Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe
This homemade caramel sauce recipe is a rich, buttery, and smooth treat that can be drizzled over desserts, stirred into coffee, or used as a dip. Made with just sugar, butter, heavy cream, and an optional sprinkle of sea salt, it delivers the perfect balance of sweetness and creaminess. The process involves carefully melting sugar to a golden caramelized color, then combining it with butter and cream to create a luscious sauce.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: About 1 cup (240 ml) caramel sauce 1x
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 5 tablespoons (71 grams) unsalted butter
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the sugar: In a dry, medium-sized stainless steel saucepan or pot, cook the sugar over medium heat. Swirl the pan occasionally to ensure even melting.
- Caramelize the sugar: Continue cooking and swirling until the sugar melts completely and begins to turn a deep golden color, approximately 5 to 6 minutes.
- Add the butter: Turn off the heat and whisk in the unsalted butter until it is fully melted and incorporated with the caramelized sugar.
- Incorporate the cream: While whisking constantly, gradually add the heavy cream to the mixture. Keep whisking until the sauce becomes smooth. If the caramel seizes or clumps form, gently heat over low heat to dissolve the clumps back into the sauce.
- Strain the sauce: Remove the saucepan from heat and pour the caramel through a fine mesh strainer into a heatproof container to remove any undissolved sugar crystals.
- Add sea salt: Stir in the flaky sea salt if using, to enhance the flavor with a touch of saltiness.
- Cool and store: Allow the caramel sauce to cool until it is warm and thickened. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- Be careful when melting sugar as it can burn quickly once it starts caramelizing.
- If the caramel seizes while adding cream, continue heating gently to smooth it out again.
- Use a heavy-bottomed stainless steel pan for the best results and even heat distribution.
- The sauce thickens as it cools; warm slightly before use if needed.
- For a salted caramel variation, the addition of flaky sea salt adds a wonderful contrast to the sweetness.
Keywords: caramel sauce, homemade caramel, caramel recipe, dessert sauce, easy caramel
Find it online: https://spiceupwithsophie.com/homemade-caramel-sauce-recipe/
