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Homemade Caramel Sauce

This easy recipe for homemade caramel sauce – salted or unsalted – takes only 10 minutes and five simple ingredients. Drizzle it over ice cream, cakes, or anything that could use a rich caramel touch!

Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Cool Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes
Servings: 10 (approx. 2 tablespoons per serving, makes 1 1/4 cups total)

Table of Contents

Ingredients

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup water
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • A pinch of salt (optional, for salted caramel)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Sugar Base
    In a 3-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan, add the sugar and water. Stir briefly to help the sugar settle in an even layer.
  2. Dissolve and Bubble
    Warm the pot over medium heat and cook until the sugar dissolves, becoming a clear liquid that starts to bubble. This will take about 3-4 minutes. (Initially, the mixture will look cloudy but will soon turn clear and bubbly.)
  3. Caramelize the Sugar
    From this point, avoid stirring. Simply let the sugar mixture bubble and caramelize, swirling the saucepan gently from time to time. Use a pastry brush to brush down the sides of the pan with water if any sugar crystals form. Continue cooking until the sugar turns a deep amber color, like honey, which takes about 8-12 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid burning.
  4. Incorporate the Butter
    Once the caramel reaches the desired color, carefully add the butter, whisking until it’s fully melted. (The mixture will bubble up rapidly – be cautious and continue whisking to blend the butter smoothly.)
  5. Add the Cream
    Remove the saucepan from the heat, and slowly pour in the heavy cream, whisking continuously as you go. The mixture will bubble vigorously, so add the cream gradually until fully incorporated.
  6. Finish with Vanilla and Salt
    Whisk in the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt if you’d like salted caramel.
  7. Cool and Store
    Let the caramel sauce cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, pour it into a glass jar with a lid. Allow it to cool completely – it will continue to thicken as it cools.

This caramel sauce keeps well in the fridge for up to two weeks, ready to drizzle over your favorite desserts!