Salted Caramel
intro
Rich, buttery salted caramel with the perfect balance of sweet and salty, ideal for drizzling on desserts, dipping fruit, or gifting.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep all components
Measure all ingredients ahead of time: warm 120ml heavy whipping cream in a small saucepan over low heat for 2 minutes until just steaming (do not boil), cut 56g unsalted butter into 1cm cubes, and set out 1 tsp flaky sea salt and 1 tsp vanilla extract within arm’s reach of your stovetop. Set out a clean, dry 250ml glass lidded jar for storage.
Melt granulated sugar
Pour 200g granulated white sugar into the heavy-bottomed 2L saucepan set over medium-low heat. Stir constantly with a heatproof silicone spatula for 8-10 minutes as the sugar melts: it will first form grainy white clumps, then smooth into a clear, deep amber liquid reaching 170-175°C (340-350°F) on a candy thermometer. Do not leave the pan unattended, as melted sugar burns in as little as 10 seconds.
Incorporate cubed butter
Once the melted sugar reaches a uniform deep amber color with no remaining grainy lumps, add all the cubed room-temperature butter at once. Stir continuously for 1-2 minutes until the butter is fully melted and emulsified into the caramel; the mixture will bubble vigorously as the butter combines, so keep hands 15cm above the pan edge to avoid steam burns.
Whisk in warm cream
Slowly stream the pre-warmed heavy cream into the caramel in a thin, steady pour, whisking nonstop with a long-handled heatproof whisk for 1 full minute. The mixture will bubble up violently when the cream hits the hot sugar, so pour slowly to prevent boil-over. Once fully combined, allow the caramel to boil gently over medium-low heat for 1 minute without stirring to thicken slightly.
Season and cool slightly
Immediately remove the saucepan from heat after the 1-minute boil. Stir in 1 tsp flaky sea salt and 1 tsp vanilla extract until fully incorporated. Let the caramel rest in the pan for 10 minutes to cool and thicken slightly, giving it a gentle stir every 3 minutes to prevent a thin skin from forming on the surface.
Jar and store caramel
Pour the slightly cooled caramel into the prepped glass jar, leaving 1cm of headspace at the top. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 tsp flaky sea salt over the surface for a crunchy, salty garnish if desired. Let the caramel cool fully to room temperature (about 1 hour) before sealing the lid; it will thicken to a spreadable, drizzly consistency as it cools. Store sealed in the refrigerator for up to 1 month, and reheat gently in 10-second microwave bursts to thin before use.
Tips
2.If your caramel develops dark, black-tinged spots or smells sharp and acrid, it has burned—discard the batch and start over, as burnt caramel has a bitter, unpleasant flavor that cannot be fixed.
3.Adjust consistency to your preference: add an extra 30ml (2 tbsp) warm cream for a thin, pourable drizzle for ice cream, or boil the caramel for 2 extra minutes after adding cream (to 120°C/250°F) for a thick, chewy caramel perfect for filling chocolates or cookies.
OMG this salted caramel sauce is a total game changer! I made it last night to drizzle over apple pie for our family dinner, and every single person asked for the recipe. My kids loved it so much they begged me to leave the jar on the table so they could dip apple slices in it after dinner. It was way easier than I thought it would be for a medium difficulty recipe, only took me 15 minutes exactly like the card says. Pro tip: don’t walk away from the sugar while it’s melting, I almost burned my first batch! Already planning to make a double batch for my neighborhood potluck this weekend.
Really solid salted caramel recipe! I messed up the first time by stirring the sugar too much when it was caramelizing, so it crystallized on me, but the second batch turned out SO good. Drizzled it over my morning pancakes today and my kids went crazy for it. Only reason it’s 4 stars instead of 5 is I wish there was a note about what to do if your sugar crystallizes, I had to Google it mid-cook.
Just finished making this to add to my iced lattes this week for meal prep and I could eat the whole jar with a spoon. The salt level is perfect, not too overpowering but just enough to cut the sweetness. 10/10 will be my go-to caramel recipe from now on, no more store bought garbage for me!
I was so intimidated to make homemade caramel because I’ve heard so many horror stories about seizing and burning, but this recipe walked me through every step so clearly! I made it to top salted caramel brownies for my book club, and everyone thought I bought it from a fancy bakery. Game. Changer.
Great base recipe! I swapped the heavy cream for full fat coconut cream to make it dairy free, and it turned out pretty tasty, though the coconut flavor comes through a little more than I expected. Cook time was right at 15 minutes, no issues with burning on my end. Wondering if anyone has tried using oat cream for a more neutral flavor?
Made this to go with the smoked vanilla ice cream I made for our Fourth of July cookout, and people were lined up to drizzle this over their scoops. The balance of sweet and salty is absolutely perfect, I don’t think I’ll ever buy pre-made caramel again. Even my picky brother in law who hates “fancy homemade stuff” went back for thirds.
First time making any kind of sauce from scratch and this did not disappoint! I was worried the medium difficulty would be too much for me as a total newbie, but the steps were super straightforward and it only took 15 minutes. Drizzled it over microwave brownies and it made them taste like a restaurant dessert. SO good.
Made this for our office potluck today and it was a huge hit with the chocolate chip cookie platter I brought! Only complaint is that it thickened up way more than I expected once it cooled down, so it was a little hard to drizzle by the time I got to the office. Did I do something wrong?
Portioned this out into small jars to take on our weekend camping trip to drizzle over campfire apple slices and s'mores, and it was the best call I made all trip. Held up perfectly in the cooler, no weird separation, and everyone in our group was asking for the recipe before we even packed up to leave. Will absolutely be making this for every camping trip from now on.
I’ve been testing salted caramel recipes for months to find the perfect one for my sister’s bridal shower dessert table, and this is IT. The texture is silky smooth, no grainy bits, the salt level is chef’s kiss, and it holds up perfectly when drizzled over cupcakes and cheesecake bites. My whole taste test group agreed this is the winner, thank you so much for sharing!