Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce
This quick and easy homemade salted caramel sauce recipe requires only four ingredients, takes just 15 minutes, and comes out perfect every single time.
It's absolutely divine on ice cream sundaes, can be used in any recipe calling for caramel sauce (hello, salted caramel chocolate chip cookie bars!), makes a wonderful hostess gift, and, most importantly, is delicious straight from the spoon (feel free to drop an extra spoonful in your coffee!).
The salted caramel possibilities are truly endless, especially when you have a no-fail, go-to recipe. I've found the simplest method to be the best when making caramel sauce – a pan, a whisk, and just a few simple ingredients is all you need.
Why You’ll Love This Homemade Caramel Sauce
It’s easy to understand why people fall in love with a homemade salted caramel sauce; it’s not as cloyingly sweet as store-bought versions and has a much greater depth of flavor.
It doesn’t take much time or many ingredients to churn out a batch in your own kitchen and I guarantee you’ll be addicted! Here are the highlights:
- Quick: It only takes 15 minutes to get a smooth, creamy salted caramel sauce.
- Simple: You only need four ingredients and no fancy equipment.
- Lots of help: There are expert tips on making the recipe, as well as a video to guide you.
The Ingredients
These four ingredients undergo a magical transformation and result in the most amazing caramel sauce you’ll ever taste.
- Sugar: Regular white, granulated sugar.
- Unsalted Butter: Use the best butter you can, it makes such a difference in flavor! I love Kerrygold and highly recommend it. I use unsalted butter so that we can completely control the salt content in the sauce. If you can only use salted butter, you can do so but add only 2 teaspoons of the flaky sea salt, then taste and add more if desired.
- Heavy Cream: This is best at room temperature so it incorporates into the sauce properly. Heavy cream can be labeled in many different ways depending on the fat content; you can also use whipping cream, heavy whipping cream, light whipping cream, or double cream. Do not substitute milk, it is not thick enough for making this sauce.
- Salt: I highly recommend using flaky sea salt like fleur de sel or Maldon sea salt. If you need to substitute regular table salt, use only 1 teaspoon, or the sauce will be much too salty!
How to Make Salted Caramel
Caramel sauce can be intimidating, but the more you make it, the more you will get a feel for the look and the smell, and it will become second nature.
Here's a quick rundown of the process:
- Sugar goes straight into the saucepan (no water!) and is melted over medium heat, while you stir constantly. The sugar may clump at first but it will all eventually melt.
- Continue cooking until the melted sugar is a gorgeous amber color, then add the butter and whisk until it is completely melted.
- Remove the pan from the heat and carefully whisk in the heavy cream, then stir in the salt. Your caramel sauce is done!
No Candy Thermometer Required
It is not necessary to use a thermometer when making this caramel sauce; simply using visual cues will work perfectly!
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The sauce may seem thinner than you'd expect when you're done whisking everything in, but it will thicken as it cools.
Recipe Success Tips
Below are a number of tips to help you make the most amazing caramel sauce!
- Prep Your Ingredients: Have all of the ingredients measured, at room temperature, and ready to go before you begin making the sauce. Things move quickly once the sugar starts to melt and pausing for a measurement or to grab something could cause the sauce to burn.
- Scaling the Recipe: Due to how much the sauce bubbles up when the heavy cream is added, doubling or tripling the recipe is not recommended. If you’d like to make a larger volume, I recommend making separate batches.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat Salted Caramel Sauce
Allow the sauce to cool for a bit in the pot, then pour into a glass jar or other airtight container and cool completely, then store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. You can gently warm it up in the microwave or on the stove over low heat before using it again.
You can also freeze salted caramel sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight then reheat as desired.
Can This Be Used for Caramel Apples?
While this is a delicious caramel sauce, it will not work for caramel apples; it is not thick enough to cling and set as a coating on the apples. I recommend using my homemade caramel apples recipe instead.
How to Use the Sauce
This salted caramel sauce quite literally goes with everything! Here are some ideas of how to use it, serve it, or gift it:
- Drizzle it over ice cream, brownies, pie, or cheesecake.
- Use it as a dip for apple slices or other fruit.
- Stir a spoonful into hot chocolate or coffee.
- Put it in a pretty mason jar, tie a ribbon around it, and give it as a hostess gift, birthday gift, or holiday gift.
- Whip it into buttercream frosting.
- Eat it by the spoonful.
Recipes That Use Salted Caramel Sauce
Use your batch of homemade caramel sauce in these recipes:
- Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Bars
- Easy Ice Cream Sandwich Cake
- Salted Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls
- Salted Caramel Apple Cake
- Snickers Cupcakes
Watch the Recipe Video:
If you make this salted caramel recipe and love it, remember to stop back and give it a 5-star rating - it helps others find the recipe! ❤️️
Salted Caramel Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups (397 g) granulated sugar
- 12 tablespoons (170 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon fleur de sel, or any other flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Add the sugar in an even layer over the bottom of a medium (3 to 4-quart) saucepan. Heat the sugar over medium heat, whisking it as it begins to melt. You'll see that the sugar will begin to form clumps, but that's okay. Just keep whisking and as it continues to cook, they will melt back down. Stop whisking once all of the sugar has melted, and swirl the pan occasionally while the sugar cooks.
- Continue cooking until the sugar has reached a deep amber color. It should look almost a reddish-brown, and have a slight toasted aroma. This is the point where caramel can go from perfect to burnt in a matter of seconds, so keep a close eye.
- As soon as the caramel reaches its sweet spot, add the butter all at once. Be careful, as the caramel will bubble up when the butter is added. Whisk the butter into the caramel until it is completely melted. Remove the pan from heat.
- Slowly pour the cream into the caramel. Again, be careful because the mixture will once again bubble up ferociously.
- Whisk until all of the cream has been incorporated and you have a smooth sauce. Add the fleur de sel and whisk to incorporate.
- Set the sauce aside to cool for 10 to 15 minutes and then pour into your favorite glass jar and let cool to room temperature. The sauce can be refrigerated for up to 1 month.
Notes
- Salt – I highly recommend using flaky sea salt like fleur de sel or Maldon sea salt. If you need to substitute table salt, use only 1 to 1½ teaspoons, or the sauce will be much too salty!
- Saucepan – It is important to use a saucepan of at least 4-quart capacity. It will seem too big for the job, but when the butter and cream are added, the sauce bubbles up ferociously, and you need that space so it doesn’t boil over.
- Storage – The caramel sauce can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. This recipe is not suitable for canning or long-term storage.
- Freezing – The sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using it.
- Reheating Instructions – To reheat the sauce, remove the lid from the jar and microwave for about 45 seconds, then stir. It should be smooth and pourable, but not piping hot.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
[photos by Ari of Well Seasoned]
I want to eat this with a spoon :) Can’t wait to see what you do with it to make it into buttercream frosting!
This looks amazing and I love how simple it is. I still have never made it at home and this will be the recipe I use!
Ahhhhhh salted caramel…I will never quit it! The color on your sauce is perfect. I am always looking for a winning method so I will definitely try yours out.
Love salted caramel. This looks great. Saw you ask on Twitter if you should post it or not. Glad you decided to!
I want to drink this!
This sounds fabulous and thank you for the very helpful caramel-making tips and photos! I am also a lover of salted caramel anything!
I could literally eat salted caramel with a spoon; it’s my absolute favourite! Great step by step pics. I have yet to make it with butter, so I will definitely give this version a try!
Do you have a hot fudge sauce recipe too? Was thinking of giving coldstone giftcards with a small jar of caramel and a small jar of hot fudge to my sons’ teacher as an end of year gift.
thank you!!!
Hi Jenn, I don’t have one yet, but it is coming!
I’m a hot fudge fanatic. You might want to take a look at Recchiuti’s hot fudge sauce recipe and Baked’s malt chocolate sauce recipe for inspiration and experimentation. Also, have you ever tried an infrared thermometer? Just shoot the beam of light at the sauce and get an instant reading – no mess, no worries. Also excellent for checking the temp of the oven. For me they have made candy and sauce making and chocolate tempering so much easier and far more precise.
You just killed my diet and I haven’t even eaten any. :(
hehe Eat it by the spoonful. Don’t mind if I do!
I can’t wait to get back on the horse!! (I’ve tried only once) I was a little too gun shy and it turned out way too light in color and sweet… but now that I have your recipe and step by step photos I feel confident! Thank you! Also – I was once told to heat the cream on the stove top (not boiling) next to the caramel and it will reduce the violent-nes (is that a word?) of the bubble up when adding the cream.. Oooh.. I better make some today so I can be prepared for whatever is coming next :0) You had me at buttercream!!!
Hi Jenn, I never warm my cream, but I do leave it to sit at room temperature, I will be sure to add a note about that above. Thank you for reminding me!
I love caramel, I can eat it by spoon, love that this one is salted!
I could drink that stuff down no prob….
Oh, I have never made caramel sauce, I’m to afraid to! I’d pour it over everything!!!
There is absolutely nothing wrong with that :)
I hope there’s nothing wrong with that. Because I’ve made this recipe and it’s AH-Mazing …and I did eat it with almost everything I ate for a week!!! Oops!
I’m still a little intimidated by making my own caramel, but your instructions are great, so maybe it’s time I try it. And thanks for reminding me about your salted caramel popcorn, pretzel, and peanut bars! I need to make those sometime soon :)
Oh Meghan, Those bars are to-die-for! Definitely make them soon!
thanks for this michelle! I really struggle with caramel so I think I will buy a thermometer and give this a try!
Mmmmm this looks delish!! This pregnancy I have been LOVING caramel… just might have to try this!!
I’d like to have a swim in this stuff!
hahaha! You’re comment made me think of the Great Molasses Flood that occurred in Boston in 1919.
Sure it wasn’t caramel sauce but in my minds eye close enough :) I’m told you can still find pockets of Molasses there.
Currently caramel is my archenemy in the kitchen. I’m not giving up, mind you, but it has beaten me down a few too many times. Seeing this post, I’m thinking that maybe I should give it a try again. I really, really love caramel even if it isn’t my friend.
I feel your ‘friendship’ with caramel.. I’ve tried it at least a dozen times.. 2x it actually came out :) going to try this one.
If you add a tablespoon of water it slows the heating process down just slightly so you are less likely to burn it :)
I understand that it is a little hard but in class we learned that if you add water at the start then it’ll take longer because all the water needs to evaporate.
The best way I can describe how to do it is to have all the sugar in a separate cup and gradually add it all in. when the first layer has melted it’ll be a medium amber (it’ll still be really sweet) but as you keep adding the remaining sugar (be sure to do it in small amounts or you’ll end up with a huge clump of sugar) it’ll gradually get darker. after it reaches desired color add the cream (at room temp) in the same fashion but before you add the last bit remove it from the stove.
the reason why we do cream first is because butter burns if the temp is too high and can solidify the caramel (I did that my first time, tasted like toffee lol)
after all the cream is added pour it into a metal bowl and allow to cool to 25-30 degrees Celsius and then add very soft butter (not melted) it tastes delicious and my class has yet to mess it up.
I did exactly what you said and the caramel sauce came out perfect. Thank you!
I agree Angela, just follow exactly and it works like a charm. Thank you Michelle!
My first batch, I did exactly as the author suggested and it came out beautifully. Made it a second time and I had nothing but problems with seizing. What?? So, I came back here to read more comments and suggested so I used the above suggestion and it came out, BUT I still had minor problems when I added the cream, despite being out of the refrigerator for over 2 hours, it may still have been a bit too cool and it wanted to seize. I put it on a low burner and was able to whisk it back into shape. I added the super soft butter at the end, and that continued to smooth out the caramel. This stuff is good enough to drink and I’m delighted to take it to my sister’s house for a grown up girl’s slumber party. Thank you for this recipe…it’s SOOO good!!
Confession: first time ever making salted caramel sauce and I only did half the recipe and I was sweating like crazy as my tummy turned from start to finish.
I can’t believe how FAST everything went once the sugar melted. I tried to use my thermometer twice but it went so fast that I just went by visual and smelling cues.
Outcome: I was SUCCESSFULl!! 😄 Yes, I’m kicking myself now for not doing the full recipe, lol.
Thanks so much for your input Robyn. I followed the recipe instructions till I got to number 2 then took your advice to finish up. I did add 1/4 of a tsp of vanilla (saw that suggestion on another recipe though it did call for a vanilla pod) after adding my butter which I could definitely taste, that is, until I added the salt. Next time I’ll just add a bit more. I can’t believe I did it. This beautiful sauce is going to go on Chocolate Pavlova’s. 😋 Can’t wait till my little family taste these. This is definitely the recipe I’ll continue to use. Thanks again to you and browneyedbaker….
Perfect topping for cake, cheesecake, or ice cream. My mouth is watering already! Can’t wait to try it.
I made this today just for my cheesecake :)
Slated caramel is best!! I’m thinking this would make a great teacher gift!
Ooh, yes, Tanya, that’s a great idea! Perfect for the holidays, too!
Oooh yum! It’s absolutely beautiful! I have a feeling I’d have a major problem not drizzling this on EVERYTHING!
Can’t wait to try!
I love this, because I have a very very similar post for basic salted caramel sauce sitting in my drafts waiting for me to press “publish”!!
I love it. Its just the best when it cools and thickens up in the fridge and you can eat it with a spoon.
Great step-by-step photos, too!
What a great recipe. I can’t wait to try this. Looks delicious.
Thank you so much for posting this, it looks amazingly rich and delicious!
Beautifully illustrated, just perfect!!
Looks amazing… would be amazing drizzled over a little fruit to balance the sweetness!
Love that idea!
I love caramel sauce and have made my share of burnt messes but when it’s right and the boiling sugar gods love me, all is well. Your caramel looks SO GOOD!
Hello! Your blog is my favorite food blog, keep up the wonderful recipes! I was wandering, is that 12 tbsp butter or a typo?
Hi Victoria, Nope, not a typo!
I noticed the 12 tbsp of butter was a typo. What is the correction?
thank you
Hi Tamela, It is not a typo – the recipe indeed calls for 12 tablespoons of butter.
Hi Michelle
Just wondering why you would measure it as 12 Tbsp when it could be more easily measured as 3/4 cup?
A lot of butter comes with tablespoon measurements on the packaging. She might measure butter by the tablespoon. Some people go by cups and others by the stick (12 tbsp=1 1/2 sticks=3/4 cup). Doesn’t really matter.
the measures come on the butter packs in the US. If you are not from the US, you can use an online butter converter to take any Imperial measurements into grams.
I’ve made a lot of your salted caramel sauce, and love it.
Finally, after a lot of batches of caramel, I tried the ‘traditional’ candy method I read as a kid – put the sugar in a large pot, cover it, and cook until brown. It worked beautifully. Less angst as the sugar clumped. I shook the pan a few times during the melt, but didn’t uncover until it was all melted, and it seemed to be the perfect brown.
Then I added the butter as a full cube, and a half cube, I didn’t cut it into pieces. It seemed to mix into the sugar as it melted, so I never had the stage of melted butter on top of the sugar. I had the butter at room temperature, which I had not meant to do. But it worked.
Then I added the cream, and put it on the heat just to a boil, then removed it.
I’ve made a lot of batches with your method, and they all worked, and I loved the sauce. This method seemed easier to me, and less worry about the sugar in particular.
Just a thought.
Thanks for the great recipe!