Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce
This quick and easy homemade salted caramel sauce recipe requires only four ingredients, takes just 15 minutes, and comes out perfect every single time.
It's absolutely divine on ice cream sundaes, can be used in any recipe calling for caramel sauce (hello, salted caramel chocolate chip cookie bars!), makes a wonderful hostess gift, and, most importantly, is delicious straight from the spoon (feel free to drop an extra spoonful in your coffee!).
The salted caramel possibilities are truly endless, especially when you have a no-fail, go-to recipe. I've found the simplest method to be the best when making caramel sauce – a pan, a whisk, and just a few simple ingredients is all you need.
Why You’ll Love This Homemade Caramel Sauce
It’s easy to understand why people fall in love with a homemade salted caramel sauce; it’s not as cloyingly sweet as store-bought versions and has a much greater depth of flavor.
It doesn’t take much time or many ingredients to churn out a batch in your own kitchen and I guarantee you’ll be addicted! Here are the highlights:
- Quick: It only takes 15 minutes to get a smooth, creamy salted caramel sauce.
- Simple: You only need four ingredients and no fancy equipment.
- Lots of help: There are expert tips on making the recipe, as well as a video to guide you.
The Ingredients
These four ingredients undergo a magical transformation and result in the most amazing caramel sauce you’ll ever taste.
- Sugar: Regular white, granulated sugar.
- Unsalted Butter: Use the best butter you can, it makes such a difference in flavor! I love Kerrygold and highly recommend it. I use unsalted butter so that we can completely control the salt content in the sauce. If you can only use salted butter, you can do so but add only 2 teaspoons of the flaky sea salt, then taste and add more if desired.
- Heavy Cream: This is best at room temperature so it incorporates into the sauce properly. Heavy cream can be labeled in many different ways depending on the fat content; you can also use whipping cream, heavy whipping cream, light whipping cream, or double cream. Do not substitute milk, it is not thick enough for making this sauce.
- Salt: I highly recommend using flaky sea salt like fleur de sel or Maldon sea salt. If you need to substitute regular table salt, use only 1 teaspoon, or the sauce will be much too salty!
How to Make Salted Caramel
Caramel sauce can be intimidating, but the more you make it, the more you will get a feel for the look and the smell, and it will become second nature.
Here's a quick rundown of the process:
- Sugar goes straight into the saucepan (no water!) and is melted over medium heat, while you stir constantly. The sugar may clump at first but it will all eventually melt.
- Continue cooking until the melted sugar is a gorgeous amber color, then add the butter and whisk until it is completely melted.
- Remove the pan from the heat and carefully whisk in the heavy cream, then stir in the salt. Your caramel sauce is done!
No Candy Thermometer Required
It is not necessary to use a thermometer when making this caramel sauce; simply using visual cues will work perfectly!
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The sauce may seem thinner than you'd expect when you're done whisking everything in, but it will thicken as it cools.
Recipe Success Tips
Below are a number of tips to help you make the most amazing caramel sauce!
- Prep Your Ingredients: Have all of the ingredients measured, at room temperature, and ready to go before you begin making the sauce. Things move quickly once the sugar starts to melt and pausing for a measurement or to grab something could cause the sauce to burn.
- Scaling the Recipe: Due to how much the sauce bubbles up when the heavy cream is added, doubling or tripling the recipe is not recommended. If you’d like to make a larger volume, I recommend making separate batches.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat Salted Caramel Sauce
Allow the sauce to cool for a bit in the pot, then pour into a glass jar or other airtight container and cool completely, then store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. You can gently warm it up in the microwave or on the stove over low heat before using it again.
You can also freeze salted caramel sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight then reheat as desired.
Can This Be Used for Caramel Apples?
While this is a delicious caramel sauce, it will not work for caramel apples; it is not thick enough to cling and set as a coating on the apples. I recommend using my homemade caramel apples recipe instead.
How to Use the Sauce
This salted caramel sauce quite literally goes with everything! Here are some ideas of how to use it, serve it, or gift it:
- Drizzle it over ice cream, brownies, pie, or cheesecake.
- Use it as a dip for apple slices or other fruit.
- Stir a spoonful into hot chocolate or coffee.
- Put it in a pretty mason jar, tie a ribbon around it, and give it as a hostess gift, birthday gift, or holiday gift.
- Whip it into buttercream frosting.
- Eat it by the spoonful.
Recipes That Use Salted Caramel Sauce
Use your batch of homemade caramel sauce in these recipes:
- Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Bars
- Easy Ice Cream Sandwich Cake
- Salted Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls
- Salted Caramel Apple Cake
- Snickers Cupcakes
Watch the Recipe Video:
If you make this salted caramel recipe and love it, remember to stop back and give it a 5-star rating - it helps others find the recipe! ❤️️
Salted Caramel Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups (397 g) granulated sugar
- 12 tablespoons (170 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon fleur de sel, or any other flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Add the sugar in an even layer over the bottom of a medium (3 to 4-quart) saucepan. Heat the sugar over medium heat, whisking it as it begins to melt. You'll see that the sugar will begin to form clumps, but that's okay. Just keep whisking and as it continues to cook, they will melt back down. Stop whisking once all of the sugar has melted, and swirl the pan occasionally while the sugar cooks.
- Continue cooking until the sugar has reached a deep amber color. It should look almost a reddish-brown, and have a slight toasted aroma. This is the point where caramel can go from perfect to burnt in a matter of seconds, so keep a close eye.
- As soon as the caramel reaches its sweet spot, add the butter all at once. Be careful, as the caramel will bubble up when the butter is added. Whisk the butter into the caramel until it is completely melted. Remove the pan from heat.
- Slowly pour the cream into the caramel. Again, be careful because the mixture will once again bubble up ferociously.
- Whisk until all of the cream has been incorporated and you have a smooth sauce. Add the fleur de sel and whisk to incorporate.
- Set the sauce aside to cool for 10 to 15 minutes and then pour into your favorite glass jar and let cool to room temperature. The sauce can be refrigerated for up to 1 month.
Notes
- Salt – I highly recommend using flaky sea salt like fleur de sel or Maldon sea salt. If you need to substitute table salt, use only 1 to 1½ teaspoons, or the sauce will be much too salty!
- Saucepan – It is important to use a saucepan of at least 4-quart capacity. It will seem too big for the job, but when the butter and cream are added, the sauce bubbles up ferociously, and you need that space so it doesn’t boil over.
- Storage – The caramel sauce can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. This recipe is not suitable for canning or long-term storage.
- Freezing – The sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using it.
- Reheating Instructions – To reheat the sauce, remove the lid from the jar and microwave for about 45 seconds, then stir. It should be smooth and pourable, but not piping hot.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
[photos by Ari of Well Seasoned]
you list fleur de sel (flaky sea salt) as the final ingredient. is it possible to get away with using regular sea salt instead?
Hi Kathy, I would really stick with a flaky sea salt here; it dissolves better and will ensure that the sauce doesn’t have a gritty texture.
You just inspired me to create salted coconut caramel. First time making caramel. It is delicious. I just replaced the cream with coconut cream. Yum! Now the only problem is to keep it safe from hubby and the kid..hahaha…
Wow.
that looks so so amazing…so the only difference between the salty caramel and the regular caramel is the addition of salt? I am only asking as in baking, I am a complete novice and I wanted to make sure. You have a lovely website and I am still grappling with all the posts and the delicious pics!
Shobha
Yep, salted caramel includes salt, while regular caramel sauce does not.
Just made it, and was perfect! Loved the recipe, thanks!
THIS recipe is THE best! My favorite on the site! Had great success with other recipes on the site that call for caramel, using this sauce. I agree with the comments about 350 being too high on a regular candy thermometer. Go with the color and texture as your guide for when it’s done. Don’t wait for it to thicken up a lot–then it will burn. Time in the fridge does the thickening. Love it!
OMG this recipe is great. I just tried it and it turned out perfect. The taste is devine. I thought I didn’t like caramel, I made this for my kids and was really surprised at the results. I am not buying caramel again. Thanks.
Wow – at last! A delicious recipe and method THAT DIDN’T CRYSTALIZE!! Thank you.
Found your salted caramel sauce recipe last weekend. With the combo of your simple yet wonderful step by step recipe (text & pictures) & some beginners luck, my first attempt was delicious! I added some of the sauce to my apple pie recipe & it was oh sooo good a combination! The rest of the sauce is in a jar in my fridge calling my name, but I am holding off until next weekend to bake the next batch of salted caramel apple pie.
Thank you Brown-Eyed-Betty!
Julia Farrell-Breit
Great recipe.. tasty and works well.. ladies .. its an easy one
This caramel sauce is incredible… I used it to make a caramel cheesecake and it was to die for. Thanks :)
http://www.genevievekitchen.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/caramel-swirl-cheesecake.html
Whatever is the equivalent to a black thumb in the kitchen, I have! I went into this trembling and sure I would fail, but am happy to report it turned out perfectly! I feel so accomplished and can’t wait to give these as teacher gifts beautifully packaged with a dipping spoon and apples. Thank you for the detailed instructions and photos for without them, it would have been another defeat in the kitchen for me. Cheers!
This recipe looks awsome! Could one use black Hawaiian salt? or Himalayan Pink salt? Also Could it be canned with a pressure cooker?
Hi Cathie, You can experiment with different types of salt, but know that the flaky sea salts, such as fleur de sel and maldon, will dissolve more readily into the sauce, so you won’t be left with a gritty or crunchy texture. Keep that in mind if you opt for coarser salts. I would not recommend canning this, as I can’t guarantee that the acidity levels would be safe for canning and consuming at a later date, especially since there is cream in the recipe.
Hi, I’ve tried this a few times and I can’t even get close to a smooth cream: it ends up being very liquid, heavy butter smelling and with a really light color, not the wonderful ambered color it should be.
Which can be the mistake?
I live in Italy and we use grams instead of cups/tps, I used the conversion tables and it was 300gr sugar 100gr butter and 230-240ml of cream.
Thank you in advance :)
Hi Armando, Unfortunately those conversions are incorrect. See below:
2 cups granulated sugar = 7 ounces = 198 grams
12 tablespoons butter = 6 ounces = 170 grams
Your cream amount is correct (8 ounces is about 237 ml)
I think making the measurement corrections will make all the difference! Good luck!
Mine came out waterly… how?
Hi Venus, Did you make any changes or substitutions to the recipe at all?
Well, this may not be my typical allergy-free treat, but wow – it’s soooo good! I just made it, and LOVE it! I’ve never made caramel by melting the sugar first (the dry method?). It’s so much easier than boiling everything together, which often ends up resulting in burned butter or cream. I’m going to try to come up with an allergy-free version of this!
Amazing. My daughter has made this many times. Delicious. So I tried it today and it is definitely better done on a gas range, although my 1st attempt isn’t too bad.
I love your blog! I’m making this sauce for the umpteenth time to drizzle over cheesecake. I was always intimidated by making caramel but using your recipe it turned out perfectly the very first time!
I made this last night for New Year’s Eve. After searching the internet for an easy-to-follow recipe, found yours. Not only was the end result specTACular (!) but the recipe gave tips like the sugar balling up and how quickly it could go from reddish brown to UH-OH. Your site is lovely, beautifully designed, and well written. You’ve gained a fan! Thank you so much for helping me celebrate the new year! PS I used Maldon salt flakes…what do you think of adding less than a pinch more of the salt flakes – like maybe to the top when you serve, to get that salty bite?
Hi Katie, I’m thrilled that you enjoyed the sauce! I don’t see anything wrong with adding another bit of flakes to the top of the sauce.
Just made this sauce tonight and it couldn’t have been simpler or more delicious. This is my first time on your site and now I’ll be a loyal fan! Thank you!
I just made this caramel sauce so that I could use it for your Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie recipe I’m making tonight, and it came out so great! I only used half a tablespoon of salt in fear of it coming out too salty, and it came out delicious. Thanks so much for all of your recipes; they’re wonderful.
I burned it the first time around, but it turned out real nice the second time :) I used organic sugar so it was a little tricky to go by the color since its naturally a little darker than white sugar but i think I got lucky and nailed it.
Thanks for the recipe :)
Thank you Thank you!!
I have made this twice now and it turned out perfect each time.
made your recipe for ” salted caramel” last night, my first attempt ever and its PERFECT! thanks, such an easly reipe!!! going to add it to creme patissier for profiteroles!
I have just made thre batches of this beautiful salted Caramel and it is so so ood! Have bottled it as gifts for ll of the boys on Christmas Day!
This is seriously awesome and very easy, even for novices. I just finished eating my homemade apple crisp with this, and deemed the recipe of worthy of sharing :)
I am never buying store bought caramel sauce again! I just made this for the salted caramel apple cheesecake dip recipe and this caramel sauce is unbelievably good (the dip is awesome too I think it’ll go over well at my work party). I didn’t have a thermometer but I was able to eyeball it based on your tips and pictures, thanks for the recipe!
My daughter and I tried this recipe and it came out with a perfect color and flavor! We are going to make caramel and give jars as gifts to our friends. I will put it in my permanent recipe box. Thank you for sharing it.
This recipe is amazing. I love it! I have made a few different ones, and this is by far the most delicious and best explained. The pictures and instructions are extremely helpful. And I had never used my candy thermometer until this time, and it turned out perfect. Thank you!
I am an accomplished cook, and I gotta tell you, this recipe is a BEAR! I have made caramel sauce many times in the past, and it took me 3 times to get this one right (and may I say, it is by far the best caramel sauce I have ever tasted)! My problem was that the sugar browned quicker than it melted…I tried saucepan and skillet on low heat. I altered the recipe a bit, and I think it will be easier for those who posted that they are intimidated by caramel: I added enough water just to dissolve the sugar (about 1/4c) and added 1 Tbsp light corn syrup (helps prevent the dreaded “crystallization” ). Let it boil until it reaches 350 (you may need to *carefully* whisk a bit to even out the browning), then proceed with the recipe as posted (my palate is very salt-sensitive, so I only used 1 1/2t). I found there is no difference in the taste whatsoever…the butter is what makes this wonderful! Also, remember that when it comes to hot sugar, non-stick pans and silicone utensils are your best friend! LOVE your site!
Hi Michelle,
Thanks for your sharing so many delicious treats!
I made this sauce yesterday and it was nothing short of beautiful. Come this morning and it was thiiiiiick! Really thick. I had to warm it up in the oven to drizzled over a cupcake. Is this normal?
Hi Uzo, Yes, once it’s finished and you refrigerate it, the sauce will become very thick. To re-use, just microwave until it’s a pourable consistency again and drizzle over anything you’d like! The same is true for homemade hot fudge sauce.