5.0 from 36 votes
Caramel Sauce
This is the only caramel sauce recipe you'll ever need! Make it thick for filling cookies or keep it thin for drizzling over sundaes or cheesecake. Just 25 minutes to make!
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Servings: 1 cup
Calories: 1618 kcal
Course:
Dessert , Condiments
Cuisine:
American
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 2 Tablespoons light corn syrup see note
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon salt use ½ tsp for salted caramel sauce, and less for classic caramel
- ½ cup heavy cream room temperature (see note for using less cream for thicker caramel)
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature and cut into 3 pieces
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- SAFETY NOTE: melted sugar is very hot, do not touch the caramel until it’s cooled.
- Combine sugar, water, corn syrup, and salt in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. If any sugar crystals form on the sides of the pan, dip a pastry brush in water and use it to sweep away any sugar crystals.
- Continue to cook without stirring (if you notice uneven browning you can gently swirl the pan) until mixture turns amber in color (this can take about 15 minutes or so). If using a thermometer this usually happens between 320-340F (160-172C).
- Remove from heat and very slowly drizzle in cream while stirring. Mixture will bubble a lot, use caution.
- Once cream is incorporated, stir in butter, one piece at a time, until mixture is smooth.
- Add vanilla and stir until incorporated.
- Allow caramel to cool before using (unless serving warm over ice cream, then just let it cool until warm enough to consume).
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Caramel may be made without corn syrup but is more likely to turn out grainy, which is why I recommend including it. You could also substitute golden syrup.
- For a thicker caramel sauce, you may reduce the heavy cream to ¼ cup (60ml). This makes a chewier, taffy-like caramel that can be used for filling caramelitas or alfajores.
- While a candy thermometer is great for precision, since this is such a shallow amount of liquid it can be difficult to get an accurate reading with a candy thermometer. Because of this, it's easier to go off of color so watch your caramel carefully. When I tested this and wanted to gauge the temperature, I used my instant-read thermometer to temp this and have found I typically reach the proper color around 320-340F.
Nutrition Information
Serving
1cup
Calories
1618kcal
(81%)
Carbohydrates
237g
(79%)
Protein
4g
(8%)
Fat
78g
(120%)
Saturated Fat
49g
(245%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
3g
Monounsaturated Fat
20g
Trans Fat
1g
Cholesterol
225mg
(75%)
Sodium
651mg
(27%)
Potassium
137mg
(4%)
Sugar
238g
(476%)
Vitamin A
2799IU
(56%)
Vitamin C
1mg
(1%)
Calcium
99mg
(10%)
Iron
0.2mg
(1%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 1cup
Amount Per Serving
Calories 1618
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1cup | |
| Calories | 1618kcal | 81% |
| Carbohydrates | 237g | 79% |
| Protein | 4g | 8% |
| Fat | 78g | 120% |
| Saturated Fat | 49g | 245% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 20g | 100% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 225mg | 75% |
| Sodium | 651mg | 27% |
| Potassium | 137mg | 3% |
| Sugar | 238g | 476% |
| Vitamin A | 2799IU | 56% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 99mg | 10% |
| Iron | 0.2mg | 1% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.