Homemade Caramel Sauce

This recipe for small-batch homemade caramel sauce uses only four simple ingredients, including pure cane sugar, takes about 10 minutes, and gives you a rich, velvety caramel that’s perfect for drizzling over ice cream, cakes, or even enjoying by the spoonful! Yields a half cup of caramel sauce.

Course Condiment, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword 4 ingredient caramel sauce, Caramel Sauce, Caramel Sauce Recipe, caramel sauce with cane sugar, Easy Caramel Sauce, Homemade Caramel Sauce, homemade caramel sauce small batch, small batch caramel sauce

Cook Time 8

Total Time 8

Servings servings

Calories 75kcal

Ingredients

1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Instructions

In a medium, heavy-duty saucepan (stainless steel, not nonstick), place your sugar over medium heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon or heat-safe silicone spatula. The sugar will clump, then melt, and begin turning a rich amber as it melts fully. Be extra careful not to burn it. This process will take about 5-7 minutes, depending on your stove and pan.
Once the sugar is fully melted and smooth, reduce the heat to low. Add butter a few pieces at a time. The mixture will bubble vigorously, but keep stirring until the butter is fully melted and blended in. If it starts to separate or harden, remove the pan from the heat and whisk vigorously until it comes back together.
Very slowly and carefully pour the heavy cream into the caramel while stirring constantly. Because the cream is cooler, it will bubble and steam. When it’s all added, increase the heat to medium and let the mixture boil for 1 minute. (If using a candy thermometer, this will be about 220°F.)
Remove from heat and gently stir in the salt and vanilla, if desired. The caramel will be pourable now, but will thicken as it cools. Allow it to cool for about 10 minutes before using.
Pour into a glass jar or container and let it cool to room temperature. Seal and refrigerate for up to 1 month. Caramel will solidify in the fridge, but you can warm it in the microwave, over low heat on the stove, or in a hot water bath (in a sealed jar) to bring it back to pourable consistency.

Notes

What To Do If Your Caramel Is Separating

If the butter separates from the sugar or the mixture hardens suddenly, don’t panic! Remove the pan from the heat immediately and whisk vigorously until it comes back together.

This usually happens when the temperature difference between ingredients is too large, so adding the butter a few small pieces at a time rather than all at once is the best way to prevent it!

Ingredients

As I mentioned before, there are only 4 required ingredients for this recipe, making it dangerously easy to whip up any time you feel like it!

Granulated Sugar – Pure cane sugar works best for this recipe and is what we always recommend! It melts smoothly and caramelizes beautifully without crystallizing. Avoid coconut sugar or brown sugar as substitutes in this recipe, as they behave differently when melted and can affect the final texture.
Butter – We use salted butter, but unsalted will work as well. You will just need to add a bit of salt at the end to get the taste you want.
Heavy Cream – We love this 40% fat, A2/A2 heavy cream (or whipping cream), it’s so smooth and delicious! We grab ours from Azure Standard, but you may also be able to get it at your local health food store. Light whipping cream, or double cream, may be used instead, but not half-and-half or milk.
Salt – Sea salt or kosher salt work really well. If you use a flaky salt, start lighter and adjust to taste.
Vanilla (optional) – We do add a dash of vanilla extract to finish off our caramel, but this is optional!

Nutrition