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    Home ยป Recipes ยป Desserts

    Easy Caramel Sauce Recipe

    Published: Jan 22, 2025 by Lisa Killian ยท This post may contain affiliate links. Please read myย  disclosure policy.

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

    Easy Caramel Sauce you can make with only 3 ingredients! Rich, smooth, and perfectly sweet- you want to make this easy caramel sauce over and over again!

    Caramel in a jar close up
    Caramel sauce is the perfect topping or dip!

    Now Iโ€™ve made caramel sauce before (for my banana ice cream) that used a number of ingredients, Iโ€™ve used a caramel hot sauce for my Buffalo Wing Popcorn- but this time I wanted a simple caramel sauce using the fewest ingredients possible.

    In the past Iโ€™ve burned my fair share of caramel attempts which is why I love my original caramel recipe because it is pretty hard to screw up- however, once I figured out the stages of how to make caramel I donโ€™t burn it anymore!

    I use this caramel for my caramel pear pie and caramel frosting- and it is delicious!

    Before you start just be warned melted sugar gets to extremely hot and will burn you if you get it on your skin. For comparison  water boils at  212ยฐF and caramel will get up to 350ยฐF. Just be careful!

    Process of sugar getting melted
    As sugar melts it will begin to clump before melting fully.

    How to make caramel sauce:

    • Melt sugar over medium heat. As the sugar melts it will start to clump before it gets smooth. This is normal.
    • Continue stirring, allowing the melted sugar to become an amber color and start to have a nutty smell. Donโ€™t let it go past this stage or else it will burn!
    • Once it is amber, add in the butter and whisk together. Adding the butter will cause the sugar to get really foamy and rise a bit. Stirring until the butter is fully mixed in.
    • Slowly pour in the heavy cream, whisking as you pour. As the heavy cream mixes in completely the caramel will smooth out.
    • Stir in your salt if using.
    • Pour your salted caramel sauce into a glass container and allow it to cool. It will thicken up really nicely once fully cooled.
    Getting sugar to temp and adding butter
    Sugar should reach no higher than 350ยฐF and when you add butter it will bubble a lot!

    Tips for making homemade caramel sauce:

    • Use a heavy bottomed saucepan- this helps distribute the heat and it wonโ€™t burn as easily
    • After youโ€™ve made the caramel sauce let it cool and thicken.
    • If you need it to thicken fast, stick it in your freezer for 20-30 minutes.

    Should Caramel Bubble?

    If the melted sugar bubbles voraciously before adding the butter it has probably gotten to hot and is past the point of return and burned.

    It will bubble when you add the butter and the heavy cream. This is due to the water in both evaporating creating the bubbles.

     

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    Adding cream and salt to melted sugar
    Once butter is mixed in you can add the heavy cream and salt.

    Does Caramel Sauce need to be refrigerated? How long does homemade caramel last?

    Yes! Keep unused caramel sauce in your refrigerator up to 2 weeks!

    This recipe is simple and very sweet! Just how I like it!

    What temperature should caramel reach?

    When the sugar is melted it sure reach not higher than 350ยฐF or else it will burn. I like to pull it off when it's between 340ยฐF and 350ยฐF. This is my go to and reasonably priced thermometer (affiliate link). I use this thermometer for check cake doneness, meat doneness, and candy making!

    Do I have to use a thermometer?

    No, you can lower the heat as soon as the melted sugar starts to smell nutty and is a golden brown in color.

    Do I have to add salt?

    Nope, but I like the balance to the sweetness it brings- you can always add more or use coarse salt for more of a salted caramel flavor.

    How to reheat caramel?

    It's really simple to reheat. Simply microwave in a microwave safe dish for 30 seconds, stir, repeat until warm enough to use. You can also reheat in a saucepan over low heat until warm.

    Caramel dripping over side of jar
    This is my favorite caramel sauce and it's so easy to make!

    If you like this recipe make sure to check out these other delicious sweet treats!

    • Easy Chocolate Stripped Popcorn
    • Caramel Pear Pie
    • German Chocolate Cookies
    • Lucky Charms Cookies
    Caramel Pinterest Pin
    Don't forget to pin this recipe!

    Video

    HTMLFont size
    Caramel Sauce featured image

    Easy Homemade Caramel Sauce

    Simple Caramel Sauce you can make with only 3 ingredients! Rich, smooth, and perfectly sweet- you want to make this delicious caramel sauce over and over again!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin
    Author: Lisa Killian
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 16 tbs (2 cups)

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups white sugar
    • 12 tbs unsalted butter at room temp
    • 1 cup heavy whipping cream at room temp
    • 2 teaspoon salt optional

    Instructions

    How to make caramel sauce:

    • In a heavy bottomed sauce pan/pot, add your sugar. Over medium heat melt the sugar stirring constantly. As the sugar melts it will start to clump before it gets smooth. This is normal. (2 cups white sugar)
      Sugar melting
    • Once itโ€™s melted, continue stirring, and allow it to become an amber color and start to have a nutty smell. Be careful not to let it go past this stage or else it will burn and no one wants that! If you have a thermometer* the caramel should reach between 340ยฐF and 350ยฐF.
      Melted Sugar
    • Once it is the right color, turn heat to low. Add in the butter and whisk together. Whisking helps the butter not separate, or if it does separate from the sugar it will help it incorporate. Adding the butter will cause the sugar to get really foamy and rise a bit. Thatโ€™s good! Keep stirring until the butter is fully mixed in. (12 tbs unsalted butter)
      Add butter
    • Once the butter is mixed in, slowly pour in the heavy cream, whisking as you pour. The mixture will become slightly foamy again and thatโ€™s fine. As it mixes in completely it will smooth out. (1 cup heavy cream)
    • Stir in your salt if using (2 teaspoon salt)
      Add salt
    • Pour your salted caramel sauce into a glass container and allow it to cool. It will thicken up really nicely once fully cooled. If you need it to thicken fast, stick it in your freezer for 20-30 minutes.
      Caramel being poured
    • Keep unused caramel sauce in your refrigerator up to 2 weeks!
      Caramel Pear Pie close up

    Notes

    Tips and Tricks
    I highly recommend my Dash thermometer or an Mk4 thermometer! (Affiliate Links)

    Nutrition

    Calories: 224kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 297mg | Potassium: 13mg | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 485IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 12mg

    Post was updated on 7/26/2020

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    Comments

      5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Sherita says

      October 18, 2020 at 4:07 pm

      So do you melt sugar by itself in saucepan I tried and all it did was get white and hard๐Ÿคฆ๐Ÿฝโ€โ™€๏ธ

      Reply
      • Lisa says

        October 19, 2020 at 4:02 pm

        Yep just sugar until it melts and then later you add the rest of the ingredients. If you watch the video you can see how it gets chunky but then continues to melt. Did you stir it and get the bigger white chunks and then stop heating? Or did it never get past that stage?

        Reply
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