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 pot and a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula. 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
- Dessert Nachos
- Caramel Turtle Cheesecake
- Apple Cider French Toast
- Dutch Baby Pancake
- Drizzled on cookies like Shortbread, Brownie Cookies, and Snickerdoodles
50 Ways to Eat Salted Caramel
I have plenty more ideas too: here are 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
PrintHomemade 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 saucepan (avoid using 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 (avoid using nonstick) | Wooden Spoon or Silicone Spatula | Candy Thermometer (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.
Keywords: caramel, salted caramel
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.
Ok so I also had a problem wishing the sugar lumps into the butter!
I am a bit stubborn so I added the full fat coconut milk in a just kept whisking and whisking! After about 10 minutes it started to meld I kept whisking and smashing the hard lumps and kept taking it on and off the stove!
It turned out fantastic with a little perseverance!!
Could this be used as a stuffing/filling for cookies?
Hi Pamela! This recipe will not be firm enough to use as a filling, but you may love this Caramel Frosting instead.
Thanks! And that frosting would be okay to bake in the oven? I’d like to fill cookie dough balls with a salted caramel center and bake them.
Thank you!
I don’t suggest it as the buttercream would melt! Buttercream would be perfect for a sandwich cookie, but not in the center of a cookie. A simple solution would be to use Rolos like Sally does in these Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies.
I have done this recipe multiple times and it burns EVERY TIME because of the ‘leave it cook for 2 minutes’ thing. DO NOT USE THIS RECIPE!! I wish that I could give it 0 stars based off of how much ingredients I have wasted on this recipe!
★
Agreed. Melt the sugar until is no longer granular and begins to take on some colour – add the butter as soon as this occurs and leave the pot on the heat until the butter is fully melted stirring continuously – remove from heat and quickly add the cream in its entirety, being very careful to not hover over the pot as a large amount of steam will be created by this – once the steam has sufficiently dissipated such that you can hold your hand over the pot again, stir to completely incorporate the ingriedents. Also, while the salted butter is fine, I would not add any more salt – it a more salty caramel is desired simply add it after applying the caramel to whatever you’re serving it on.
This caramel burnt and had an overpowering bitter taste and I had to throw it out. If I ever make this recipe again, I would leave the butter/sugar mixture off heat for the 2 minutes.
★★
Made this yesterday…DELICIOUS! Next time I will cut the salt down in the caramel sauce and I will double the recipe so their are left overs. Nothing left to share! Thanks for this one Sally!
★★★★★
I really liked this recipe but it really tasted like it was missing an important ingredient….and then it dawned on me what it was. Pure vanilla extract! Next time, I will be adding a teaspoon at the end when I add the salt. I’m hoping that it’ll add the right touch to an already delicious caramel sauce! Thank you for sharing it with us!
★★★★
I came across this recipe via a Google search. It was my first time making caramel sauce and it was super easy. It came out perfect! I did reduce my heat a bit after adding the butter, but other than that the recipe was easy to follow. Thanks!
★★★★★
Hi there! I was wondering if I could at all substitute the heavy cream with sweetened condensed milk? It happens to be all I have handy at the moment and this pregnant mama is CRAVING caramel!!!
I’ve recently come across your website and recipes and I’m seriously obsessed!! I’m still fairly “amateur” when it comes to baking and making candies and everything else delicious BUT I’m going full out lately trying to learn and your recipes have made my experience MUCH easier and a million times more fun and memorable! Thank You! Thank You!
Hi Koral. I can’t answer your question, but have you tried making Dulce De Leche with the sweetened condensed milk? If not, I highly recommend it. It cooks in the can into a very creamy caramel sauce with very little effort (especially if you have a pressure cooker). A quick google search for “sweetened condensed milk dulce De leche” should produce plenty of results.
I followed the written instructions exactly. Turned out absolutely perfect! It was a bit too salty for me but everyone else loved it. Think I will make another batch and use half the salt. Delish! Thanks so much. Oh, and I used 1/2 and 1/2 because that is what I had in the house. Perfect!
★★★★★
I just made a batch with unsalted butter because I was afraid of the same issue and it turned out amazing.
★★★★★
Used this caramel for several different things. Absolutely delicious and my children love it.
Any chance you have a recipe for the soft carmels that you wrap in wax paper?
Hi Amy, I sure do! Here is my Sea Salt Vanilla Caramels recipe.
I am planning on making this tomorrow, pretty excited about it, actually! Just one question: I am planning on using kosher salt, but it kinda looked like you used regular fine table salt, so I wonder if I need to make any adjustments in that regard?
Thanks!
Hi Lisa! I’m just seeing your comment/question now so my apologies for the delay responding to you. I use regular table salt in this. Some readers have replaced it with kosher salt (1 teaspoon) and reported back with delicious results. See recipe note.
No need to apology, I would not expect anyone to answer immediately to every post! As for the salt question, I felt like such a dolt when I saw the note about that very thing! hahaha My bad! Thanks for your reply!
Excellent instructions! Thank you!
I have a very poor electric burner, so I go by eye, not cooking times usually.
My best success with this recipe is to add the butter when there is one tiny clump left of unmelted suger, and then add the cream when there is one smidge left of unmelted butter.
I removed it from the heat after the caramel boiled up like in the picture, I didn’t look at the clock. I also mixed it the WHOLE time because my burner has awkward hotspots.
Thank you for this! I too have a poor electric burner with awkward hot spots! 🙂
It’s a great recipe, thank you! I can never get rid of some chunks after adding the cream, but then I pour it through a fine mesh strainer into a jar to get a perfectly smooth caramel. I used it for your pistachio linzer cookies last Christmas and am definitely doing it again this year! 🙂
★★★★★
I’ve been looking at a lot of salted caramel recipes to figure out the one I want to use. Most of them have a little bit of vanilla extract in them. Is this something that can be added to your recipe? If so, how much would you add?
Hi Allison! Absolutely. Feel free to stir in 1/2 or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract when you stir in the salt.
Can you add this sauce to homemade ice cream near the end of the cycle to get caramel mixed into the ice cream? This will be my second time to make this sauce. Like others the instructions were very helpful.
Thanks
Hi Lisa, I haven’t attempted it so I can’t be sure. This caramel does take on a chewy consistency when it sets and I fear it will be quite solid in ice cream.
Mine burned. But that’s kind of my bad. I’d like to know the point of letting it sit for two minutes without stirring because I think that’s when it was getting too dark? But I kept going because, directions. Maybe I should’ve turned my stove off and just let the residual heat do the work? I was already at medium heat but that may have been too much heat? The recipe is great especially for first timers like me I just feel like maybe there didn’t need to be that much time between combining butter and adding heavy cream.
★★★★
I have made 7 batches in the last 24 hrs-first 2 per great, last couple the sauce was much darker and not as smooth looking.
What would cause this?
Hi Marie, If you made them all in a row I wonder if your pan was simply too hot. Try turning the heat down a bit if you feel it’s getting dark too quickly.
Sally, This is an awesome and easy recipe for carmel! Thank you so much. I tripled the batch and it turned out perfect. I’ve made labels for the lids and plan to give them to our neighbors. I’m looking forward to making it again and adding some bourbon.
★★★★★
Hi Sally,
When you say “come to a boil”. Does that mean only at the edges or when it is a full boil?
Thanks,
Cathy
A full boil. The mixture will bubble rapidly after adding the cream.
I did it again following the video instead of the written recipe. It was easy and did deliver an excellent caramel sauce
★★★★
I just have done something wrong because it was soooo salty I couldn’t use it! And I love me some salted Carmel! I only had 10%cream… would that have changed anything? I also followed the timing to the letter but felt it was a little too dark… any tips are greatly appreciated!
Hi Allison, This is meant to be salty. We use and recommend regular table salt. What did you use? You can certainly adjust the added salt if you wish, or skip it for regular non-salted caramel. Heavy cream (approximately 36% milk fat) or whipping cream is highly recommend for the best results.
I made your Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars. As the name suggests it needed Salted Caramel so I followed this recipe. It is super easy and the caramel turned out so good. It is a super hit. Thanks a lot, Sally for your recipes and tips. They are very helpful.
★★★★★
Hi! I was wondering if I could use full fat coconut milk or whole milk instead of heavy cream, I’m lactose intolerant and I can substitute all the other ingredients, but this one I wasn’t sure about. Thank you!!!
Hi Maria, We haven’t tested it, but some readers have had success using unsweetened canned coconut cream. Let us know if you try it!
Sally, can this be used as a filling for salted caramel thumbprints?
Yes!! You can see how we use it in these thumbprint cookies. The only change we made was to reduce the salt to 1/4 tsp so it’s regular caramel and not salted caramel 🙂
Can i use this for carmel dipped pretzels or is it to thin and watery?
Hi Cj, I don’t recommend it. Use my caramel apples recipe.
I ended up with separated sugar and butter that wouldn’t blend together. There is a huge ball of taffy floating in butter. I’m not a novice cook. This did not work for me.
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I made this to go along with your no-bake pumpkin cheesecake recipe. In the end, it was amazing – definitely a keeper! After I first finished making it, the texture was off – it was extremely sticky, like stick-your-teeth-together sticky. I refrigerated it, warmed it up again in the microwave a few days later, and it hadn’t changed. I went online to see what I could do to thin it out. I heated it up in a saucepan again and added about 1/3 cup of water. This fixed it! It turned into a smooth, pourable sauce after adding the water. Even after refrigerating it, it’s still scoopable and a little runny, just the way I wanted it.
Hi Sally! I’ve kept my leftover caramel in the fridge, it’s been close to a month but not yet, and when I took it out, I see bits of yellow/ white, as if the butter has congealed. Does that mean it has gone bad & I should throw it out? Or just thaw it and give it a good stir?
Oi visito seu site regularmente pois curto muito seus conteúdos .
mantenha-se sempre assim. Bom trabalho !
★★★★★