Homemade salted caramel sauce is ridiculously decadent and delicious. This sweet sauce makes a terrific addition to countless desserts.
From ice cream to cakes, coffees, and brownies, it is delicious. But this sauce also makes a great food gift for any occasion.
Salted Caramel Sauce Recipe
I LOVE this sauce. I made it for a special dessert and loved it so much, I just kept making it. I’ll be sharing that dessert soon, but first, here is the sauce.
I made this three times in a month when I first started making this and it rapidly became a favorite addition to a cup of Cafe con Leche. (Authentic? no. pure heavenly caramel latte deliciousness? yes.)
This no candy thermometer required caramel sauce is the perfect balance of salty and sweet. While many homemade salted caramel sauces boast of just having 4 ingredients. I am quite okay with this version having 6.
The addition of a little bit of water and vanilla is just right. I like dissolving the sugar completely in the water and cooking it down to an amber color. This will decrease the likelihood of burning the sugar.
My other secret ingredient is vanilla. Whether you use the extract, paste, or scraped vanilla bean it gives it such a warm rich depth, I can’t imagine making salted caramel sauce without it.
How to Make Salted Caramel Sauce
You’ll need these ingredients to make this recipe:
- sugar
- water
- butter
- heavy cream
- fine sea salt
- vanilla beans OR vanilla extract OR vanilla paste
To make the caramel sauce, you’ll start by combining the sugar and the water in a medium size saucepan. Stir to combine and then cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves; about 3-4 minutes.
There is no need to stir, simply swirl the pan over the burner occasionally until the sugar dissolves.
Raise the heat to medium-high and cook the sauce, swirling the pan occasionally, until it is amber colored; about 6-8 minutes. Watch closely!
Caramel sauce can go from perfectly amber colored to burnt in just moments, so keep a close eye on the pan! Set the butter next to the stove, so you’re ready to drop it in the pan the moment the sauce turns amber.
Add the butter, be prepared for it to bubble and sputter, lightly stir or swirl to melt. Do not scrape the sides of the pan and try not to splash sauce up the sides of the pan.
Scraping the pan can may cause crystallization when the uncooked sugars are added back into the sauce.
Once the butter has melted, remove the pan from the heat and add the vanilla, heavy cream, and salt. It will bubble again but will calm quickly.
Whisk or stir to combine (again, not scraping sides of the pan) and allow the sauce to cool before transferring to a jar and refrigerating for storage.
Easy Salted Caramel Sauce
Not that I think you’ll have issues using up a batch of this caramel sauce, but just in case, I highly recommend trying it in this Creamy White Chocolate Fudge filled with pecans and swirled with caramel might be the ultimate treat for a holiday tray.
Stir the salted caramel sauce and brownies into your next batch of homemade ice cream for the most amazing Caramel Swirl Brownie Chunk Ice Cream.
Caramel Swirl Cheesecake Cupcakes start with smooth and creamy cheesecake over a simple graham cracker crust, then they are topped with a swirl of caramel sauce just before baking.
For the frosting of your dreams next time you’re baking a cake, try this Salted Caramel Frosting. It is absolutely finger-licking delicious.
Salted Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 vanilla beans, about ½ teaspoon scraped seeds OR 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla paste
Instructions
- In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar and the water. Stir to combine and then cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves; about 3-4 minutes. There is no need to stir, simply swirl the pan over the burner occasionally until the sugar dissolves.
- Raise the heat to medium-high and cook the sauce, swirling the pan occasionally, until it is amber colored; about 6-8 minutes. Watch closely! (This will go from amber colored to burnt in just moments, so keep a close eye on the pan!) Set the butter next to the stove, so you're ready to drop it in the pan the moment the sauce turns amber.
- Add the butter, be prepared for it to bubble and sputter, lightly stir or swirl to melt. Do not scrape the sides of the pan and try not to splash sauce up the sides of the pan. (This will cause crystallization if you scrape the uncooked sugars back into the sauce.)
- Once the butter has melted, remove from the heat and add the vanilla, heavy cream, and salt. It will bubble again but will calm quickly. Whisk or stir to combine (again, not scraping sides of the pan) and then let cool before transferring to a jar and refrigerating for storage.
Nutrition
{originally published 5/9/13 – recipe notes updated 1/26/23}
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert says
Gosh Mary this does look amazing! You are the queen of caramel sauces! Those little drips running down the side of the jar are very enticing – I'm afraid to make this! Yum – have a wonderful day.
Jenn says
Oh wow, that looks amazing. Great shot there with it dripping down the side of the jar too! YUM!!!
Pam says
I would love to have a jar of that in my fridge at all times!
Chris Scheuer says
What a great idea to use the vanilla bean, pure genius! Can't wait to try this one, my mouth is watering….mmmm
Sue/the view from great island says
I've been obsessing about caramel for weeks, now, and I've never really made anything with it. This is on my list, and I agree with Tricia, you are the queen of caramel 🙂
Chris says
Sounds decadent and I can't wait to try it on our homemade ice cream.
Alicia@ eco friendly homemaking says
Get Back!! I love caramel and this just looks so delicious!!
Blond Duck says
I want to drink this!
Grandbabycakes says
This is one super lovely sauce I wish I could pour all over my ice cream!
Magnolia Verandah says
Have to make this one – sounds heavenly!
Rosie @ Blueberry Kitchen says
Oh, this is amazing! Salted caramel sauce is pretty much my favourite food and I love the addition of vanilla bean!
Anonymous says
This tastes really good, however, I added more water in the beginning because it was looking "granita-ish".
Now in the fridge, it has crystallized, doesn't pour, doesn't look like yours. Do I need to add heat? What did I do wrong?
Mary says
Unfortunately, the water is the reason it crystallized. It might liquify when warmed, but it won't be pourable from the fridge. The caramel sauce tends to look grainy or somewhat like a granita until the sugar melts over the heat. I hope that helps!
Anonymous says
I made this! It is so easy and delicious!
Nancy
Annette Shaw says
What am I doing wrong?? Last night made the Bourbon sauce and it came out wonderful. This morning I have tried 4 times to make the vanilla sauce and it always crystallizes before it turnes amber. I have tried lower heat, hot water, cold water etc. Nothing is working.
Natalie says
Have you tried covering the pot with a lid for a few minutes, while it is hot but not at the edge of caramelizing? This will wash down those sugar crystals and dissolve them. 🙂
annesfavourites.ca says
I made this and love it!
Anonymous says
I want to make this bad; but the butter unsalted ?
Mary says
I use salted butter for this recipe.
Jo says
I just made this but mine hasn’t turned out into that brown colour as in the picture. What type of sugar did you use? Thanks in advance. 😊
Mary says
I use white granulated sugar to make this recipe.
Mary DeNunzio says
I had the same problem! Was so afraid of burning the sugar water mixture that I think I didn’t let it get Amber enough. I didn’t want to scrap the whole thing….so I added a tablespoon of dar molasses and the color is good and still tastes great!
Alice says
Hiya,
I was just wondering how much this makes? trying to figure out which jar to use
many thanks!
Mary says
The yield is about 1 1/2 cups.
Kim says
This did not turn out at all!!! I did not scrape the sides of the pan once and when I put the cream, salt and vanilla in it wouldn’t even mix in as the sugar, water and butter went very gooey and hard. I must have cooked it too long?? The second it turned amber I put the butter in, followed directions very carefully!