Caramel

Making homemade caramel seems like such a scary feat, similar to making sourdough or frying doughnuts. Really, though, it couldn’t be simpler. A truly good caramel recipe comes together in just 15 minutes with basic kitchen ingredients (sugar, butter, cream and salt) and three kitchen tools, creating a jar of silky caramel that’s thick, rich, toasty, malty and delicious on basically anything sweet.

I think the apprehension of caramel-making comes from cooking the sugar or adding the ingredients at just the right time. So, we’ve demystified the entire caramel-making process with super detailed directions, covering specifics like the hows and whys behind each step with lived-experience tricks and tips. We genuinely want your caramel sauce to come out perfect every time. Here’s how!

How to Make Caramel

Want a quick overview of the process before we go into the nitty gritty? Here’s the gist: To make caramel, place granulated sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook the sugar until it’s dissolved. Never stir the sugar during this stage. Instead, gently swirl the pan to evenly melt the sugar, and use a wet pastry brush to wipe down any sugar that sticks to the sides of the pot or it may burn.

Continue cooking the sauce until it turns a medium amber color, six to eight minutes. Reduce the heat to low, and cook until the sugar reaches 340°F, about five minutes longer. Take the saucepan off the heat, then add in the butter and use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula (never a whisk) to stir in the butter until it’s melted. Finally, add heavy whipping cream, salt and a touch of vanilla extract, if desired. Allow the caramel sauce to cool for a few minutes, then transfer it to a heat-proof jar or container.

Caramel Ingredients

• Sugar: Granulated sugar is the base of a caramel recipe. You could use brown sugar, but then you’re technically making butterscotch instead of caramel.
• Butter: Soften the butter to room temperature so it melts easier into the caramelized sugar. Cold butter works, but it will sputter violently in the caramelized sugar and take longer to melt in. We like to soften ours for a less stressful experience.
• Heavy whipping cream: As with the butter, you don’t want to add cold heavy whipping cream into caramelized sugar. You technically can, but the caramel sauce will seize when it meets the cold cream and then you’ll have to work out and melt down all the lumps.
• Vanilla extract: While optional, vanilla extract adds a delicate floral flavor to the caramel. I often like to add vanilla paste to mine instead of extract. The black flecks are so pretty when suspended in caramel sauce.
• Salt: Without salt, the caramel will be cloyingly sweet. We need just a pinch to mellow out the intense sugariness. Bump up the measurement to 1-1/2 teaspoons salt to create salted caramel, if desired.

Directions

Step 1: Melt the sugar

Place the granulated sugar in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar begins to melt. To help the sugar dissolve and melt evenly, gently swirl the pan and use a wet pastry brush to wipe down any sugar that sticks to the sides of the pot so it doesn’t burn.

Step 2: Caramelize the sugar

When about two-thirds of the sugar is melted, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until all the sugar is melted (there will be chunks of sugar before all the sugar is melted—keep on swirling the pan).

Continue to cook the melted sugar until it turns a medium amber color, three to four minutes.

Editor’s Tip: It may be tempting to walk away during this step, even for a moment, but try not to. The sugar changes quickly.

Step 3: Add the fats

Immediately remove the saucepan from the heat. Carefully stir in the butter until it’s completely melted into the sauce. Next, stir in the heavy whipping cream, salt and, if desired, vanilla extract.

Note that the butter and heavy whipping cream may cause the caramel to sputter if they’re cold. Slide on oven mitts if you’re worried. If the caramel seizes, return it to the stove and cook on low, stirring constantly, until smooth.

Editor’s Tip: Never use a whisk while making caramel or you’ll introduce a million air bubbles into the sauce. Always stick with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.

Step 4: Refrigerate the caramel

Pour the caramel into a heat-proof jar or container with a lid. Cover the caramel recipe and refrigerate it until it thickens.

Ways to Use Homemade Caramel

There are endless ways to use a batch of caramel. Of course, the most classic is to drizzle it over ice cream or sundaes, but you could also drizzle it over pancakes, waffles, brownies (like turtle brownies) or blondies. Place warmed caramel sauce in a bowl and dip in apples slices or pretzels. Cover popcorn with caramel sauce for homemade caramel corn, or spoon warm caramel over fresh cinnamon rolls. Finish any apple desserts, banana desserts, chocolate desserts and pumpkin desserts with a bit of caramel sauce.

For caramel desserts specifically, pour it on top of cheesecakes like our salted caramel cappuccino cheesecake. It’s a mainstay for our turtle tart, caramel-laden apple crostata and layered caramel-chocolate trifle. Or, dollop a little into caramel tassies with frosting and chocolate sauce on top.

How to Store Caramel

Pour the caramel in a heat-proof jar or container, then store it in the fridge for up to one month. The caramel will thicken considerably. If you want to thin the caramel, melt it down a bit in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave to your desired consistency.

Can you freeze caramel?

Yes, you can freeze caramel. Pour the caramel sauce in an airtight container, ensuring there’s at least 1 inch of headspace for expansion. Freeze for up to three months, then thaw in the fridge overnight or on the counter at room temperature for one hour or so.

Caramel Tips

Can you use this caramel recipe for caramel candies? What about caramel apples?

No, you can’t use this caramel sauce for caramel candies or caramel apples. Caramel candy and caramel apples need corn syrup and sweetened condensed milk to thicken the caramel so it’s pliable and tacky.

My caramel sauce is really runny. Will it thicken?

Yes, caramel sauce will be really runny once it’s done cooking and will thicken considerably as it cools, especially in the fridge. If you need a thick caramel sauce for a dessert, consider making the sauce a day or two ahead of time so it has time to thicken in the fridge.

Can you use caramel as cake filling?

Yes, you can use caramel as a cake filling, but only a thin layer. A thick layer will run out of the cake as soon as the first slice is cut. A thin layer will still ooze out a tiny bit but won’t make as much of a mess.

How do you clean caramel from the saucepan?

To clean caramel from a saucepan, fill the saucepan halfway full of water. Bring the water to a boil, then lower it to a simmer. The hot water will soften the caramel. Use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to scrape the caramel off the bottom and sides of the saucepan. Drain the water and unstuck caramel, then finish washing the pot with hot, soapy water.