This luscious homemade salted caramel sauce is the perfect topping to drizzle over your favorite desserts, baked goods, pancakes, ice cream and more! Rich, creamy, and ridiculously crave-worthy, this easy recipe is enhanced with the addition of fine sea salt for the most perfect combination of flavors.
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What’s in Salted Caramel Sauce?
This homemade salted caramel sauce recipe is made with 5 simple ingredients – sugar, water, butter, heavy cream and fine salt (although you can skip the salt if preferred).
Making caramel sauce is easier than you think and we have step-by-step photos of the entire cooking process.
Salted Caramel Flavor Profile
The taste of salted caramel is deeply sweet with a very light hint of salt. Rich, buttery, thick and luscious, homemade caramel sauce is infinitely better than any store-bought sauce. As for consistency, this homemade caramel sauce recipe delivers a sauce that can be poured over. Not too thick but not runny. Keep in mind that caramel thickens as it cools.
Why This Recipe Works
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Easy Method: We simplify the cooking process to make it easy and foolproof.
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No Candy Thermometer: Sugar cooks and caramelizes faster than the speed of light but knowing when is ready doesn’t require a thermometer. This easy caramel sauce doesn’t require any fancy techniques or equipment.
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Versatile – This delicious caramel sauce can be used as an ingredient in caramel desserts such as caramel buttercream or salted caramel frosting. If you love all things caramel, drizzle it over pies, cakes, cupcakes , cheesecakes or scoop it over ice cream. As a dipping sauce is perfect for dunking apple slices, cookies and pretzels. In a cute jar, can be given as a gift during the holidays.
Caramel Ingredients and Substitutions
- Sugar: White granulated sugar is the main ingredient in this recipe. Sugar labeled “pure cane sugar” or “pure cane granulated sugar” can be used. Brown sugar should not be used to make this salty caramel sauce.
- Water: Water plays the role of helping to dissolve the sugar.
- Heavy Cream: Aka whipping cream, this ingredient makes the most luxurious sauce. Don’t use milk.
- Butter: You can use salted or unsalted butter. Butter should be at room temperature so that it can be easily incorporated.
- Sea Salt: Fine sea salt, Kosher salt or table salt can be used. Other finishing salts or flaky salts such as Fleur de Sel or = Maldon sea salt flakes can be used as well.
Making Caramel Sauce Like a Pro
- No Candy Thermometer: Unlike most caramel recipes, this recipe doesn’t use a candy thermometer. We use our vision instead to see the changes in color.
- If you Must: If you preferred using a thermometer, you can add the cream when the temperature reaches between 325 and 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Warm Heavy Cream: It’s best to warm up the heavy cream before adding it to the caramel. This will prevent the sauce from seizing up. If it seizes, whisk the mixture for a few minutes.
- The Right Pot: Use a light-colored stainless steel pot. A light-colored pot allows you to see the changes in color. Stainless steel conducts heat more evenly.Win win!
- No Stirring Allowed: Avoid stirring the pot when melting the water/sugar mixture. Instead, gently swirl the pot if needed to prevent crystallization.
- Gentle Swirl: Swirl the pan gently over the heat without letting the caramel go high up the sides of the pot. Sugar crystals formed on the high sides will need to be brushed off with a wet pastry brush.
- Fixes: Sugar crystals that have formed on the lower parts of the pot can be melted by swirling the pot gently.
- Watch it Carefully: Keep an eye on the caramel at all times. The mixture can go from gold in color to burnt very quickly.
- Manage your Emotions: Making caramel is easy but it takes some patience. Cooking the mixture slowly over low heat while resisting the temptation to stir can be tricky!
How To Make Salted Caramel Sauce
For detailed instructions on how to make this Caramel Sauce, check the printable recipe card below.
- Add the sugar and water to a small pot or heavy-bottomed saucepan (about 3-4 quarts in size). Using a wooden spoon or spatula, stir to help the sugar dissolve.
- Cook gently swirling the pot if needed but without stirring, until the mixture turns into a deep amber color.
- Immediately after, add the heavy cream slowly. The mixture will bubble up rapidly. After the bubbles subside, simmer for a couple of minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in the butter and salt. Allow to cool slightly before using or transferring to a jar.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the Difference Between Salted Caramel Sauce and Caramel Sauce?
The only difference between the two sauces is that the salted caramel sauce includes about fine or flaky salt.
Why Did My Caramel Seize?
Caramel becomes grainy and /or seizes when the melted sugar looses its moisture and crystalizes. One sugar crystal can cause a chain reaction that can ruined the entire batch! There are many factors that contribute to caramel seizing up. From abrupt temperature changes such as adding cold cream to the hot sugar mixture, to having a splash of the melted sugar landing on the sides of the pot and crystallizing. Preventing crystallization is key to success however almost always seized caramel can be fixed.
How to Prevent Caramel from Seizing?
To prevent caramel from becoming gritty or seizing, swirl the pot very gently while the sugar mixture cooks. Avoid stirring. Swirling helps the mixture cook evenly and prevent crystals from forming. Another way to prevent sugar from crystalizing is by using a wet pastry brush to wipe down any sugar crystals stuck on the sides of the pot. Wet the brush with room temperature water and brush away!
How to Fix Seized Caramel Sauce?
If your caramel is grainy or seizes up, you can bring it back to its glorious, velvety texture by adding a bit of water to the pot and reheating the mixture, over low heat, until the sugar melts. The sugar crystals will dissolve and the additional water will evaporate leaving you with perfect caramel.
What to Do When Caramel Separates?
This happened for many reasons and always look like a puddle of fat over caramel. Although it cannot always be fixed, you can try to save it by whisking vigorously. Remove the pot from the heat and add a tablespoon of water, whisk vigorously until the mixture comes together again.
Can I use this Caramel Sauce to Make Caramel Apples?
No. Unfortunately this caramel sauce doesn’t have the right consistency to coat the apples.
Storing and Freezing Caramel Sauce
How to Store Homemade Caramel Sauce?
Cool off the caramel before storing it in a lidded jar or airtight container. Keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Can you Freeze Salted Caramel Sauce?
Yes! You can freeze caramel sauce in an airtight container in the freezer for 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature. reheat in the microwave for a few seconds if needed.
What to Serve with Caramel Sauce?
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Salted Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, warm
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Stir together the sugar and water in a (3 to 4 quarts) small pot or heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat
- Cook without stirring until the sugar mixture melts completely and turns a deep amber color, about 8 to 10 minutes. You can swirl the pot very gently to prevent the sugar from clumping. See chef's tips below..
- Immediately after the sugar is a deep amber color, whisk in the warm heavy cream. Be careful as the mixture will bubble up intensely and rapidly. When it subsides, simmer for about 2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and salt until well combined. Let it cool for a few minutes before transferring to a bowl or jar. Serve warm.
Chef’s Tips
- Use the Right Pot: Use a 3-4 Qt. light-colored stainless steel pot. A light-colored pot allows you to see the changes in color. Stainless steel conducts heat more evenly.
- No Candy Thermometer: Unlike most caramel recipes, this recipe doesn’t use a candy thermometer. If you preferred using a thermometer, the temperature should reach between 325 and 350 degrees Fahrenheit before adding the warm cream.
- Heavy Cream: It’s best to warm up the heavy cream before adding it to the caramel. The warm liquid will prevent the sauce from seizing up.
- Fixing Grainy Caramel: If several bits of sugar get stuck to the sides of the pot and harden, the caramel can seize up and/or become gritty. Prevent this by gently swirling the pan while the sugar mixture cooks and/or by using a wet pastry brush to wipe down any sugar crystals stuck on the sides of the pot.
- Watch it Carefully: Keep an eye on the caramel at all times. The mixture can go from gold in color to burnt very quickly.
- Splatters: When adding the heavy cream, be prepared for the mixture to bubble up vigorously.
- Right Consistency: Caramel thickens as it cools off.
- Gentle Swirl: Swirl the pan gently over the heat without letting the caramel go high up the sides of the pot. Sugar crystals formed on the high sides will need to be brushed off with a wet pastry brush.
- No Salted Caramel: To make regular caramel, only use 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
martha says
This is the best caramel sauce i’ve ever tried! So good!
Chris Nichold says
Can’t wait to try this recipe
Ashton says
Absolutely delicious! I wish I could give it a million stars!
Monica says
What is the best way to store this and how long can it be stored? I’m thinking about Christmas gifts…
Kathy says
Hi Monica, Caramel sauce will keep refrigerated up to a month, When cool, caramel gets thick so you will need to reheat it gently (water bath or microwave in small time increments).
You can also freeze it in an airtight container (not glass) up to 3 months. To thaw out, leave it in the fridge overnight. I have kept mine at room temperature for up to 3 days. Honestly it never lasts that long!!
Hope this helps!! Thanks!