Go Back Email Link
–+ servings
A spoon drizzling thick caramel sauce into a glass jar filled with caramel sauce.
Print

Homemade Caramel Sauce

Make rich, buttery homemade caramel sauce with just 5 simple ingredients in under 20 minutes. This easy salted caramel sauce is perfect for drizzling on coffee, waffles, coffee cake, pancakes, and more!
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 13 minutes
Total Time 18 minutes
Servings 16 servings
Calories 111kcal
Author Kelly Nash
Cost $8

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter room temperature, cubed
  • ½ cup heavy cream room temperature
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In a medium saucepan, heat the sugar on medium-high. Use a heat-proof rubber spatula to stir the sugar to make sure it doesn't burn on the bottom. The sugar will get lumpy at first, then turn liquid and a golden brown color. This can take anywhere from 5 to 8 minutes.
    1 cup granulated sugar
  • After the sugar has completely melted, there are no more clumps, and it's a nice dark amber color, remove from the heat and add in the butter. Be careful because it should rapidly bubble at first. Use your spatula to stir the mixture for 1-2 minutes, until the sugar and butter come together. If they seem like they are separating, just continue to mix & it will eventually come together!
    6 tbsp unsalted butter
  • Put the mixture back on the heat and slowly add in the heavy cream while stirring, this should bubble as well. Let it boil/bubble for about 1 minute and then remove from heat. Add in the salt and vanilla, mixing to combine everything together.
    ½ cup heavy cream, 1 tsp sea salt, ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • Allow the sauce to cool completely before transferring to a container.

Notes

  • After the sauce has completely cool, it can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 weeks. Caramel sauce will get thicker in the fridge, so warm it up slightly in the microwave or stovetop to bring it back to a pourable consistency. 
  • Can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and gently reheat before using. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1tbsp | Calories: 111kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 0.3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 148mg | Potassium: 9mg | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 241IU | Vitamin C: 0.04mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.02mg