Simply Perfect Salted Caramel Sauce
Learn the basics of how to make the most incredible homemade salted caramel sauce with this step by step tutorial. Makes a great gift!
I have posted recipes featuring salted caramel sauce on my blog so many times. Â It’s probably one of my favorite things to bake with. Â Besides chocolate. Â Or vanilla. Â Or stone fruit. Â Or apples, or cookie butter, or berries, or nuts, or pumpkin, or rhubarb…
Ok so I have a lot of favorites. Â But salted caramel is definitely up there! Â I love how rich it is, and buttery, and that little hint of burnt sugar complexity… mmm! Â And I’m a huge fan of the current trend of adding a little salt, to really balance the sweetness.
I have (yet another!) caramel recipe I want to post in the near future, so I thought I’d first share a simple tutorial for making a homemade salted caramel sauce.
The whole thing is done in probably 15 minutes or less, so it’s definitely quicker than making a trip to the store to buy a factory-made jar. Â But it can be a little tricky if you aren’t paying close attention. Â I’ve definitely dorked it before! Â But now I’ve made it so many times, I can almost do it in my sleep. Â That being said, do not attempt unless your kiddos are at school or otherwise well-occupied. Â Second-degree sugar burns are no joke. Â They don’t call that shiz “culinary napalm” for nothin’.
You’ll want to make sure and have all your ingredients and equipment close at hand. Â The process happens very quickly and you wouldn’t want to turn your back to grab a jar and have the whole thing turn smelly and black on you.
Warm the cream, butter, and salt over low heat until small bubbles appear around the edge and the salt crystals have completely dissolved. Â Cut the heat, add the vanilla, and set aside. Â I used Lagrima pure vanilla extract. Â Lagrima was one of the sponsors at IFBC 2013 this past weekend, and they offer a truly excellent product. Â If you’d like to give it a try, you can use the code TRYIT at checkout for a 15% discount!
Place the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a medium pot and heat over medium-high heat, swirling occasionally (don’t stir, or it could crystallize!), until a warm amber color is achieved. Â I like to let my sugar get pretty dark, just because I prefer a deeper flavor, but you could take it anywhere from a pale golden color to a deep brown.
You’ll notice it goes from looking granular, to melting down to a liquid, to a fierce boil with big bubbles, then smaller bubbles, then tiny bubbles. Â When the bubbles get really small, the color should be just about right.
Once you’ve got the color where you want it, turn the heat down to low, and pour in the cream mixture all at once, while whisking.  The mixture will bubble up.  A lot.  Hopefully you paid attention and didn’t use your bittiest pot.  😉
Keep whisking, over low heat, until the mixture is nice and smooth.
Immediately transfer the hot caramel sauce to a heat-proof vessel, to stop the cooking process. Â I like to use a pyrex measuring cup, if I’m going to be pouring it right away for a recipe, or a mason jar, if I’m stashing it for later use (or giving it as a gift :D).
As it cools, the caramel will thicken.  It could thicken quite a bit, depending upon how long you cooked the sugar.  I’ve had mine harden up to be more of a chewy candy-type consistency.  Which can work out great.  Roll and cut into bites, wrap those babies up in little scraps of parchment and you have an awesome treat.  Or, if you really wanted a pour-able sauce, just warm it a bit in the microwave, and dribble in a little hot water, a teaspoon at a time, until you have the consistency you’re after.  The flavors in a thicker caramel are super-concentrated, so a little bit of water will not dilute the taste at all.
There you have it! Â Pretty quick, right? Â And there’s really no limit to what you can do with it. Â I suggest jarring it up and giving it as gifts! Â Your friends and family will love it over vanilla ice cream. Â Or on brownies. Â Or cream puffs. Â Or in their morning coffee…
And stay tuned for future posts featuring this buttery, rich, and sweet/salty sauce!
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Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (118.29 ml) heavy cream
- 2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, (up to 1 teaspoon can be used, if you like a more pronounced salty taste)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- In a small pot, gently heat the cream, butter, and salt until the butter has melted and the salt has completely dissolved.
- Remove from heat and add the vanilla.
- In a larger pot, combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water.
- Cook over medium-high heat, swirling the pot occasionally to distribute the heat evenly.
- Continue to boil the sugar mixture until the bubbles begin to get smaller and it becomes amber-colored.
- Reduce the heat to low, and pour in the warm cream mixture, whisking constantly to avoid lumps or crystals.
- Immediately transfer the hot mixture to a heat-safe vessel and cool completely.
Perfection!! I’m making a slab apple pie this week, and have been looking for the perfect thing to drizzle over the top, and this is IT! I love your step-by-step photos, and seriously envy your lighting 🙂 Thank you!
Visiting from Wonderful at Home
~April
OH, April, you will love this on your slab apple pie! It will totally take it over the top!
I do get decent lighting in my kitchen, although that area by the stove is like a black hole, lol! I had to push the iso waaaaay up for those pics to turn out. 🙂
Thanks so much for stopping by, dear!
I wanted to show you how it turned out, just for fun 🙂
http://dimplesanddelights.blogspot.com/2013/10/apple-pan-pie-with-caramel-sauce.html
Oh, April! It looks just perfect! Thank you so much for for sharing it with me, and for linking back to my blog. Your pie looks divine! xoxo
I’m doing it! Any idea how long this will keep? Can the jars be processed for storage some how? Thanks!
Hey Lorrie! Thanks so much for reading my blog, and I’m so happy you’re going to try making my caramel recipe!
You raise an excellent question, and you’re actually not the first person to ask. If it’s not too much trouble, would you mind looking in the comments section of the post? Another reader named Dana asked the same question, and I gave a somewhat lengthy (lol!) explanation. I’m hoping that will answer your question, but if not, just let me know and I’ll look into it further for you. <3
Good luck!
I want to slather this on anything and everything!
This looks amazing! Thanks for linking up with What’s Cookin’ Wednesday!
I’m sorry if this is a silly question, but does this need to be refrigerated when done? I’m thinking about making it to include in gift baskets but don’t want to do that if it has to be kept chilled. Thanks!
I don’t think it’s a silly question at all! I think it’s an excellent question and I’m so happy you asked.
I typically store my caramel in a cupboard. I have never had it go bad, sour, moldy, or rancid in any way. It usually hangs around for around 6-8 weeks, before it’s gobbled up in one form or another.
That being said, your question got my wheels turning and I couldn’t resist googling it to try and find out *why???* doesn’t it spoil, considering it contains dairy. Most of what I found on the internet recommends refrigeration. Some of what I found suggests that if the sauce contains equal amounts of cream and sugar, it won’t require it. I have not taken the time to weigh the ingredients, but if you want to be absolutely certain, I would recommend doing so. Evidently high-concentrations of sugar can act as a preservative. I’m sure that’s probably why we don’t see candy bars displayed in the refrigerated section at the store.
Additionally, if you want to really be super safe, I’d suggest sterilizing the jars before filling them, and perhaps even processing them (like you’d do with jam or pickles) by submerging them in boiling water for 5-10 minutes. I have instructions here: https://bakingamoment.com/how-to-make-seedless-blackberry-jam-no-pectin/. This would ensure that no germies get into the jars 😉
So I guess it’s really up to you, and how extra-super-safe you want to be. Evidently, from what I’ve read, I’m living on the edge 😉
Thanks again for the excellent question, and for reading my blog! I hope you and your loved ones enjoy the caramel! <3
Thank you for taking the time to look into this! I figured it would be ok, but I was just curious as to how you stored it. If you live on the edge (and are still living to tell about it!) then I shall live on the edge too 😉
Visiting from Show stopper Saturday – had to come check out your caramel. We just got back from Apple picking today, and thought this would be an amazing for snacking/dipping apples. Pinning!
Thanks so much for stopping by, Erin! I’m so happy you liked the caramel post. It would be perfect as an apple dip! Enjoy, and hope to see you here again 😉
OMG!!! You are a genius! This sauce looks sooooo good! And you’ve provided step-by-step images! That’s awesome!!!! 🙂 Plus, store bought can never taste as good as homemade ones! I’m love love lovingggggg it! 🙂
Thank you so much! This is one of my favorite things to make, so quick and so good in so many desserts!
This is THE perfect christmas present for my food-obsessed family! It looks heavenly and I’m sure it tasted amazing!!!
xox Amy
Awesome! I hope they enjoy! I will definitely be giving some away for Christmas this year too. I’m thinking about tripling the batch. If you do that, just make sure to use a big enough pot, because it really foams up a lot when you add the cream, and it’s like 250 degrees F or something crazy like that. If it gets on you, it sticks to your skin so it’s seriously bad news. Good luck, and so happy you liked the post, Amy! Hope you’re having a great weekend! <3
Thanks dear for the additional advice! So good to know! I will make sure to use y large pot 🙂 Can’t wait to lick my fingers after it cooled down!! 😉
xox Amy
Good luck, sweetie!
When giving as a gift, how long can it store in a jar. Does it need refrigerated?
Hey Cindy! You don’t really have to worry too much about spoilage with this because the sugar content is so high. It’s basically like candy- no need to refrigerate. “Sugar is a powerful preservative, because once you have a certain concentration of sugar in a recipe, the sugar sucks up all the available water. Mold and bacteria need water in order to develop, and if there’s no water available, they cannot grow.” -as per this article. I have kept jars of this sauce for months and it seems to hold up fine. That said, if you ever notice a funny smell or color, that’s a big red flag! I hope that helps; thanks for the great question!
I adore salted caramel- I have been meaning to make some for awhile now (I think it’ll be great topped on those “brownie in a mug” recipes!) I’ll have to try this out- it looks so easy that even I can’t screw it up!
Oh, you can totally handle it! Just watch out for that hot sugar, ouch! It’ll be fabulous on a brownie in a mug… sinful! 😉
I love my salted caramel sauce a little bit darker too! I also love it by the spoonful in my mouth! 🙂
Great minds think alike, lol! 😀
Allie, I want to eat a whole jar of this with a spoon 🙂 Salted caramel is my favorite and I would love to try making it myself. Can’t wait for candy apple season to begin so I can whip up a batch of this!
Amy, there are so many ways to enjoy it, but out of the jar with a spoon might be my favorite! Caramel apples are a great idea! Reminds me of this other recipe I saw: http://www.sprinklebakes.com/2013/09/chocolate-chip-cookie-dough-caramel_25.html. How gorgeous are those? Am I right??? Thanks sweetie! 😉
That’s such a great recipe Allie, I love how basic it is which mean’s it’s open to different flavour variations. Saving and definitely giving it a go 🙂 .
That’s great! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Good luck and have fun! <3
There are little things better than homemade caramel sauce, specially if it’s salted caramel. Gosh, that stuff is heavenly, and I love to bake with it as well.
I really cannot wait for your next posts featuring this sauce, I’m sure they’re great! x
I couldn’t agree more, Consuelo. It’s really amazing how just a few simple ingredients can transform into something so magical!
Gorgeous photos! I’m definitely more inspired to try salted caramel on my own after seeing your tutorial!
Thanks, Mimi! I hope you give it a try. It’s so incredible! Thanks so much for reading, and for the sweet comment! xo
Mmmm can I just eat that jar of sauce by itself?? That looks soooo good!
Happy Blogging!
Happy Valley Chow
Thanks, Eric! I’m not gonna lie, I’ve been known to take a spoonful or two straight from the jar, lol! Have a great weekend 😉
Made it for the first time tonight and it is amazing. My husband and the boys loved it!! Omg amazo
Haha I’m so happy you all enjoyed!
gah I love homemade caramel sauce SO MUCH! I just made it for the first time and am hooooked! Yours looks great!
Thanks, Kayle! Isn’t homemade caramel just the ultimate??? 😀