Learn how to make a super easy homemade caramel sauce from scratch with just 3 simple ingredients. Perfect for drizzling over ice cream, pies, cakes, or for dipping your favorite fruit into.
Who doesn’t love rich and smooth caramel sauce? I know I sure do! And I love it so much more when it is homemade. This decadent confection is simple to make and has a smooth, luxurious flavor.
Ways To Use Caramel Sauce
Some delicious suggestions for using your homemade caramel sauce include:
Ice cream: Drizzle caramel over just about any flavor. Some of my favorites are triple chocolate and butter pecan.
Bundt Cakes: Pour warm caramel over a fresh-baked cake, like this pumpkin dump bundt cake or this amazing banana bread.
Brownies: What a yummy addition to the top of fudgy brownies, like these chocolate peanut butter brownies.
Fruit: It makes a perfect dip for sliced apples, peaches, and bananas.
Pancakes: Top your pancakes and waffles with caramel sauce instead of syrup.
Cookie Cups: Swap out the filling for caramel sauce in these Nutella chocolate chip cookie cups.
Snacks: Drizzle it onto plain popcorn or over pretzels.
Spoon: Eat it by the spoonful!
Poke Cakes: Poke holes into the top of your favorite cake and pour the caramel sauce in.
How To Make Homemade Caramel Sauce
It doesn’t get any easier than these three simple ingredients.
Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup heavy cream
8 tbsp butter
How to Make Caramel Sauce
Tip: Cut the butter into cubes and let the butter and the heavy whipping cream come up to room temperature. This is so the caramel sauce doesn’t seize up while being prepared.
Place sugar into your heavy saucepan over medium-low heat.
The sugar will clump up and slowly melt. It will eventually turn an amber color in about 10 minutes. It is important to keep a close eye on the sugar as it is melting so that it doesn’t burn. Gently shake the pan to move the sugar around the bottom of the pan to keep it even.
Slowly add in the heavy cream, whisking vigorously until the caramel sauce begins to thin. Add the butter, stirring continuously until it smooths, then remove the saucepan from the heat.
Don’t worry if it seems very thin, it will thicken up as it cools.
How To Store Homemade Caramel Sauce
Let the caramel sauce cool before storing it. It will need to be refrigerated.
Fridge: Keep the caramel in an airtight container for 2 – 3 weeks.
Freezer: This caramel sauce will last up to 8 months if kept in an airtight container.
To use: The easiest way to warm up the caramel sauce for a drizzle is to place the desired amount in a microwave-safe bowl for 15 – 20 seconds.
Fun holiday gift Idea: Caramel sauce makes a great gift for teachers, neighbors, bus drivers, and postal workers. Fill up a mason jar with the caramel, tightly seal, and then decorate the jar with a ribbon and a tag.
This recipe for a homemade caramel sauce is so easy to make, and it turns out rich and decadent every time.
Did you give this caramel sauce a try? Let me know in the comments below or snap a photo and tag @coolbeanliving on Instagram. I’d love to see it!
Homemade Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup heavy cream room temperature
- 8 tbsp butter cubed, room temperature
Instructions
- Place sugar in a heavy sauce pan over medium-low heat.
- The sugar will slowly melt and turn an amber color in approximately 10 minutes.
- Slowly add in the heavy cream, whisking vigorously until the caramel sauce begins to thin.
- Add butter, stirring until it smooths. Remove from heat. It will thicken as it cools.