This easy homemade caramel sauce recipe is foolproof! It only uses four ingredients and takes 10 minutes to make WITHOUT a candy thermometer. It’s the perfect topping for many desserts, coffee drinks, or for dipping apples!
My delicious caramel sauce has a creamy, rich, buttery flavor. It can be used as a topping for desserts like pound cake, chocolate cake, and apple crumble bars or as a dipping sauce for fruit. Add it to a fruit board with apple slices, pears, and other delicious fruit, and dip away! It also makes the perfect dip for a dessert platter.
What I love about this recipe is that it’s straightforward to make. With just four ingredients, you will get a creamy sauce perfect for dipping and desserts. It’s the best caramel sauce! Also, no candy thermometer is needed—many recipes call for a thermometer, but this is simple and makes a creamy caramel without it.
It also makes the perfect topping for an ice cream, waffle bar, or drizzled all over our gooey monkey bread or apple crisp. It’s a great addition to fall desserts.
Ingredients
Butter – Gives it a buttery, creamy flavor. Use pure butter for this recipe. You can use salted or unsalted butter. If you use unsalted, add a pinch of salt to the recipe while it’s heating.
Dark Brown Sugar – Creates a sweet flavor and a dark amber color, giving the caramel a sweet taste.
Sweetened Condensed Milk – The base of the sauce. It has a thick texture and is used in pies and desserts.
Corn Syrup – Helps give it a smooth texture and thickens it. You can try an alternative to this if you prefer.
Recipe Tips
- Make it ahead of time. Store it in an airtight glass container, such as a Mason Jar, and leave it in the refrigerator for 3 weeks. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. If you’re gifting it, it can stay out for 1 day.
- Do not boil this recipe; only cook it on low heat, or it will start to curdle and become chunky.
- Never leave the sauce unattended. It can quickly burn, so you should watch it closely as it cooks.
- Use salted butter for the salted caramel sauce, or add a little salt. Something like fleur de sel is lovely sprinkled over the top.
- Use a wooden spoon or heatproof silicone spatula to stir.
How to Store
Caramel sauce keeps well for up to two weeks. It must be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also freeze it for up to three months while maintaining its quality.
Once the caramel cools, add it to a glass container that you can seal with a lid. Weck or Ball jars are perfect for storing caramel sauce.
Refrigerate
Then, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. However, it will become hard in the fridge, so you must reheat the sauce before serving.
It can be reheated in a microwave-safe container or on the stovetop. Reheating it will change the texture a little, but it will still work well as a good dipping sauce.
Freezing
You can also freeze homemade caramel sauce for up to 3 months. Place it in a freezer-safe container, properly sealed. Just note that the texture will become a little more liquid when reheated.
Recipe Variations
Salted Caramel Sauce – Add a pinch of salt to the recipe while it’s heating for a delicious salty-sweet twist on this classic caramel sauce.
Coffee Caramel Sauce – Add 1 teaspoon of instant espresso powder to the mixture for a warm coffee flavor.
Chocolate Caramel Sauce – Stir 1/4 cup of chocolate chips into the sauce while it’s still warm and allow them to melt for a decadent sauce perfect for drizzling over ice cream or dipping fruit in.
Do I need a Candy Thermometer?
I’m not kidding when I say this is an easy caramel sauce! No candy thermometer is needed to make this recipe.
How Do You Make Caramel Sauce Thicker?
The caramel will thicken as it cools and in the refrigerator. It will not thicken if you let it cook or bring it to a boil, so I don’t recommend cooking longer as it will curdle.
This is the easiest recipe that requires minimal ingredients, time, or labor, and the result is a fantastic treat you can drizzle over your other favorite desserts and snacks!
Now that you know how to make one of my favorite caramel sauces, let us know what you think.
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Easy Caramel Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk, 14 ounces
- 1/2 cup corn syrup
Instructions
- Melt the butter and brown sugar in a medium saucepan on low heat. Never bring this mixture to a boil, or it will curdle – always low heat.
- Then, add in the sweetened condensed milk and corn syrup.
- While the sauce thickens, use a whisk to mix until it thickens and the sugar melts gently. Scrape the sides of the pot, too. Please pay close attention to the texture of the caramel as it simmers.
- Lastly, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool a bit.
- Let it sit in the refrigerator to thicken.
Video
Notes
- Make it ahead of time. Store it in an airtight container and leave it in the refrigerator for one month. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. If you’re gifting it, it can stay out for one day.
- Never leave the sauce unattended. It can quickly burn, so you want to watch it closely as it’s cooking.
- For salted caramel sauce, use salted butter.
- Always cook on low heat only; do not boil, or it will be ruined.
Nutrition
Can this sauce be used when making sticky cinnamon rolls? Does it stay gooey, or will it get hard if baked?
I’ve never tried that, but I know it would be good drizzled over the top. Not sure if baked though.
I must say, I was skeptical, especially but it came out delicious, i added a tsp of vanilla and subned honey as i had no corn syrup! Perfect!👏👏
This recipe is delicious! Can’t wait to make this recipe again.
This sauce is to die for. It is so easy to make with no special equipment needed. I have swirled it in brownies. I have put it in cookies. I have dipped some and chocolate and I have just stuck a knife in the bowl and eating some of it right from the fridge.
So glad you love it, Julie!! One of our favorites too!
The best ever Carmel recipe ever! Made it for a cake and it came out perfect.
Loved it! This doesn’t crystallize like so many other caramel sauce recipes. I didn’t have corn syrup so I used agave and it worked great! Thank you for a great recipe
Thank you Lori!!
I have tried a few recipes for caramel sauce but this is one of the best and easiest that I have tried. Thank you for sharing a delicious and for keeps recipe!
Truly, there is nothing quite like HOMEMADE caramel sauce. I prefer it salted, and love to pour it over cheesecake. Also would be great in a latte!
I will be pouring this over everything!! This caramel sauce is the best & was easy to make. I will be keeping it stocked in the fridge!
The best caramel sauce! Loved making it and using it for ice cream!
Can I use unsalted butter
yes!
Could one use maple syrup?? -note .ca
Most likely not, but if you try it let us know how it turns out!
I made this recipe with maple syrup and it turned out great. Served with a butter cake and bacon crumbles ☺️
Wow! I made a few changes for family who are sensitive to dairy. I used homemade ghee instead of the butter, 1-11 oz. can sweetened condensed coconut milk, and substituted maple syrup for the corn syrup. Also added 3/4 t. sea salt. This was amazing. Like others said, I did have to cook it probably twice as long as stated. It was still pourable…will make again. Thanks!
Hi,
What size is the can of condensed milk please? I’m in the U.K.
Thank you
14 ounces 🙂
I put 3 werthers soft chew cuz that’s how I roll .. just to kicker up a notch!!
Yum!!! This is perfect!!
Made vegan version of this – substituted vegan margarine and coconut condensed milk for dairy. Also used lily white corn syrup instead of golden and added a pinch of sea salt. Delicious. Will definitely make again
That sounds great! Thanks or sharing that option 🙂
Love it! Been looking for something just like this for so long! Just put a layer in my brownies im baking, YUM! Great Thank You!
So happy you loved it Sonja!!