Homemade salted caramel sauce is sweet, salty, and buttery. It's so simple and easy to make at home in just 10 minutes with 4 basic ingredients. Once you try it at home, you will never go back to store-bought caramel sauce again. The best part? You can make a batch and enjoy it for weeks over your favourite desserts (or months if you freeze it!).
Why You'll Love Salted Caramel Sauce
- It's quick and easy to make. Making salted caramel sauce at home takes just 10 minutes to make and you don't need any special kitchen gadgets like a candy thermometer. You only need a shallow saucepan and 4 simple ingredients that you likely already have at home (unlike its store-bought counterpart which are typically sweetened with fructose and artificial flavors).
- It has the perfect texture. This caramel sauce is thick, smooth, buttery, and creamy. Unlike some of the store-bought sauces that can be quite runny, this caramel sauce can hold it's shape quite well as it cools and sets.
- You can add it to any dessert. There are so many ways to use this homemade salted caramel sauce to take your desserts and baked goods to the next level, with its iconic sweet caramel taste. Drizzle it over cakes, brownies, cookies, cheesecake, and ice cream. Add it to ice cream or a milkshake. Use it as a dip or jam. The options are endless.
Ingredients
To make this delicious and indulgent homemade salted caramel sauce, you will need the following simple ingredients:
- sugar
- butter - use unsalted butter for this recipe. If you only have salted butter, you can use it but cut down the salt by half.
- heavy cream
- salt
You will also need measuring cups and spoons, a shallow saucepan, and an airtight container or mason jar for storing.
How to Make the Best Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce
- Melt sugar. Heat sugar in a large shallow saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk continuously as the sugar as it begins to melt. It will form clumps but will eventually melt completely. This can take 10-15 minutes. Continue to stir continuously until the sugar reaches a deep amber colour. Keep a close eye because the sugar will burn if you overcook.
- Add butter. Add the butter (note that the butter will immediately begin bubbling and may splatter, so be careful). Whisk until the butter is completely melted, then cook for 1 minute without stirring.
- Add cream and salt. Slowly pour in the heavy cream and whisk until combined in the mixture. Again, be careful as the mixture will bubble and may splatter. Whisk in the salt until combined.
- Cool. Remove from heat and allow the sauce to cool in the saucepan for 10 minutes. The caramel will thicken as it cools.
How to Use Salted Caramel Sauce
This creamy and smooth salted caramel sauce can be used in so many ways. Here are some ways to use this sauce:
- Use it as a sweet dip. Dip your favourite fruit into this caramel and taste heaven in your mouth. One of my favourite fruit to use are apples, especially Granny Smith apples. The flavours are so complementary.
- Make caramel hot chocolate. Add a spoonful into your hot chocolate for a new take on a classic drink.
- Drizzle it over baked goods. Drizzle salted caramel sauce over your favourite baked goods, such as apple pie, cinnamon rolls, scones, or crepes.
- Add it over ice cream. Caramel sauce and ice cream are such a staple together. Try it with no churn homemade vanilla ice cream. Or add some sauce into a classic vanilla milkshake for a new flavor.
- Use it in cheesecake. Swirl this sauce into caramel cheesecake brownies, or drizzle it over caramel pecan pie cheesecake bars.
- Use it as a macaron filling. Add a dollop of salted caramel sauce in between your vanilla macaron shells to make salted caramel macarons.
- Make salted caramel popcorn. Toss your popcorn with some of this sauce to create a delicious sweet and salty caramel popcorn.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
- How to store: Store salted caramel sauce in an airtight container or mason jar at room temperature for a day or two, or in the refrigerator for up to one month. If stored in the refrigerator, it may have hardened up a little. You can warm up the caramel over the stovetop or in the microwave before using to make it easier to drizzle.
- How to freeze: You can freeze salted caramel sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 months in the freezer. To use, allow it to thaw overnight in the refrigerator or for a few hours at room temperature.
More Caramel Dessert Recipes
- Caramel Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars
- Easter Egg Caramel Brownies
- Healthier Caramel Apple Fall Cheesecake
- Caramel Cheesecake Brownies
- Upside-down Caramel Apricot Tart
- Caramel Apples
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Salted Caramel Sauce
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cooling Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Homemade salted caramel sauce is sweet, salty, and buttery. It's so simple and easy to make at home in just 10 minutes with 4 basic ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
- ½ cup heavy cream, at room temperature
- ½ tablespoon salt
Instructions
- Heat sugar in a large shallow saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk continuously as the sugar as it begins to melt. It will form clumps but will eventually melt completely. This can take 10-15 minutes. Continue to stir continuously until the sugar reaches a deep amber colour. Keep a close eye because the sugar will burn if you overcook.
- Add the butter (note that the butter will immediately begin bubbling and may splatter, so be careful). Whisk until the butter is completely melted, then cook for 1 minute without stirring.
- Slowly pour in the heavy cream and whisk until combined in the mixture. Again, be careful as the mixture will bubble and may splatter.
- Whisk in the salt until combined. Remove from heat and allow the sauce to cool in the saucepan for 10 minutes. The caramel will thicken as it cools.
Notes
How to store: Store salted caramel sauce in an airtight container or mason jar at room temperature for a day or two, or in the refrigerator for up to one month. If stored in the refrigerator, it may have hardened up a little. You can warm up the caramel over the stovetop or in the microwave before using to make it easier to drizzle.
How to freeze: You can freeze salted caramel sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 months in the freezer. To use, allow it to thaw overnight in the refrigerator or for a few hours at room temperature.
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: salted caramel sauce, homemade salted caramel sauce, how to make salted caramel sauce, how to make caramel, homemade caramel
