EASY Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe

No Fail Recipe EASY Homemade Caramel Sauce

For an effortless caramel sauce, I sometimes use the Instant Pot to make Dulce de Leche, but usually, I just turn to this tried and EASY Homemade Caramel Saucetrue caramel sauce that’s so easy it makes store-bought caramel sauce pointless.

The EASY Homemade Caramel Sauce recipe using just a few ingredients that combine in one pot.

Add some whisking to thicken to desired consistency, and you’re ready to drizzle, eat and indulge.

Depending on the recipe you may want to add some coarse sea salt for the salted caramel flavor that trends so often during the fall and winter holidays.

It takes me back to the Ice Cream Parlor I use to take my kids to where they made the best caramel sauce from scratch.

It was a caramel sauce I dreamed about and made excuses for celebrations so I could sink my spoon into the caramel confection and get my fix. 

I find this recipe is simple, and I don’t use a candy thermometer.

I do suggest, the first few times you make this homemade caramel sauce recipe, you use a candy thermometer and bring the sauce to a softball stage for one minute.

Getting the caramel sauce to the softball stage will help it get thick and gooey.

The hardest part is the stirring.

Be prepared to whisk. whisk. whisk. 

You can also use a spoon or spatula.

EASY Homemade Caramel Sauce Ingredients:

1 cup light brown sugar, packed
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp sea salt, optional, but worth it
1/2 cup half and half
1 Tbsp real vanilla extract

EASY Homemade Caramel Sauce Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan: Simmer over low heat while whisking constantly until no longer watery and thickened (about 7 minutes).

This sauce will thicken as it cools so don’t whisk it too thick.

Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled with refrigeration.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Warm on the stovetop or in a microwave to make it drizzle. 

EASY Homemade Caramel Sauce Ingredients:

1 cup light brown sugar, packed (this will give it that beautiful amber color)

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tsp sea salt, optional, but worth it

1/2 cup half and half; or heavy cream

1 Tbsp real vanilla extract

EASY Homemade Caramel Sauce Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan.

Simmer over low heat while whisking constantly until all the sugar dissolve and the sauce is no longer watery and is thickened (about 7 minutes).

This sauce will thicken as it cools so don’t whisk it too thick.

Pour salted caramel sauce into mason jars, glass jar

Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled with refrigeration.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Warm on the stovetop or in a microwave to make it drizzle. 

For a More Complex Flavored Caramel Sauce:

Add 3 Tablespoons molasses

This will be added with the brown sugar and butter.

Tips:

For a richer cream use heavy whipping cream.

You can also use evaporated milk.

You can use dark brown sugar for darker caramel color and slightly different flavors.

Fat is necessary for the caramel to have elasticity. Butter provides the best quality and taste and is the fat gourmet candy makers choose.

Less gourmet caramel is made with a combination of very little butter cut with other fats, changing the taste.

Pour Some Caramel on It:

Use this easy caramel sauce recipe to whip up a topping for ice cream, pie (it is delicious with pear pie), and more.

Dip fruit into it.

Dip cookies into it.

Drizzle over cupcakes.

Use this sauce in coffee–it makes a delicious salted caramel pumpkin spice iced coffee, Copy Cat: Starbucks Salted Caramel Mocha Recipe, or Caramel Macchiato Forte Recipe 

I can keep going about this easy caramel sauce recipe because it’s so simple…and so good. You can even use it as caramel fondue.. You can even use it as caramel fondue..

But.

I think you should just go and make a jar.

Right.

Now.

Did You Know?

The Candy King himself, Milton Hershey, did not start his empire making chocolate.

His first company was actually Lancaster Caramel Company.

Hershey discovered chocolate while seeking a coating for Lancaster Caramels.