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]
hi, i made the caramel sauce. but mine harden quickly. what should i do? when i put on my ice cream it harden right away like caramel candy. is there anything i do wrong?
Thanks for this great recipe and tutorial. I have made mine with great success and used it as topping on my pancakes for my son’s 6th birthday. :)
i’ve never made caramel before but i’m going to try it tonight! just to make sure, when you say “heavy cream”, do you mean heavy whipping cream or half and half? THANKS!
Hi Beka, Yes, you would want either straight-up heavy cream or heavy whipping cream, not half and half.
Thank you Michelle!!!
I can’t seem to figure out what I’m doing wrong with this one. I do exactly what you say but once I add the butter my sauce completely solidifies. Maybe the butter isn’t completely at room temperature. I’ve made this once before and it turned out perfect, I can’t seem to figure out what I’m doing wrong.
I made this and it was way too salty. I think it should be a teaspoon instead of a tablespoon.
I just made this sauce and it’s delicious! My first attempt at caramel sauce, and I did it without the thermometer. Just go on your gut. Once the color and aroma are right, add in the butter and whisk away. Your directions were perfect! I also added in a little kick of a couple of tablespoons of dark rum after I added the cream. Holy mother this stuff is delicious!
Is there a substitute for corn syrup? Its almost impossible to get in Australia.
Hi Carol, You could use Lyle’s Golden Syrup, if you have access to that!
I made about a gallon of it for Christmas gifts, in one batch. Hardest thing I’ve ever done in the kitchen, but it turned out amazing! I didn’t have flaky sea salt, so I used coarse and needed to use more. It didn’t dissolve as nicely, so I just strained it quick. Wonderful recipe, thanks! The small batched worked great in your apple pie recipe at Thanksgiving as well!!!
I just used organic sugar in this recipe, after making loads of batches with plain old C&H. The organic sugar I have is the house brand from Whole Foods. The residual molasses in the sugar gives the caramel sauce a stronger flavor. It is better, in my opinion. I think the organic sugar needs to be cooked at a little slower temp as it seems to burn easier.
can there be a sub for heavy cream?
Hi Mary, Unfortunately, I do not know if there is a substitute that will guarantee the same results.
I made caramel for the very first time today with this amazing recipe! It came out better than I expected. I did substitute salt for a splash of dark rum and it came out AMAZING! I cant wait to use it on my apple cobbler tomorrow.
Thank you!
Hi! This recipe looks great! I’m canning a vanilla apple butter for co worker gifts and wanted to take it a step further by added caramel. Do you think this caramel sauce recipe can be added to apple butter?
Hi Lisa, I am not sure how it would go, but I also can’t guarantee that this recipe is safe for long-term storage. It is best made and refrigerated, and consumed within 2 weeks.
Ahh I hadn’t thought about that it’s definitely a good point. I will however be making this sometime in the near future as it look too yummy to pass up. Thanks!
Made this YUMMY sauce today! Excellent! Was a nervous wreck making it but your pictures and descriptions helped me overcome my fear of making homeade caramel sauce..it was easy and so very yummy! Did not add as much salt as called for as we are not big on salt. Will make this again..very soon! On to the Hot Fudge recipe! Thanks so much for sharing! Blessings!
This recipe was the best! The pictures were perfect aids and the warnings about splattering, etc, were very helpful. This sauce is beyond addictive. I’ve taken to eating it directly out of the refrigerator and I am now coming up with excuses to bake with it. Think I am going to have some very happy family members in the near future! Anyone try it on popcorn yet? ;o.
Oh.my.goodness. This came out perfect on my first try! I made this today, to be used on Sunday (I was worried that I’d ruin it and have to go buy some), but I’m not sure it’ll last that long. It is so, so good. Here are my tips for those having some issues:
1. Really make sure everything is at room temperature.
2. I actually melted the sugar over medium-low heat on my electric stove- it didn’t take too long, and I think it would have burned on medium high. I also stopped stirring before all the sugar was melted- I still had little clumps, but they dissolved as it cooked.
3. Don’t blame the recipe if your caramel is too salty- that’s clearly a taste preference. My butter had salt, so I only added about a teaspoon and thought it was perfect!
Thanks so much for this recipe- the step-by-step pictures helped me know what to expect! :)
Love this!!!
Just made this sauce, and I find it way too salty. I used a flaky sea salt, as described, but I think it could’ve used half as much. I can’t use this as it is.
To clarify, the butter melted but never incorporated to the melted sugar.
Well, this didn’t work. I’ve got a brown soup with clumped “caramel” stuck to the pot.
You mentioned that the salted caramel sauce stays fresh for two weeks in the refrigerator, so does that mean I need to make it within a day or twoof giving it so they will have time to enjoy it? I was hoping to make it as gifts this season, but don’t necessarily have time right before Christmas or that is go south if it isn’t used right away. Could you please clarify its “shelf” life for me? Thank you for your help.
Since the caramel sauce has fresh cream and is not preserved for long-term storage, it will only last as long as fresh cream would in the refrigerator once opened, which is typically a couple of weeks.
Hi! I realize that this is an older recipe, but hoping you still check in!
I am thinking I’ll make this to use as a cheesecake topping. Do you think I should pour it on while warm, then refrigerate and bring to room temperature before serving? Will the caramel be too thick & sticky?
Hi Lee, The sauce will thicken as it cools; I would probably let it cool a little bit until it’s the consistency of ganache, then top the cheesecake and chill.
Oh my goodness, Michelle, I just made this a few days ago. Every single recipe I try of yours is a smash hit (and I am not exaggerating). I am not an experienced baker or cook, yet your recipes are literally no-fail, and my guests ask me for the recipe every single time.
I don’t have a candy thermomenter and hesitated on making the salted caramel sauce for a while. You wrote such encouraging words to another poster (and gave such an excellent, detailed tutorial) that I finally went for it. It turned out perfectly!
I have been following you for about a year and a half and I just want to say thanks for all the effort you put in to make our cooking experiences so awesome! Your blog is a treasure.
can you process can jars of sauce to keep longer than the 2 weeks in the fridge???
Hi Shannon, I do not know if that would be safe or not. Unfortunately, I would not recommend it.
Well. I just ruined my sauce with a Tablespoon of salt. Seriously? Also, I found you don’t need to cook as long as indicated.
Hi Michelle. I just made this (halved the recipe) and I think it turned out okay. The sugar took such a short time melting and turning into the deep amber colour that I think it’s supposed to so I’m not sure if I got it right. When I added the butter it seemed sort of separated from the caramel but the cream helped blend the two back together. It tastes okay but the thing is I’ve never tasted salted caramel so I don’t know what to compare it to. I like it though, so far, so thanks for the recipe. I always love how detailed you are when describing the steps in your recipes :)
I’m coming along very late, but I just thought I’d add a tip for those nervous first-time caramel makers. First, don’t use a thermometer. Use your eyes and your nose. The thermometer will just distract you at the critical moment, when the caramel is just ready, and it will burn. Second: use sugar cubes. They make caramel child’s play. Weigh out the required quantity and put them in a dry pan over moderate heat. As they start to warm, bash them with a wooden spoon or spatula to break them up. They will start to dissolve into syrup, and gradually the syrup will start golden. You don’t have to worry about crystallising, just keep bashing and stirring. The last lumps melting will coincide with the caramel being almost dark enough. As soon as it’s ready (by look/smell), remove from heat and add the room-temperature butter.
For what’s it’s worth, here’s my metric conversion for a half batch:
85 g butter
225 g sugar cubes
110 ml cream
1/2 tbs fleur de sel
Hope this helps!
I would love to make this as a gift, but I noticed the directions say to refrigerate it. How long could this be kept in a jar at room temperature before it would need to be refrigerated? I have relatives that I would like to send this to for Christmas. Thank you!
Hi Jennifer, This should not be left out for more than a couple of hours without being refrigerated. It’s not formulated to be canned for long-term storage.
OMG !!!! Simply delicious. Thanks so much. Can’t wait to taste the krispie treats.
Just made this this weekend, to drizzle over an apple strudel. Delicious! Take care to not stir the sugar too much; it seizes up really quickly and then you’ve got a mess!
Can I use this for the chocolate chip cookie bars you posted?
Thanks!
Yes! I would recommend using about 3/4 cup.