Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce
Homemade salted caramel sauce is made with just six ingredients and takes 15 minutes to prepare. Spoon it over ice cream, use it as a dip for apple slices, or drizzle it over your favorite baked goods!
If making homemade caramel sauce sounds intimidating to you, this recipe will change your mind!
Making caramel sauce from scratch is so much better than buying a jar at the store. Store-bought salted caramel sauce often contains thickeners or added sweeteners and is overly sweet.
Not this recipe! Just six basic ingredients are transformed into a perfectly sweet and salty caramel sauce.
In this post, I’ll walk you through my foolproof method as well as my top tips for success!
Ingredients in This Recipe
This is a very straightforward recipe for salted caramel sauce that requires just six ingredients. Let’s review what you’ll need:
- Water: You need to add a little water to the saucepan so the sugar can fully dissolve.
- Granulated sugar: This serves as the base of the recipe. As the sugar cooks, it develops a rich caramel flavor. You need to use granulated sugar, not a sugar substitute.
- Heavy whipping cream: Make sure your heavy whipping cream is at least 36% fat. Do not try to use a lower fat alternative, like half and half or whole milk or the sauce will be too thin.
- Unsalted butter: I recommend using unsalted butter, since the amount of salt in salted butters can vary between different brands. We don’t want this sauce to be too salty either!
- Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract is best, but use what you have.
- Salt: Regular table salt works just fine for this recipe, but sea salt would also be great.
How to Make Salted Caramel Sauce
Making caramel sauce is as easy as letting the mixture simmer and combining everything in a saucepan. Here’s an overview of how this salted caramel sauce is prepared:
- Dissolve the sugar: Add the water and sugar to a saucepan (use one that’s a little larger than you think you’ll need). Heat over medium heat and stir constantly until the sugar has dissolved.
- Bring to a boil: Once the sugar has dissolved, increase the heat and bring the mixture to a boil. At this point, you do NOT want to stir the sugar mixture anymore. After 4 to 12 minutes, the mixture will turn amber in color.
- Add the cream: When the sugar mixture is a lovely amber color, remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the heavy cream. Keep in mind that it will bubble up quite vigorously, this is normal!
- Add the remaining ingredients: This includes the butter, vanilla, and salt.
- Let cool: At this stage, I like to transfer the caramel sauce to a storage container (like a glass jar). It’s best to let the sauce cool to room temperature before sealing and storing it in the fridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Type of Salt Is Best for This Recipe?
I used regular table salt, but you may make sea salt caramel sauce if desired.
If using sea salt, you may need to add more salt than the recipe calls for. Sea salt has coarser grains than table salt, which is quite finely milled. You may need a little more to achieve the same level of saltiness as table salt.
What Causes Caramel Sauce to Form Clumps?
If the sauce clumps up when you stir in the heavy cream, it’s probably because the cream was too cold when you added it to the hot sugar mixture. Set the cream on the counter before you begin the recipe, or warm it slightly in the microwave before adding to the sugar mixture.
If your sauce still forms a few clumps, you can easily strain them out using a fine mesh sieve.
How Do You Thicken Caramel Sauce?
If your sauce came out too runny for your liking, you probably didn’t simmer it long enough on the stove. The sugar-water needs to come to a rolling boil and cook until it’s a rich amber color. The simmering process could take up to 12 minutes, so be patient!
Keep in mind that the caramel sauce will also be much thinner while it’s warm and will thicken up more as it cools.
Baking Tips
- The heavy whipping cream will bubble up quite a bit when you add it, make sure to use a saucepan that’s a little bigger than what you think you will need.
- Be sure to prep your ingredients and have them ready to go before you get started, this will make the process much smoother.
- To make this a regular caramel sauce, just use a pinch of salt or about 1/8 teaspoon.
- Note that this is best used as a finishing sauce for desserts. I don’t recommend trying to bake with it as it’s a little too runny for that.
More Dessert Sauces to Make!
Recipe Video
![An overhead view of salted caramel sauce in a jar. A spoon is being lifted from the jar.](https://i0.wp.com/www.livewellbakeoften.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Salted-Caramel-Sauce-9s.jpg?fit=200%2C200&ssl=1)
Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- ¼ cup water (60 ml)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
- ⅔ cup heavy whipping cream (160 ml) at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (45 grams) cut into tablespoon-sized pieces
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
Instructions
- In a heavy bottomed saucepan, heat the water and sugar over medium heat. Make sure to use a saucepan that's a little bigger than what you think you will need. Stir constantly until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture starts to bubble just a little.
- Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, stop stirring completely. Let the mixture continue boiling until it turns an amber color, this could take anywhere from 4 to 12 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and slowly whisk in the heavy cream. The mixture will bubble up quite a bit, so make sure to do this very carefully. Then, mix in the butter, vanilla, and salt one at a time.
- Pour the caramel sauce into a dish and allow to cool completely, then cover tightly and store in the refrigerator. The caramel sauce will thicken up more once it's cooled and refrigerated.
Never have I ever made my own caramel sauce before but with these pictures, you sure make it look dreamy! And the recipe does seem pretty darn simple.
It’s definitely pretty simple, which is another reason I love it 😉 Thanks, Kaylin!
Can you can it for later use? Or does it have to be refrige right away?
Hi, Dawn. Unfortunately, I don’t have much experience with canning so I’m not quite sure.
I just made a batch and it tastes great! I got just about 2 half pint jars from the one batch, not enough for me but now I can adjust the recipe. I am going to “can” it using the water bath method (10 minutes) and see what happens.
So glad you liked the caramel sauce, Marilynn! I’d love to hear how it turns out canning it too!
I know this is not a new post but I feel compelled to reply I would NOT water bath can this recipe. Due to the high pH, high amount of liquid (water) and presence of fats, you would need to pressure can this recipe to make it food-safe.
-a microbiologist employed in the food industry
ps I made this and it’s delicious. Now making my self a sundae with good vanilla icecream, this sauce, and smokehouse almonds. YUM!
Thank you so much for sharing, Angela! And I’m so glad you enjoyed the caramel sauce too 🙂
Please let me know if your canning method worked. I would love to give it as a gift! Thanks
Hi, Kate! I’ve had a couple readers mention this recipe may not be good for canning. It would be great for gifting though and it does keep for about 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
What’s heavy cream? Milk or cheese
Hi, KateLynn! It’s not cheese, it’s typically by the coffee creamers and milk in the grocery store. Either heavy cream or heavy whipping cream will work in this recipe. Hope that helps 🙂
British translation of ‘heavy cream’ is ‘double cream’.
This looks fabulous! Those action shots of the gooey caramel are to die for 🙂
Haha I had to get some action shots! Thanks, Medha!
Homemade caramel sauce is simply the best! I can’t wait to try your version.
the caramel sauce was GREAT! Although, I found it best to constantly stir while making it. I also turned the heat down to low when I added the milk. It kept the sauce from lumping up.
Glad you liked the caramel sauce, Elaine!
Now that you mention it, I’ve never made my own caramel! I’m a total cheater, and buy the canned ones from trader joes. But this sounds so easy! I need to make my own. This looks delicious!
It’s so easy, you would love it Natalie!
This looks perfect, Danielle! I have such a big weakness for salted caramel! I could drink that up by the spoonful 🙂
You can never go wrong with a classic recipe for a good homemade salted caramel sauce. Looks delicious!
Very good recipe, thank you for sharing. We love caramel and it’s not difficult to make it at home. Great photos, too 🙂
Thank you, Simona!
Nothing can beat a classic homemade sauce. And this salted caramel sauce look so divine. Loved it, Danielle! 🙂
I love making my own caramel sauce! It’s just so good and way too easy to eat with just my spoon! Love this version!
It’s definitely a little too easy to eat with a spoon! 🙂
This caramel sauce sounds fantastic Danielle! Have to try this along with your upside down caramel cake!
Thanks, Kelley! Hope you enjoy it 🙂
Yum!!! Looks so delicious I can almost taste it. Making it this weekend.
Thanks, Victor! Hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂
My daughter and I made it yesterday. It was fabulous. Really complemented our Ultimate Deep Fried Oreos. Those things are even more addictive with your caramel sauce.
So glad to hear you both enjoyed it! Deep fried Oreos sound really great too!
I was wondering if there is any alternate way to make caramel or caramel sauce using granulated Stevia instead of sugar? Or is it only good if it is decadent? 🙂 Thanks!
Hi Shawna! I haven’t tested this recipe with stevia, so I can’t say for sure how it would turn out. But my friend Megan recently posted a recipe for lighter caramel sauce that uses Truvia, here is a link to her recipe: http://withsaltandwit.com/simple-lighter-salted-caramel-sauce/
Generally, 1 cup of sugar = 1 teaspoon of granulated stevia. So you would need to experiment
I wanted to make your caramel sauce and put in canning jars for Christmas gift. How much does one batch make? Does this recipe work well in large batches? Thanks!
Hi Cheryl! One batch will make about 1 and 1/4 cups of caramel sauce. I haven’t tried doubling/tripling the recipe yet, so I’m not sure how it would work. I would probably just make a few separate batches to be on the safe side 🙂
Hello, I read on another recipe that cooks the sugar down first, to only do one recipe at a time because the sugar has to cook evenly and too much at once may affect that, That post suggested doing multiple batches as well. Hope this helps.
Hey Barbara – thank you for the information! I agree with you, I think the multiple batches is the safest route on this recipe 🙂
What kind of salt do you use?
Hi Margaret, I always use table salt for this recipe.
Would this recipe turn out of I used half and half cream(10%) instead of 35%?
Hi Keyanna! I haven’t tried it, so I can say for sure if it will work. It may turn out a little thinner. If you do give it a try I’d love to hear how it turns out!
When I tried with half and half instead of heavy cream it immediately got extremely hard, but worked just fine with heavy cream. Not sure if there was a correlation but just my experience
I’m so sorry that happened to you, Sabrennah. I haven’t experimented with anything other than heavy cream. Thank you for sharing about the half and half!
I just made it with half and half. It didn’t get hard, in fact it is a bit too runny. The flavor is good, but I will use heavy cream next time.
Hi Jennifer! Have you refrigerated the caramel sauce yet? When I make it with heavy cream it thickens up as it cools and once it’s refrigerated. Thank you for sharing about the half and half though. Hopefully you can give it a try with heavy cream next time! 🙂
I just made this sauce and it is super easy to make but most important… So DeLiCIOUS!!!!
This Will not last long! Even now, while its cooling down i’m dipping my finger in this sauce… Nop! It will be gone Soon ?
Your comment made my day, Vicky! I’m so glad you liked the caramel sauce and I did the exact same thing waiting for it to cool down 😉
I just made this today as a filling for my pumpkin cupcakes with a spiced cream cheese buttercream. This stuff is to die for! I’ve tried many caramel recipes, and many of them have turned out burned 🙂 This one was super easy, and in my opinion, the tastiest!
This made my day, Kaela! I’m so glad you loved the caramel sauce. And those cupcakes sound delicious, love the idea of a spiced cream cheese buttercream!
I was wondering if this hardens when cooled.? I am looking for Caramel sauce for caramel apples.
Hi, Nisha! This caramel sauce doesn’t harden like what you would need for a caramel apple. It would be perfect for dipping apple slices in, but it wouldn’t work well for coating them.
Thank you for letting me know. I still need to try this, it sounds and looks yummy.!
Can you tell me how much this yields? Also, have you tried doubling the recipe? Thanks in advance! M
Hi, Martha! I believe the recipe will make about 1 and 1/4 to 1 and 1/2 cups of caramel sauce. I would suggest making two separate batches instead of trying to double it, just to avoid burning the caramel.
I just made this to top cupcakes and OH MY it’s delicious! I cut back on the salt by half and it’s just dangerously yummy!
It really is dangerously yummy, but in a good way 😉 I’m so happy to hear that you loved the caramel sauce, Kim!
I just want to thank you for sharing this recipe, and I have to said that it’s one of the best recipe I had try,
so thank so much .
I’m so glad to hear that, Mildred! Thank you for stopping by to comment 🙂
I am excited to make this as a little gift for my co-workers so I will be making several batches. If made a week before taking to them will it refrigerate well?
T re
I usually refrigerate it for up to two weeks, so I think that should be fine!
This did not work for me at all! The first batch went 14 minutes with no amber color. Next thing it seized and I had to pitch it. Tried a second batch went 10 minutes, still no amber color and the finished product had no caramel color and was too thin. I am thinking you must use a candy thermometer. Not sure Will attempt this again. I might try to thicken it with cornstarch before I pitch this batch Still no idea how to get the caramel color. On a small note, It does taste good
I’m so sorry to hear the recipe isn’t working out well for you! Mine usually takes about 10 minutes to turn amber, but the time will vary depending on your pan. I don’t use a candy thermometer, I just go off of the color. Also the sauce will be thin at first and will thicken as it cools and once it’s refrigerated, I’ll update the recipe and add that information.
HI Danielle I need to make these in advance to freeze for my daughter’s wedding in March. Can you say if they freeze well, if I cover them well, or even leave them in the muffin pan and remove day before I need them? Many thanks from a hot South Africa in Cape Town
Dalene, I’m not quite sure what you mean? Are you asking about a different recipe than this salted caramel sauce?
Hi Danielle! Can I use this recipe for frosting a vanilla sponge cake?
Hi, Ruth! I don’t think this recipe alone would work well for frosting a cake, it would be a little messy. You could add this caramel sauce to a buttercream frosting and make a caramel frosting though. Here’s a post I did with a caramel frosting recipe in it: http://www.livewellbakeoften.com/2017/01/12/how-to-make-buttercream-frosting/. Hope that helps!
I tried this recipe cooking it on medium heat and cooked for about 12 mins but it came out tasting bitter. Any advice?
If it tasted bitter, it sounds like the sugar may have burned. I would suggest cooking it a little less longer and removing it from the heat sooner.
I just made this and followed the directions exactly. It is amazing! Well, I should say scary, because I could just sit here and eat it by the spoonful. I thought it was going to seize up, but I just whisked faster. Thanks so much. New to baking so now I need to make something for this to go on.
I feel like I can just eat this by the spoonful too, Jenne 😉 This goes so well with so many desserts, you can feel free to browse my recipe index for something to use it on. It’s really great with ice cream too!
OMG this looks amazing! This will go perfect with the caramel brownies I have been planning on making! Or I might just make it and eat it with a spoon. We’ll see.
Thanks, Danielle! I love to just eat it with a spoon 😉
My sons 19th birthday would have been 4/8 this year. So I made this caramel sauce for ice cream. It was amazing. I just wish he was here to enjoy it. He looked to help me out in the kitchen. But at 4yrs old I would only let him help cook/bake food safe for him to do. We baked a buttermilk pie, peanut brittle, divinity, and bourbon balls for the Christmas before he passed away. We were on a roll. Now I have his favorite to put in my cookbook. “CARAMEL SAUCE BABY”
I’m so glad you liked the caramel sauce, Katrina! And so happy to hear you have one of his favorite recipes to put in your cookbook now 🙂
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this salted caramel recipe! I’ve made it twice now. Do you have a recipe where you add this to make salted caramel buttercream frosting?
I’m so glad to hear that, Alicia! And I’m glad you asked about the frosting, I’ll link to that in the post as soon as I get a chance! 🙂