Quick and easy caramel sauce that takes only 5 minutes to make. No thermometer is needed!
If there is one thing I love more than chocolate (and Nutella and peanut butter and Snickers), it’s probably salted caramel. As much as I love caramel, I’ve always thought it is way too sweet (imagine that) – a phrase that barely exists in my sweet obsessed life.
A few days ago, Erez and I ate at one of our favorite restaurants. We were very excited about their new menu. Erez picked the dessert for us – a chocolate and salted caramel mousse (nom nom nom… great choice), He clearly ignored the word salted because when he took the first bite he looked at me (surprised) and said, “It’s salty”.
Me: Yes, because it’s salted caramel.
Erez: Salted caramel?
Me: Yes, when you add salt to caramel.
Erez: Why would you want to put salt in a sweet dessert?
You imagine the rest of the conversation… No agreement on that one.
Then yesterday I made this amazing caramel sauce and let Erez taste it. You know how a baby’s face looks when you let him taste something sour? He had the same expression on his face 🙂 Then he said: “it’s salty”, as if we’ve never had this conversation before.
Anyway, you get the point. He doesn’t like salted caramel. But I love him so much that I forgive him.
He did mention though, that the caramel itself tastes amazing so we’re good.
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This caramel sauce is so delicious – salted or not. This caramel tastes just as good as caramel made in the traditional way (i.e. caramelizing granulated sugar first), but this one is much easier to make. The brown sugar in the recipe is what gives the sauce its amber caramel-y color.
No thermometer is needed. All you need to do is to mix the ingredients in a saucepan and let it simmer for about 4 minutes. Don’t be tempted to cook it for longer, otherwise it will get too thick once it’s cooled. Remove from the stove and add vanilla extract. Be careful though, because the mixture is very hot and will foam up.
The sauce can be kept refrigerated for up to 5 days. Warm it up in the microwave before using.
Now guess what I did with the caramel I’ve made?
Quick and Easy Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup (200 grams) dark brown sugar
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 4 tablespoons (½ stick or 56 grams) butter
- salt (a pinch for classic caramel sauce or ½ teaspoon for salted caramel)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
-
In a medium saucepan, mix together the sugar, heavy whipping cream, butter and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the mixture simmer for about 2 minutes, whisking occasionally.
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Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the vanilla extract (be careful, the mixture is hot) and stir. Let mixture cool in the pan for 2 minutes, then pour into a jar. Let cool to room temperature and refrigerate until ready to use (up to 5 days). Warm it up in the microwave before using.
Anne says
Ohhh… That looks delicious! No thermometer and burning/caramelizing the sugar? I’m sold!
Shiran says
I know! It’s so easy! I’ve made it so many times 🙂
Glaucia says
I just made it! It’s PERFECT!
Shiran says
Thank you, Glaucia!
Angie (@angiesrecipess) says
This is so delicious and addictive! I dare not to make caramel any more…it’s too darn delicious that I usually end up eating the whole bottle myself.
Shiran says
Me too! As you can see in the photos, I simply ate bananas with it 🙂
Cindy @ Pick Fresh Foods says
Too funny! Some people just don’t like salted caramel. It’s funny he had the same reaction as the first time. Sounds like my husband. 😀
Lovely recipe. So simple and easy to whip up!
Winnie says
חחחחחחחח החצי שלי היה מגיב בדיוק אותו הדבר כמו בעלך חחחחחח
האמת שאני….. די מסכימה איתם
אני כן אוהבת מתוקים שיש שילוב של מלוח ומתוק אבל כל מרכיב שומר על ייחודו – או מתוק או מלוח
בכל מקרה – אני אוהבת מאדדדדדדדד קרמל, וזה מתכון קל מאד
נהדר!!
kayce says
Looks and sounds great! Would it work for making Carmel apples though? Thanks in advance
Shiran says
Thank you Kayce 🙂 This sauce won’t work for coating apples, but it will be perfect for dipping apple slices.
Pat says
Thank you!! very useful to me. Love it.
Shiran says
Thank you Pat!
Brittani says
This recipe was delicious! Didn’t work very well for the caramel popcorn I just made, the popcorn shrunk as soon as I poured the caramel on! I’ve never made this caramel or caramel popcorn before so could have been something i did. Still sooo good even though it was a soggy puddle of slimy popcorn/caramel mess that I ate with a spoon! (darn you pregnancy cravings)
Shiran says
Hi Brittani! I use this caramel recipe mostly as a sauce for desserts/pancakes/ice creams etc. Here’s my recipe for caramel popcorn. The popcorn needs to be baked so it would be crunchy. Hope this helps!
Amanda Goodwin says
when you make caramel popcorn, you pop the popcorn, make a caramel sauce that contains karo syrup, and then bake it with it ontop of the popcorn.
Lucy says
I’m surprised it was so easy and delisous I’m glad I found this recipie thanks a bunch.
Shiran says
Thank you Lucy!
Isabella says
This turned out really grainy for me, but the taste was so delicious… any ideas on what went wrong?
Shiran says
Hi Isabella 🙂 I’m guessing that the sugar didn’t melt properly. Try cooking it for a bit longer next time until it’s completely smooth.
Moe says
This recipe was so good, that I had to stop and comment. Super simple and delicious. While it was hot, I spooned it over air-popped popcorn. Ah-mazing!
Shiran says
Thank you for your comment 🙂 I’m so glad you like it!
Gail says
Hi, this looks yummy but can you use 2% milk instead of whipping cream? Thanks 🙂
Shiran says
Hi Gail, personally, I wouldn’t recommend it for this recipe. The fat content is significantly different and milk is thinner in consistency, and of course, the taste is different, too. Yet, if you still want to try it, you can read this.
Isabela says
I love caramel on everything and this looks so easy!
Quick question, do you think this recipe would work on pretzel rods or chocolate covered apples?
Thank you for this recipe!
Shiran says
Hi Isabela 🙂 I wouldn’t recommend it for coating because it would be too liquid, but it would be great for dipping apples.
Caroline says
Hey Shiran,
sorry you’re probably sick of answering these questions, but i was wondering if i could use his as a glaze over a butter cake? i mean, sure it would take great, i was just wondering about the consistency.
Shiran says
Don’t be sorry, Caroline! That’s what I’m here for, I’m happy to help 🙂 You can use it to top your cake, but use it moderately rather than pouring it all over the cake because it’s quite thick and heavy. The caramel firms up in the fridge, so make sure to serve the cake at room temperature.
nikita says
Can i use full cream milk instead of heavy cream. Will the result be the same or less tasty
Shiran says
Hi Nikita, personally, I wouldn’t recommend it for this recipe. The fat content is significantly different and milk is thinner than heavy cream. Regarding flavor, heavy cream would taste better 🙂
Jane says
Can this recipe be thickened to make it into chewy caramels. I made this the other night as a sauce to go with my churros. I put the remainder in the fridge and it had firmed up slightly, I ate a spoonful the next morning and it brought tears to my eyes as it was exactly the same taste as my late grandmothers chewy caramels. I would love to make a batch for a reunion we are having in August.
Shiran says
Hi Jane! Thank you for your sweet comment! Unfortunately, I suggest to use a different recipe for caramel candies. The process of making those candies is different than this recipe, and usually requires using a thermometer.
Anh says
Do you think this could go in one of those squeeze bottles? I am always on the lookout for real caramel sauce to make caramel lattes at home. I put store bought caramel sauce in a squeeze bottle and then just nuke it for 10 secs before making a latte. Will this sauce be able to do that? Thanks.
Shiran says
It has a consistency of caramel so I don’t see why not!
Carla J Seeks says
Can you freeze this?
Shiran says
Yes, it freezes well.
Colleen Johnson says
Hi – Would it be good as a cupcake filling?
Shiran says
Yes it would work, although this caramel sauce would be better in my opinion.
James says
Just made a batch of this caramel sauce and it’s delicious! Super quick and easy recipe, thanks for sharing.
Lisa says
Super simple and never fails. Great recipe that the whole family LOVE!!!
BMMC says
Shiran,
Can’t wait to try! Would this recipe work using whole milk instead of cream?
B
Shiran says
Hi 🙂 Heavy cream is necessary for this recipe. Milk would be too thin and not as rich.