This post may contain affiliate links. Please see disclosure policy here.
This thick and rich caramel sauce is a delicious addition to all of your favorite desserts. Serve it over ice cream, pie, brownies, or anything else you want to smother in caramel goodness.
In my opinion, just about anything tastes better when it is covered in caramel. This sauce recipe is one I have made for years. It can easily be turned into Salted Caramel Sauce by adding a teaspoon of coarse French sea salt! Either way, it is delicious.
The last time I made the caramel sauce, I split the batch in half and added salt to half. Jim came home from work and tasted the one with salt. He isn’t quite as up on the latest food trends and he was wondering how he was going to tell me that I put too much salt in the caramel!
How to Make Caramel Sauce
- Having a good heavy pan is important. It will help prevent the caramel from burning.
- Be sure to stir often.
- Use a candy thermometer to make sure you have the right temperature. When you reheat the sauce do not let it come to a boil. If it boils too much the sauce will get grainy and harden when you put it on ice cream or anything cold.
Check out these desserts that go perfectly with caramel sauce:
For all of my other favorite kitchen products and tools visit my Amazon Store.
Did you know I wrote a cookbook? Check out the Holiday Slow Cooker Cookbook for 100 delicious recipes.
Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 C brown sugar
- 1/4 C light corn syrup
- 1/3 C whipping cream
- 3 Tbsp butter
- 1 tsp vanilla
- For salted caramel use 1/2 – 1 tsp coarse sea salt. Add salt to desired saltiness.
Instructions
- Cook sugar, syrup and whip cream over medium heat for 5-6 minutes or until it reaches 230 degrees on a candy thermometer.
- Stir in butter and vanilla.
- Serve warm.
- Refrigerate.
- When reheating do not allow it to boil or it will get grainy and harden when put on ice cream.
Barbara Davis says
The caramel sauce is delicious and so easy to make.
Jen says
I made this caramel sauce and a fudge sauce recipe to give to my twin boys teachers and our neighbors for Christmas gifts it was divine! Not nearly enough left in the pot afterwards to lick!
Anne S. says
This sauce was awesome tasting! It was too easy to make.
Thanks for the great recipe!!
Georgia says
I am in Utah (looks like you’re in Portland?), so should I decrease the temp by about 8 degrees? My elevation’s around 4,300 feet.
Leigh Anne says
I would check your candy thermometer to see when it boils and then adjust from there.
calamity jennie says
this looks wonderful!