Southern Bourbon Pecan Caramel Sauce
User Reviews
4
Southern Bourbon Pecan Caramel Sauce
Description
This recipe starts with toasting pecans to bring out their aroma and flavor, then roughly chopping them for a textural contrast in the caramel sauce. The caramel begins by heating sugar and light corn syrup without stirring until it reaches an amber color, indicating deep caramelization. Heavy cream is then carefully incorporated to create a creamy base while the mixture steams and bubbles. Finishing the sauce with salt enhances the caramel's sweetness and brings balance, while bourbon adds a subtle warmth and complexity.
The resulting sauce is smooth with crunchy pecan pieces and a rich sweet-savory flavor profile. Its creamy texture and salted notes make it ideal as a topping for ice cream, cakes, or other desserts, adding a Southern twist with the bourbon.
The sauce stores well in the refrigerator and can be reheated gently in a microwave or stovetop before use. Serving chilled or warmed gives versatility depending on the dessert pairing. It’s best spooned over cold ice cream or a warm baked treat.
Do not attempt home water-bath canning for this sauce due to the dairy content. For gifting, use a glass jar and label the sauce with refrigeration instructions, as it keeps best consumed within one to two weeks refrigerated.
Ingredients
- ½ cup pecans
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon salt or kosher salt, fine sea salt
- 3 tablespoons bourbon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325º. Place ½ cup pecans on a baking sheet and toast for 10-12 minutes until browned and fragrant. Transfer pecans to a cutting board and roughly chop. Set aside.
- Have all your ingredients and utensils close to the stove and pre-measured before you start.
- Place a medium saucepan over medium to medium high heat on the stove (if your stove runs hot, use medium, if it's true to temperature heat to medium high). Add 1 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon light corn syrup. Do NOT stir.
- Bring mixture to a rolling boil and watching the sugar mixture deepen in color. It will go from a light corn-syrup color, to light brown to amber. The change between light brown and amber is quick. Be ready for it.
- When it achieves a deep brown (not burnt) color, pour ¾ cup heavy cream into the center of the pan. It will steam and bubble vigorously -- that's ok. Stir until the sauce is smooth and well blended.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, toasted pecans and 3 tablespoons bourbon. Let it cool for about 10 minutes. Transfer to a storage container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate.
- Sauce will thicken as it chills. To serve, microwave the sauce for about 20-30 seconds, then spoon over ice cream, cheesecake, or apple pie.
- Makes about 1½ cups of bourbon pecan caramel sauce.
Notes
- Toast pecans before chopping to enhance their flavor and texture in the sauce.
- Store sauce refrigerated in a glass jar; reheat gently before serving.
- Do not water-bath can this sauce because it contains dairy and cannot be safely preserved this way at home.
- Recommend gifting in a sealed glass jar with refrigeration and consumption within a week or two.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 158 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 158kcal | 8% |
| Carbohydrates | 19g | 6% |
| Protein | 1g | 2% |
| Fat | 8g | 12% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Cholesterol | 20mg | 7% |
| Sodium | 201mg | 8% |
| Potassium | 29mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 18g | 36% |
| Vitamin A | 221IU | 4% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 13mg | 1% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4
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