Follow these easy instructions to create sweet salted caramel sauce at home. This salted caramel recipe requires only 4 easy ingredients. It’s perfect for cakes, cupcakes, cookies, pound cake, ice cream, cheesecake, scones, salted caramel apple pie, and more!
What once intimidated me became the subject of my 2nd cookbook: Sally’s Candy Addiction. As it turns out, homemade candy isn’t all that difficult. And salted caramel is one of the easiest recipes. This truly the best salted caramel I’ve ever had and there’s only 4 ingredients required: sugar, butter, heavy cream, and salt.
This salted caramel is a reader favorite recipe, marking its spot in the top 10 most popular recipes on my website. It’s sweet, sticky, buttery, and tastes phenomenal on anything it touches. (Though you really only need a spoon to enjoy.) Trust me, after trying this 1 time, you’ll be hooked like the rest of us!
How to Make Salted Caramel
Use the written out instructions below, but here’s the basic process: The first step is to melt sugar, which is called caramelization. This requires 1 small (stainless steel, not nonstick) pot/saucepan and a silicone spatula or wooden spoon. Stir until melted. Stir in butter, then stir in heavy cream and let it boil for 1 minute. Finally, add the salt. That’s it, the caramel is done.
Remember to use caution when cooking over the stove as the hot liquid, butter, and cream may splatter. If needed, kitchen gloves come in handy.
No Candy Thermometer Salted Caramel
Unlike most caramel recipes, this salted caramel doesn’t require a candy thermometer. Instead, I encourage you to follow the recipe and use your eyes to determine when to add the next ingredient. The caramel thickens as it cools.
What to Eat With Salted Caramel?
You will love homemade salted caramel with recipes like cinnamon rolls, cheesecake, and apple pie bars. Use it as a caramel dip for apples, spoon over ice cream, or pour into decorated jars and gift it for the holidays.
The possibilities for salted caramel are endless:
- Turtle Brownies
- Burnt Sugar Caramel Cake
- Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie
- Butterscotch Pudding
- Snickers Caramel Tart
- Apple Cupcakes
- Caramel Dipped Pretzels
- Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake
- Salted Caramel Apple Pie & Apple Cake
- Cheesecake Pie
- Chocolate Bread Pudding
- Apple Turnovers
- Caramel Turtle Cheesecake
- Apple Cider French Toast
- Dutch Baby Pancake
- Cake Mix Chocolate Cupcakes
- Skillet Brownie
- Apple Cobbler
- Apple Cinnamon Scones
- Topping for Homemade Eclairs
- Drizzled on cookies like Shortbread, Brownie Cookies, and Snickerdoodles
- As a filling for your favorite cupcake recipe (see my How to Fill Cupcakes post for all the details)
50 Ways to Eat Salted Caramel
I have plenty more ideas, too: 50 Ways to Eat Salted Caramel.
What Is the Texture of This Salted Caramel?
The caramel is liquid as it comes off heat. As the caramel cools, it solidifies into a chewy texture. After refrigerating, the caramel is hard and you must heat it up to bring it back to a liquid consistency. Do you need a thinner caramel? Feel free to add 2 more Tablespoons of heavy cream to the recipe.
You can’t really turn this sauce into a homemade wrapped candy. Instead, try my soft caramel candies recipe which is a little different.
How to Store Salted Caramel
After the caramel cools down, pour it into a glass jar or container. Refrigerate for up to 1 month. The caramel solidifies as it cools, but you can reheat in the microwave or on the stove so it’s liquid again. You can freeze the salted caramel, too. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature, then warm up before using.
What About Caramel Apples?
This caramel is not thick enough to coat apples for caramel apples. Instead, I recommend my homemade caramel apples recipe.
Quick Salted Caramel Video
Homemade Salted Caramel Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Made from only 4 simple ingredients, this homemade caramel is salty, sweet, and irresistibly buttery. No candy thermometer required and the possibilities for serving are endless. (Though just a spoon is acceptable!) Use caution as the cooking caramel may splatter. Stand back and wear kitchen gloves if desired. Review recipe notes prior to beginning.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar (make sure it’s labeled “pure cane”)*
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, at room temperature and sliced into 6 pieces
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Heat granulated sugar in a medium heavy-duty stainless steel saucepan (do not use nonstick) over medium heat, stirring constantly with a high heat-resistant silicone spatula or wooden spoon. Sugar will form clumps and eventually melt into a thick brown, amber-colored liquid as you continue to stir. On my stove, this takes about 6 minutes. Be careful not to burn it.
- Once sugar is completely melted, immediately stir in the butter until melted and combined. Be careful in this step because the caramel will bubble rapidly when the butter is added. If you notice the butter separating or if the sugar clumps up, remove from heat and vigorously whisk to combine it again. (If you’re nervous for splatter, wear kitchen gloves. Keep whisking until it comes back together, even if it takes 3–4 minutes. It will eventually—just keep whisking. Return to heat when it’s combined again.)
- After the butter has melted and combined with the caramelized sugar, stir constantly as you very slowly pour in the heavy cream. Since the heavy cream is colder than the hot caramel, the mixture will rapidly bubble when added. After all the heavy cream has been added, stop stirring and allow to boil for 1 minute. It will rise in the pan as it boils. If you’d like to be precise and use a candy thermometer, the temperature will rise to about 220°F (104°C).
- Remove from heat and stir in the salt. The caramel will be a thin liquid at this point. Allow to slightly cool down before using. Caramel thickens as it cools.
- Cover tightly and store for up to 1 month in the refrigerator. Caramel solidifies in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove to desired consistency.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: You can make this caramel in advance. Make sure it is covered tightly and store it for up to 1 month in the refrigerator. Warm the caramel up for a few seconds before using in a recipe. See “What Is the Texture of This Salted Caramel?” in the post above. This caramel is OK at room temperature for a day if you’re traveling or gifting it. You can freeze the salted caramel, too. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature, then warm up before using.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Medium Heavy-Duty Saucepan (do not use nonstick) | Wooden Spoon or Silicone Spatula | Candy Thermometer (like this one or this one)—optional
- Sugar: This recipe is most successful using granulated sugar that’s labeled “pure cane” on the packaging. I usually use and recommend Domino brand regular granulated sugar which says “pure cane granulated” on the packaging.
- Heavy Cream: Heavy cream (approximately 36% milk fat) may also be sold as whipping cream. Light whipping cream (30% milk fat), or double cream (48% milk fat) may be substituted. Do not use milk. Room-temperature cream is best.
- Salt: Use regular table salt or kosher salt. If using larger flaky salt, add 1 teaspoon, taste, then add more if desired. This recipe works with 1 teaspoon of any variety of salt. You can always add 3/4 teaspoon, taste, then add more if desired.
- Caramel Candies: This caramel is great as a sauce, topping, or filling, but won’t set up properly to make soft caramel candies. Here is my soft caramels recipe.
- Regular Caramel Sauce: If you want to make regular caramel, reduce salt to 1/2 teaspoon. Do not leave it out completely.
- Larger Batches: Avoid doubling or tripling this recipe. The added volume could prevent the sugar from melting evenly and properly. Make a couple of batches instead.
The sugar will be clumpy as it begins to melt:
It will begin to turn amber in color:
Once sugar is completely melted (takes about 6 minutes or so on my stove), stir in the butter:
Very slowly, drizzle in the heavy cream. Since the heavy cream is colder than the caramel, the mixture will rapidly bubble and/or splatter when added. Boil for 1 minute.
Remove from heat and stir in the salt.
Can you microwave the Carmel to warn it up? Can you use milk instead of heavy cream? Because the stores here don’t sell heavy cream very often.
Hi Jade, you can use the microwave to warm up salted caramel that has already been made on the stovetop. Unfortunately, milk will not work for this recipe—only heavy cream/heavy whipping cream at 36% fat will work.
Can I fill banana cupcakes with this salted caramel?
Hi Becky, absolutely! Here’s more on how to fill cupcakes.
I love this recipe and make it ALL the time. We love to dip apples in it and I love that there’s nothing funky in it. Sweets are fine for a treat, but I don’t like giving the kids mystery ingredients. Love this recipe, thanks!!
Will this work with European Vat butter because it has a higher fat content than American butter? My butter is 80% butterfat. I have had issues with caramels separating here with European butter.
Hi Mikayla, we haven’t tested this recipe with European butter, so we’re unsure how well it will work. If you’ve had issues with separating in the past, that could be the issue here too. It may be best to find a salted caramel recipe specifically developed for using European butter, but let us know if you do try it!
For some reason I was intimidated by this recipe– the melting of the sugar part. But it was so easy! The recipe was so clear and easy to follow. And it’s so delicious. My family loved it on Apple Hand Pies.
This is a wonderful recipe! I’m intolerant to many foods, so I’m so excited about the new recipe! I had cream 20% mill fat, but it turned out very tasty! Excellent step-by-step instructions. I got two small jars that ran out quickly. Thank you very much!
I’m hoping to use this as a drizzle on top of shortbread cookies (think homemade twix). Will it harden enough on the cookies so I can store them or package them without having a gooey mess?
Hi Sarah, the caramel will solidify as it sets, but it won’t harden per say, so we would still use a layer of parchment paper between the cookies to prevent them from sticking.
Absolutely perfect recipe. I’m an absolute newbie with caramel and pastries but this recipe was so easy and worked absolutely perfectly. WILL make it again, for sure
I LOVE this recipe! It’s a recipe I’ve used many times even making large batches with no issues. It’s a perfect salted caramel that I like to add to everything. I’ve also substituted the cream for half and half or 2% milk (what I usually have on hand) and it still tastes great just the texture is thinner, which is not an issue to me. It’s just so good! Thank you for sharing your recipes!
Spatula melted completely into sugar. Had to throw out the whole mess. Switching to butterscotch—on a different site. Very difficult to read as page is bogged down with ads & jumping videos.
Hi there, absolutely one of my all time favourite recipes. I would like to give as a gift at Christmas time and am wondering if I can double or triple the recipe? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much for your awesome recipes
Hi Nicki, we recommend you make more than one batch instead of doubling this recipe. The added volume could prevent the sugar from melting evenly and properly.
I love this recipe and find it much easier and better than the one I previously used (requires water and brushing the pan sides). The ingredients meld together so it doesn’t separate in my coffee! Using knowledge from previous recipes, I add a bit of bourbon or vanilla essence when salt goes in. Love reading the different variations people have tried!
My only complaint is that the recipe confuses me when it says to “whisk”, making me think I need to switch from spatula to whisk to spatula as I go through the recipe.
I love this recipe and find it much easier and better than the one I previously used (requires water and brushing the pan sides). The ingredients meld together so it doesn’t separate in my coffee! Using knowledge from previous recipes, I add a bit of bourbon or vanilla essence when salt goes in. Love reading the different variations people have tried!
YUM! Oh, and it’s easy too!
Hi! I know you said I can refrigerate and microwave to loosen it up again. Can I do this multiple times or just reheat it once?
Hi Emily, you can do this multiple times. Thanks for trying this recipe!
Why can you not use a nonstick pan?
Hi Allie, sometimes nonstick works, but we have much better and more consistent luck (and others do as well) when using a stainless steel pot. Using a nonstick pan can often cause the caramel to burn and/or crystallize, and generally just make it harder to cook properly.
This was so easy to make, and amazingly delicious! I can’t even tell you how excited I was, as this was was my first attempt at caramel. Thank you!
So easy to make and very delicious! I made the salted caramel to go with the salted caramel apple bars. Friends and family raved about the recipe!! I would definitely make this again.
I only keep salted butter at home. Can I use it in this and other recipes, instead of unsalted butter?
Hi Ivy, here’s everything you need to know about salted vs. unsalted butter and how to swap it in recipes.
Can I make this salted caramel recipe and can it in a water bath? I would love to share for Christmas!
Hi Lori, we haven’t tried canning this salted caramel before so we’re unsure of how it will work/preserve. Let us know if you do give it a try.
Instead of using a waterbath, the caramel is hot enough to set a lid. Pour the caramel into a canning jar, seal with canning lid and ring. When the caramel cools to room temp, you will have an air tight seal.
So far so good! I looked at other recipes that added a little water to melt sugar but decided to try no water – worked great! Also only had salted butter and 10% cream – so I cut salt in half, used 10% cream and added more butter.
First time making this. I think it turned out ok however when I was melting the sugar, it crystalized on the sides of the pot. Did I do something wrong
Hi Leesa, it sounds like your stove may have been a bit too hot. For next time, you can turn down the heat a bit and be sure to constantly mix to prevent any sticking. Using a stainless steel, not nonstick pot/saucepan is crucial, too. Hope this helps for your next batch!
Came out perfect. Can’t stop eating it. Was surprised at how easy it was. Thank you for the great recipe!
Since making this at home, I haven’t bought caramel syrup at a store. There’s simply no comparison.
This recipe looks great. I can’t wait to try it. I am curious though, would it be possible to add some brandy to the caramel? If so, how much and at what stage of the recipe? I love the idea of that depth of flavor!
Hi Chris, you can try adding 2-3 Tbsp brandy to this caramel. The more liquid you add, the thinner the caramel will be. If you want a thinner caramel, no need to reduce the heavy cream. If you want to keep it thick, replace some heavy cream with the same amount of alcohol. We haven’t tested it, but we would add it when you add the heavy cream. Let us know what you try!
Thank you for the quick reply! I’ll be sure to try this out soon and I’ll let you know how it goes.
I add 1/4-1/2 cup (yes that much) bourbon (Maker’s mark) at the end resting phase (so the alcohol doesn’t burn off). It thins it out a little which can be fixed by adding 2-6 tbsp of confectioner’s sugar also at the end and then blend with an immersion blender to rid clumps. Adding confectioner’s sugar in varying amounts lets you dial in the thickness (even without the alcohol) for various applications (including using as an icing for cookies).
This caramel is sooo good! I have made it twice now and both times I got a bit of crystallization (I’m using a ceramic pan and no candy thermometer so that might be part of the reason?) Definitely baker error, but even so it is delicious. Juts adds a bit of a delicious crunch lol. I made half a batch last night and your cinnamon roll recipe. I added chopped apples to the cinnamon rolls and made a cream cheese frosting with the caramel added. It was SO. GOOD. Next time I’ll add a thin layer of caramel to the rolls themselves. I thought it would be too sweet originally but I think it would make them perfect. Love all your recipes!
I have made candy several times but this is the first time I have cooked the sugar without other ingredients so I was really nervous. But it worked! My sugar got darker than the photos very quickly and it still tastes delicious! I used salted butter and only 1/2 tsp sea salt.
Your pans, except for the last photo, look like All Clad nonstick pans. Am I wrong? Because the recipe specifically says not to use a nonstick but I’m think g nonstick could make cleanup so much easier. So far every recipe of yours that I’ve made is fabulous!
Hi Cerrissa, I’m glad you double checked with me on this. Do not use nonstick pan for this caramel sauce. Some of the photos are pretty old and they do show my old nonstick pan. Sometimes nonstick works, but I have much better and more consistent luck (and others do as well) when using a stainless steel pot.
Oh I didn’t know not to use nonstick pan either. Next time will use my stainless I guess. I totally messed up my recipe today when I doubled and forgot not to! What a big mess! Needless to say in the garbage.