most viewed easy caramel recipe recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine