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    Home » Sauces

    Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce

    Published: Feb 16, 2022 · Last Modified: Oct 11, 2022 by Leslie Jeon · 4 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
    Salted caramel sauce with text that reads 'Salted caramel sauce'


    Why buy caramel at the store when you can make this homemade salted caramel sauce? It only requires a few ingredients, and it's delicious when enjoyed with ice cream, cakes, cupcakes, and more!

    Spoon dripping caramel into a jar of salted caramel sauce this post

    If a dessert has caramel involved, it's always a win in my book. What is it about caramel that is just so, so addicting?!

    And there's nothing more delicious (and satisfying) than making caramel sauce at home. Whip up a batch, then store a jar in the fridge and slather it on anything you'd like. Seriously — it makes everything taste better.

    If you've never made caramel before, this is your chance. I'll walk you through the entire process step-by-step so you can become a caramel-making machine!

    Jump to:
    • What You'll Need
    • How to Make This Recipe
    • Tips to Make Perfect Salted Caramel Sauce
    • Common Questions About This Recipe
    • How to Store & Freeze
    • Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce
    • Comments

    What You'll Need

    Here's a quick overview of some of the ingredients and tools needed to make this caramel sauce. The full recipe can be found at the bottom of the post!

    Overhead shot of the ingredients for salted caramel sauce - unsalted butter, heavy cream, granulated sugar, water, kosher salt

    Ingredients

    • Heavy cream - Heavy cream adds a delicious creaminess to the caramel and makes it loose enough to be used as a sauce.
    • Unsalted butter - Even though we're making salted caramel, I recommend using unsalted butter. That way, you can control the amount of salt by adding it in later.
    • Granulated sugar - Sugar is one of the key ingredients when making caramel.
    • Water - We'll be making a wet caramel for this recipe, so you'll need a little bit of water.
    • Kosher salt - Last but not least, we'll add in some salt to finish off this delicous sauce.

    Equipment

    • Medium saucepan - To make this recipe, you'll need a medium saucepan for heating the cream/butter mixture and another saucepan for making the caramel. It's important to use saucepans with higher sides since both mixtures will bubble up as they cook.
    • Whisk - Towards the end of this recipe, you'll need to whisk the cream/butter mixture into the caramel. This balloon whisk is perfect for that!

    How to Make This Recipe

    When it comes to caramel, you can either make dry caramel or wet caramel. Dry caramel is made by heating up just sugar, while wet caramel is made by dissolving sugar in a little bit of water and then heating it up to go through the caramelization process.

    In this recipe, we're going to make wet caramel! I personally prefer making wet caramel because it's a bit more forgiving. The water helps the sugar cook a bit more evenly, and it's more difficult to burn the caramel.

    And if you haven't made caramel before, don't feel intimidated — it may take you a few tries to get the hang of it, but you'll get there. I have burned many batches of caramel over the years, so don't get discouraged if you don't get it right the first time.

    Here's a quick overview of how to make this caramel sauce:

    Step-by-step photos for making salted caramel sauce labeled 1, 2, 3, 4

    1. Heat the heavy cream and butter. Bring it to a boil, then set aside. (Image 1 and Image 2)

    2. Pour the granulated sugar into a separate pot, then evenly pour the water on top of the sugar. Swirl the pot until all the sugar has been moistened. If you get sugar on the sides of the pot, dip a clean pastry brush in water and wash the sugar off to avoid crystallization. (Image 3)

    3. Start cooking the caramel on medium-high heat and let it come to a boil. Don't disturb the pot until the mixture comes to a boil. Once it starts boiling, gently swirl the pot occasionally, but don't stir it with a spatula. (Image 4)

    Step-by-step photos for making salted caramel sauce labeled 5, 6, 7, 8

    4. Continue cooking the caramel. Continue to cook the caramel, swirling the pot occasionally, until the caramel turns a medium amber color and it smells slightly nutty. (Image 5)

    5. Remove the caramel from the heat and slowly whisk in the cream and butter mixture. It will bubble up pretty violently, so make sure to do this very slowly. (Image 6)

    6. Once all the liquid has been evenly incorporated, transfer the caramel sauce to a heatproof bowl and whisk in the salt. Let the caramel sauce cool at room temperature before using. The sauce will thicken quite a bit as it cools. (Image 7 and Image 8)

    Tips to Make Perfect Salted Caramel Sauce

    Here are a few tips to keep in mind when making this recipe:

    • Brush the sides of the pot with water to prevent the sugar from crystallizing. After moistening the sugar with water, dip a clean pastry brush in water and brush the sides of the pot to remove any leftover sugar. This will help prevent any sugar crystals from forming while the caramel cooks.
    • Don't stir while the caramel is cooking! Since we're making a wet caramel in this recipe, it's important to not stir the caramel while it cooks. Once the caramel comes to a boil, you can occasionally gently swirl the pot to help the caramel cook evenly.
    • Pour the cream and butter mixture in very slowly. After the caramel has finished cooking, remove it from the heat and gradually whisk in the cream and butter mixture. The mixture will bubble up rather violently, so I recommend doing this in several additions to prevent any spillage or burning.
    Spoon of caramel sauce resting on a grey surface

    Common Questions About This Recipe

    These are some questions I frequently hear about this sauce. If you have a question that isn't answered below, feel free to leave it in the comments.

    What's the secret to making caramel?

    Don't walk away! As the caramel cooks, it's important to gently swirl the pan occasionally to help the caramel cook evenly. And caramel can quickly go from light to dark, so it's important to keep an eye on the pot to prevent any burning.

    Should you stir when making caramel?

    Since we're making a wet caramel with this recipe, it's important not to stir the caramel while it cooks. Instead, you can gently swirl the pot to help the caramel cook evenly.

    How can you tell when caramel is done?

    When you're making caramel, the caramelization process can happen very quickly, which makes it really easy to burn caramel. You can tell that the caramel is ready when it's a medium amber color and starts to smell slightly nutty. Keep in mind that the color will look darker once it's removed from the heat.

    Jar of caramel sauce with a spoon resting in it on top of a bronze serving platter

    How to Store & Freeze

    To store: You can store this sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 month.

    To freeze: Let the caramel sauce cool completely at room temperature, then transfer to a jar or freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months.

    Love this recipe? Please leave a star rating and review in the comments below! And don't forget to subscribe to The Baker's Almanac for even more baking recipes and tips.

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    Spoon dripping caramel into a jar of caramel sauce

    Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce


    ★★★★★

    5 from 1 reviews

    • Author: Leslie Jeon
    • Total Time: 20 minutes
    • Yield: 1.5 cups 1x
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    Why buy caramel at the store when you can make this homemade salted caramel sauce? It only requires a few ingredients, and it's delicious when enjoyed with ice cream, cakes, cupcakes, and more!


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 cup (227g) heavy cream
    • 3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter 
    • 1 ½ cups (297g) granulated sugar 
    • ⅓ cup water
    • ½ teaspoon salt 

    Instructions

    1. Heat the heavy cream and butter: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the heavy cream and unsalted butter. Bring to a boil, then set aside. 
    2. Make a wet caramel: Pour the granulated sugar into a medium or large saucepan with high sides, then shake to distribute the sugar in an even layer on the bottom. Pour the water on top of the sugar and gently swirl the saucepan until all the sugar has been moistened. If you get sugar on the sides, dip a clean pastry brush in water and wash the sugar off to avoid crystallization. Turn the heat up to medium-high and let the sugar and water come to a boil before you disturb it. Once it comes to a boil, gently swirl the saucepan occasionally (but do not stir it). This ensures that the caramel cooks evenly and helps you control the hot spots. Continue to cook the caramel, swirling occasionally, until a medium amber color is achieved and the caramel smells slightly nutty. 
    3. Finish the caramel sauce: Remove the caramel from the heat, then slowly pour the cream and butter mixture into the caramel while whisking constantly. The mixture will bubble up, so be sure to pour the cream and butter in gradually to avoid it spilling over or burning you. Once all the liquid has been evenly incorporated, transfer the caramel sauce to a heatproof bowl and whisk in the salt. Let the caramel sauce cool at room temperature before using (the sauce will thicken quite a bit as it cools). 
    4. Once cooled completely, transfer to a storage container and store for up to one month in the refrigerator. Caramel sauce does solidify in the fridge, so let it come to room temperature before using, or reheat it on the stove or in the microwave. 

    Notes

    • Butter: I recommend using unsalted butter when making this recipe so that you can control the amount of salt. If you use salted butter, I'd recommend not adding the additional salt at the end. 
    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Cook Time: 15 minutes
    • Category: Sauce
    • Method: Sauté
    • Cuisine: French

    Keywords: caramel sauce, homemade caramel sauce, caramel, how to make caramel

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    1. Diana Baker

      February 23, 2022 at 5:29 pm

      Hi. Does the type of pan matter? I don't have stainless steel pots, only teflon coated. I have tried doing this several times now and it never gets to the coloration phase before it completely crystallizes and seizes up in the pan. I run out of liquid before it ever starts to change color. Is my heat too high? I bring to a boil and then down to simmer, so I don't run out of water. I use a clean brush to water down any sugar on the sides, without touching the mixture. Nothing changes. I've had to wait until the pot cools down so I can tap the whole hard mess out. Or run hot water on it for 20 minutes until it melts.
      🙁
      Please, any suggestions would be appreciated.

      Reply
      • Leslie Jeon

        March 05, 2022 at 12:07 am

        I'm so sorry you've had issues making the caramel, Diana! I have always used stainless steel pots to make caramel, and I think that's the kind of pot that most bakers recommend for caramel. I'd recommend grabbing a cheap stainless steel pot and giving that a try.

        If you're still having issues, crystallization can sometimes occur if you get some kind of food/mixture other than sugar and water in the pot. This sometimes happens to me if I don't clean the pot well enough before making the caramel.

        Definitely try using a stainless steel pot and let me know if you have better luck, though! I really hope you're able to make the recipe — it's one of my absolute favorites.

        Reply
    2. Israe

      October 16, 2021 at 6:20 am

      I am in love with this recipe; I've tried a lot of caramel sauce recipes and they've all turned out burned or not thick enough; yours is just what I was hoping for and it's a lot easier to make.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Leslie Jeon

        October 16, 2021 at 9:06 am

        Thank you so much for the kind comment, Israe! Caramel sauce can be tricky to make, but I'm so glad you found success with this recipe. 🙂

        Reply

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    hi there, i'm leslie!

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