Homemade Butterscotch Sauce
44 comments » 
This has been on amazingly fun week of ice cream-related treats! The banana split ice cream cake was definitely a highlight of the summer so far, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed trying my hand at a lot of different homemade ice cream toppings. To close out the week, I’m sharing with you an absolutely fantastic recipe for butterscotch sauce. Given my love of peanut butter and hot fudge, butterscotch has never been one of my go-to flavors when it comes to ice cream and sundaes, but I do enjoy it on occasion. As I’ve found out as I tackle more and more DIY food projects, my appreciation for a lot of things has grown immensely when I make it myself. Not only is there the satisfaction in making it from scratch, but the flavor just can’t compare to anything you get from a bottle or jar at the store. Butterscotch is definitely one of those instances – I could easily see this sauce taking up a permanent residence in my ice cream sundae rotation. It’s thick, rich and full of warm, buttery flavor. It basically tastes like the world’s best Werther’s Original (in liquid form, of course).
I’ve always thought that caramel and butterscotch were very similar, but after making both I can appreciate the differences between them. While caramel is made from melting down and cooking granulated sugar until just before it burns then adding cream and a small amount of butter, a butterscotch sauce is made by gently boiling together butter and brown sugar along with cream. There is a definite difference in flavor – the butterscotch is much sweeter thanks to the brown sugar and has that melt-in-your-mouth quality that can only be derived by a healthy dose of butter.
I love that I have so many ice cream options now; I feel like an ice cream sundae party with a toppings bar is in order!
What are some of your favorite toppings? I still need to tackle peanut butter; are there any others you’d like to see?
One year ago: Malted Milk Ice Cream
Two years ago: Ultimate Peanut Butter & Chocolate Banana Split
Three years ago: White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
Four years ago: Hearty Whole Wheat Bread
Five years ago: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip
Homemade Butterscotch Sauce
Yield: About 2 cups
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon fleur de sel (or other flaky sea salt)
1 tablespoon vanilla extractDirections:
1. Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Add the sugar, cream and salt, and whisk until well blended. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat slightly and gently boil for 5 minutes.
2. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract. Serve warm or at room temperature (the sauce will thicken as it cools). Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and re-warm before using.
(Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen)
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Butterscotch is my fav! I think I need ice cream now.
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HurricaneWindy on January 8th, 2013 at 5:34 pm
WOW!!! That is some really good Butter Scotch Sauce. Thanks!
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Peanut butter… is simply delicious and the best. But suddenly this butterscotch is looking pretty good too!
What I’ve done with peanut butter before is simply melted it in a saucepan with no additional ingredients. Pour the extra back in your peanut butter jar, and it solidifies when it reaches room temperature. (That is if you have any extra…)
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This seems less intimidating than caramel for some reason. And I love butterscotch on my ice cream, so I hunk this is a must make topping.
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Kristen on July 13th, 2012 at 1:05 am
*think, not hunk
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I love butterscotch. Looks so easy to make!
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I want to take a bath in that! love butterscotch – and this looks so easy. TOO easy
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Got to agree – home made stuff just has so much more depth in the flavour dept! This sauce looks really yummy! I love butterscotch! I cant wait to make this! xxx
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I love butterscotch but it’s not something that I’ve really had a lot of since I was a kid – I definitely need to change that!
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*Drool* My favourite childhood pudding at school was Butterscotch Tart. I have never been able to find a proper recipe for it. Do you have any plans for this sauce?? : D
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Homemade butterscotch sauce! Wow! I’d love this on my morning waffles…ice cream, granola and almost on anything. My friend also uses butterscotch sauce (storebought) as filling for her sponge cake layers. I am sure she will be thrilled if I can share her this homemade version. This sauce will definitely give more charm to ordinary treats.
I would love to share with you some news too…(I normally wouldn’t be pasting a link in my comments but I am just thrilled to share with you our new site…)
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This sounds so delicious! Love this idea!
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I used to always get butterscotch on ice cream-then I worked at an ice cream store and stopped eating it all together-I’m back on the wagon now and there is a batch of ice cream destined to be made this weekend. Perhaps it’s time for a return to butterscotch. Oh-and if you’re taking requests marshmallow sauce would be a great one, because then I could make tin roof sundaes just like at our town’s (sadly now defunct) ice cream stand!
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Loving all the sauces lately!!
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I didn’t quite know the different between caramel and butterscotch either. Thanks!
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Oh this is mouthwatering! I love butterscotch sauce…those pics are so tempting!
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YUM! Just give me a spoon – no ice cream needed!
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I love butterscotch and this looks so delish. I would be visiting this jar of butterscotch all day long until it was gone. YUM.
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I saw this Tweeted and my face lit up. I love butterscotch anything, and the fact that you compared it to Werther’s makes it even better. Have you ever made cherry ice cream topping? One of my favorites!
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Michelle on July 27th, 2012 at 5:39 pm
Oooh, I have not! Sounds delicious though, I will add it to my list!
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I would love to see a recipe for Wet Walnut topping. I grew up in central PA and we had it there but now I live in AZ and people look at me like I have two heads when I mention it. I am not sure if it’s around the Pittsburgh area either? I used to work at Dairy Queen….and there is nothing better than a hot fudge wet walnut sundae!
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Michelle on July 27th, 2012 at 5:40 pm
Wet walnut sounds vaguely familiar; I will have to look into it. Either way, I know I’d love it!
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Oh and of course I am awaiting your peanut butter recipe as well. And marshmallow! Fluffernutter sundae!
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Michelle on July 27th, 2012 at 5:40 pm
You just blew my mind! Fluffernutter sundae! This must happen!
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This would be my husbands all time favorite sauce, I am going to have to make this sometime this summer!
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oh my gosh, i cannot wait to try this!!!
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You’re the ice cream queen, lady! I think the butterscotch may move up to number 1 on my to do list!
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—Oh, MYyyyyy, I will make this. Lovely. Thank You!
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Oh yum!!! Butterscotch is just as good as caramel. I heart ice cream! I think my favorite topping would have to be this butterscotch or cherries, but any kind of candy is always fun too, like peanut butter cups or kit kat pieces.
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Oh I love butterscotch soooo much so, even better than caramel so this is a total treasure for me. Thanks for sharing.
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The first thing I thought of when I saw this was homemade butterbeer LOL! Can’t wait to make it!
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yum! what flavour ice cream would taste nice with this?
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Michelle on July 28th, 2012 at 11:21 pm
I love vanilla with butterscotch!
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This looks amazingly good! I never knew exactly what the difference in the two were until now. Makes me want a bowl on ice cream to go with it!
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LOVE! Ooey, gooey, delicious!
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omg !!!!!!! I want it NOWWWW !!!!
http://blog.justwm.com/
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I wan’t it !!!! gnammy
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Love the sauce, I would cut back the amount of salt next time….just a little to salty for my taste
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Made this last night for our upcoming Ice Cream Party. Ridiculously easy to make and oh. so. good.
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This looks amazing.
One question. I don’t have any fleur de sel in the house. Is it okay to substitute regular table salt? I assume much less would be needed in that case? What do you think?
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Michelle on September 18th, 2012 at 9:19 pm
Hi Kate, You could add a very small pinch of table salt. Enjoy!
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Hi Michelle, do you think I could cut this recipe in half? And, how long does it last in fridge? Same with hot fudge… Thanks!
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Michelle on October 23rd, 2012 at 10:36 pm
Hi Noreen, Yes, you could definitely cut this in half. You can keep it (and the hot fudge) for up to 2 or 3 weeks. Enjoy!
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I made this with white sugar (tried a few things, but the brown sugar refused to be anything other than a brick) and it turned out a really weird yellow color, but it tastes ahmaazing! I used pink himalaya salt and forget to add the vanilla, and I’m not sure if it actually tastes like butterscotch, but it tastes almost exactly like “knekk”, a Norwegian christmas candy
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