Caramel Sauce (with Salted Caramel Option)

This recipe can be made two ways: as a silky smooth Caramel Sauce, or you can try the Salted Caramel version. Whichever you choose, you’ll love the rich flavor and velvety texture. With just 4 simple, all-natural ingredients, I think you’ll agree that this beats store-bought caramel sauce any day.

What Is Caramel Sauce Made Of?

Caramel sauce is a rich dessert topping made by melting sugar until golden, then blending in butter and cream for a smooth, glossy finish.

What is Salted Caramel Sauce?

Salted Caramel Sauce is classic caramel made by melting sugar with salted butter (or unsalted butter + 1 teaspoon of salt), along with heavy cream for a sweet-and-salty flavor balance.

Ways to Use Caramel Sauce

Caramel sauce isn’t just for spoonfuls straight from the jar…. no judgment here . 😉 This rich and buttery topping instantly elevates simple desserts into something special. Here are a few of my favorite ways to enjoy it:

• My Banana Bread Bars with Salted Caramel Swirl are the perfect showcase for this sauce.
• Over Ice Cream or apple pie, a warm caramel drizzle is the perfect finishing touch.
• Spoon the caramel over my Air Fryer Peaches with Cinnamon Butter for a decadent take on this fruity dessert.
• Straight from the Spoon: Yes, it’s that good!

Ingredients for Making Homemade Caramel

Granulated Sugar: The base of your caramel. Once melted, it will create a deep amber color, and rich flavor.
Unsalted Butter or Salted Butter (if you plan to make salted caramel)
Heavy Cream: Gives the caramel a pourable consistency and creamy mouthfeel.
Salt: Adds extra depth of flavor to the caramel and helps balance its sweetness.

Refer to the printable recipe card below for ingredient quantities and detailed instructions.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Add sugar to a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until it resembles sand.
2. Continue stirring until the sugar forms large molten chunks.
3. Add the butter to the amber colored melted sugar.

4. Whisk in the heavy cream and add the pinch of salt.
5. Simmer until the caramel begins to bubble and thicken slightly.
6. Cook to about 220°F. Let cool and pour into a heatproof container.

How To Make Salted Caramel Sauce

• Replace the unsalted butter with the same quantity of salted butter (you won’t need to add the pinch of salt).
• Don’t have salted butter? No problem, when it’s time to whisk in the heavy cream, add 1 teaspoon of salt into the mixture (instead of the pinch of salt).

Tips for the Perfect Caramel

• Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan; avoid non-stick pans, as they can cause the sugars to crystallize during melting. This is the one I used.
• Stir continuously: Don’t be tempted to let the sugar sit there and only stir every once in a while. Doing so will give you large chunks of semi-melted sugar (think candy), which will make it nearly impossible to dissolve fully and you will be left with a grainy, lumpy caramel sauce.
• Low and Slow: Don’t try to speed up the process by increasing the heat to melt the sugar faster. It burns easily, resulting in a bitter-tasting caramel. If you end up burning the sugar, it is best to discard it and start over.
• Caramel will thicken as it cools: Don’t be tempted to continue cooking the caramel because it doesn’t have the right texture; once it has cooled, it will thicken. Having an instant-read thermometer will take out all the guesswork.

How To Tell If Your Caramel Is Ready

If you don’t have an instant-read thermometer, here is a visual guide for reference. You want to aim for a dark, ambered hue, as this will give you the most depth of flavor without reaching the bitter, burnt stage. It’s a good idea to use a light colored or stainless steel saucepan, as it makes it easier to see the actual color changes and the stage of caramelization.

Storage and Reheating

Homemade caramel sauce stores well if kept sealed and refrigerated. Let the sauce cool for 5 minutes before transferring it to a heatproof jar and cover tightly. (These are the glass jars I used in my photoshoot).

• Refrigerator: Caramel sauce will keep in the fridge for up to 1 month. It will thicken as it cools, so warm it gently in the microwave before using.
• Freezer: For longer storage, freeze caramel in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat until smooth.
• Room Temperature: This recipe contains cream, so it is not shelf-stable; always refrigerate after using.
  ★ Pro Tip: If the sauce looks grainy after storage, whisk it while reheating to bring back its silky texture.

Homemade Caramel Sauce: FAQ’s

Caramel Sauce (with Salted Caramel Option)

A rich, silky caramel sauce made with just 4 ingredients. Enjoy it as is or make the salted caramel version. Perfect for topping ice cream, apple crisp, apple pie, or swirling into baked goods.

*Quick Note Before You Dive In: This recipe card covers the basics, but if you want help with properly setting your caramel etc, then scroll back up! Everything you need for foolproof results, is in the post.

5 from 1 vote

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Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Chill Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course baked goods, Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 1 (makes 1 1/2 cups)

Ingredients

  

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• 1 1/3 cups 267g granulated sugar
• ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
• ½ cup heavy cream room temperature
• Big pinch of salt

Equipment

• heatproof jars
• stainless steel saucepan
• instant-read thermometer

Instructions

 

• Place the sugar into a 2-quart saucepan set over medium-low heat. Using a wooden spoon, stir continuously until the sugar resembles the texture of course sand and starts to turn an even light golden color.
• Continue stirring. The sugar will start to feel heavy and begin to clump together to form larger, even shaped clumps that will start to become molten.
• Continue stirring until the sugar has melted (it should be a light amber color). You may find you need to brush the sides of the saucepan with a wet pastry brush to avoid any burning sugar on the sides of your saucepan.
• Continue cooking and stirring the melted sugar until it reaches a medium amber color, remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the butter until combined.
• Carefully add the heavy cream (you don’t want any burning hot caramel splashing on you) and whisk until combined. Stir in the pinch of salt.
• Return the saucepan to a medium heat setting and allow the mixture to bubble for 1 or 2 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer registers 220°F.
• Remove the pot from the heat and allow it to cool slightly before pouring it into a heatproof container.

To make salted caramel:

• Replace the unsalted butter for the same quantity of salted (you won’t need to add the pinch of salt).

Notes

To make salted caramel, you can either use salted butter in place of unsalted or if you ony have unsalted butter,  add 1 teaspoon of salt (instead of a pinch of salt) when adding the heavy cream to the melted sugar mixture. 

Use room temperature butter and cream for best results. Adding cold ingredients straight from the fridge can cause the hot sugar to splatter, while room temperature ingredients blend in more safely.

When beginning to melt the sugar, remove any chunks of sugar that are larger than a quarter, or try breaking them up with the back of the spoon (as they may not dissolve completely).

Keyword caramel sauce, easy caramel sauce, homemade caramel sauce, how to make caramel, no thermometer caramel, sugar-only caramel

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