Caramel Sauce

Caramel sauce was the first cooking test in culinary school that gave me nightmares. If I made one of the most common caramel mistakes by choosing the wrong type of pan, the sugar would heat unevenly and burn, making a terrible mess. And if I scraped the bottom of the pan or stirred too vigorously, the caramel would turn out grainy. Luckily, I learned how to overcome those challenges with a simple change in technique.

With the traditional “dry” caramel approach, the sugar is heated by itself, expanding as it melts to turn from a solid to a liquid. It can easily burn or crystallize (creating seized or grainy caramel). The process is significantly more foolproof with the “wet” caramel approach, which involves melting the sugar in water. It cooks more evenly, and the risk of crystallization is low. The best part is that the water evaporates during the cooking process, so it doesn’t affect the caramel’s texture.

This recipe for caramel sauce uses the wet caramel technique to create a rich, smooth caramel sauce in about 15 minutes. The sweet, salted caramel elevates everything from plain apple slices to ice cream. And it’s so easy to make that you don’t even need a candy thermometer to pull it off!

How to Make Caramel Sauce Without a Candy Thermometer

There are two stages to making caramel sauce: caramelizing the sugar and stirring in the cream. Make sure to choose a clean, tall-sided, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Thin pans don’t heat evenly and can lead to burnt sugar. The pan must also be large enough to prevent boil-overs or hot sugar splatters. The minimum size we recommend is a 3-quart pan, although you can use a larger, more common 4-quart saucepan.

Once the sugar reaches the desired color, it’s time to halt the process by adding room-temperature heavy cream. Some recipes require an instant-read thermometer, but we find it’s easy enough to identify each of the caramel stages by color rather than temperature. (Of course, we’ll also include those temperatures in case you prefer the thermometer’s precision.)

The process happens quickly, so measure the cream in advance to prevent burnt sugar. Add the cream in a slow, steady stream, stirring consistently to cool the sugar quickly and create a smooth caramel. I like to stir with a heat-resistant rubber spatula because it gets into the edges nicely (and it’s easy to clean).

Can you use this recipe for caramel sauce to make candy apples?

This homemade caramel sauce recipe is too thin to be used for caramel apples. When hot, the sauce is smooth and thin enough to drizzle on desserts or to use as a dipping sauce for fruit. It will thicken when chilled, but it’s not dense enough to create a candy shell around the apples. It also won’t set up like creamy caramel candies, so don’t try cutting the cooled sauce into squares.

How to Prevent (and Fix) Seized or Grainy Caramel Sauce

Caramel can seize and become gritty or grainy if the sugars crystallize, which happens when the melted sugar splashes up onto the sides of the pan. The change in temperature causes the melted sugar to lose its moisture and turn back into a sugar crystal. If this crystal touches the melted mass, it causes a chain reaction and the caramel will seize up. Luckily, it’s easy to avoid (and can also be fixed).

• How to avoid grainy caramel: The easiest way to prevent crystallization is to avoid stirring the caramel. Instead, swirl the pan gently to help the sugar melt evenly. If any sugars splash up onto the sides of the pan, use a wet pastry brush to remove them.
• How to fix grainy caramel: If your caramel seizes, it’s OK! Add more water to the mixture, reheat it and try again. The water will help the sugar crystals dissolve again. All you have to do is wait for the water to evaporate.

Caramel Sauce Ingredients

• Sugar: The best caramel starts with granulated sugar, a refined white sugar made from sugarcane or sugar beets. It melts more evenly than unrefined sugars, and unlike brown sugar, it’s easy to see when the sugar takes on the right color. Some recipes call for brown sugar as a shortcut, but the molasses adds acidity, creating more of a butterscotch than a true caramel.
• Water: Melting the sugar in water helps the sugar dissolve smoothly and evenly, reducing the chances that the caramel will crystallize.
• Heavy whipping cream: When the sugar reaches the desired color, heavy whipping cream cools it down and stops the caramelization process. You could add water, but caramel sauce tastes richer and deeper using high-fat dairy like heavy cream.
• Kosher salt: A small amount of salt is added to caramel for balance.
• Vanilla extract: Vanilla is optional, but we recommend it to add a gentle fragrance to the recipe for caramel sauce.

Directions

Step 1: Melt the sugar

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In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Stir gently to moisten all the sugar. Cook over medium-low heat until the sugar is dissolved.

Editor’s Tip: Don’t stir again after the sugar is moistened. Instead, lightly swirl the pan from time to time to help the sugar melt evenly.

Step 2: Cook the caramel

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Continue to cook until the syrup turns a medium amber color, six to eight minutes. Reduce the heat to low, and cook until the sugar reaches 360°F, about five minutes longer.

Editor’s Tip: The sugar starts to melt at 320° and becomes honey-colored around 340°, which is a good time to reduce the heat. Caramel sauce is finished at 360° when it smells nutty and develops an even, light brown color.

Step 3: Add the cream

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Immediately remove the pan from the heat and carefully stir in the heavy cream, salt and, if desired, vanilla.

Editor’s Tip: Stir the cream in slowly and steadily to ensure a smooth caramel. When the cream is added, the mixture will bubble up vigorously, so you may want to wear oven mitts to protect your arms from spitting sugar.

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How to Use Caramel Sauce

• Elevate ice cream: Drizzle caramel sauce over custard ice cream, ice cream cone cupcakes or ice cream sandwich cake.
• Top desserts: Turn a regular brownie into a brownie sundae, add caramel sauce to custard to make caramel custard or use the sauce to give a caramelized finish to cookie bars like peanut butter oatmeal bars.
• Layer it in baked goods: Layer caramel sauce in baked goods like a caramel apple tart, caramel pecan shortbread or a caramel apple cheesecake.
• Mix it into coffee: Use caramel to sweeten your morning cup of coffee or to create a cafe-style drink like a caramel mocha.

Caramel Sauce Variations

• Include butter: To add richness, swirl in a pat or two of butter after the cream is incorporated.
• Use brown sugar: Give the caramel a butterscotch sauce vibe by using brown sugar instead of granulated sugar. Just keep in mind that it’s harder to tell the color differences with brown sugar, so you may want to use a thermometer for assistance.
• Turn it into salted caramel sauce: To make salted caramel sauce, increase the kosher salt to 1 teaspoon. Or, stir in 1/2 to 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt for a crunchy texture.
• Add coffee: Mix 1 teaspoon instant espresso into the cream to give the caramel a coffee flavor.

How to Store Caramel Sauce

When removing caramel from the pan, do not scrape the bottom of the pot. There may be some lingering crystallized sugar, which can ruin the smooth texture. Instead, pour the hot caramel freely into a heat-resistant container, like a canning jar. Let it cool slightly, then store caramel in the refrigerator.

Can you freeze caramel sauce?

To freeze caramel sauce, let it cool completely and then freeze it in a freezer-safe container. When you’re ready to use it, thaw the caramel in the refrigerator overnight.

How long does homemade caramel sauce last?

Homemade caramel sauce lasts up to two weeks in the refrigerator or up to three months in the freezer.

Can you make caramel sauce ahead of time?

You can make caramel sauce ahead of time, but you’ll want to warm it up before use. Caramel is runny when warm and thickens to become hard and chewy as it cools. Reheat refrigerated caramel in the microwave, stirring frequently, until it’s warm, smooth and easy to drizzle.

Caramel Sauce Tips

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Do you have to refrigerate homemade caramel sauce?

Homemade caramel sauce contains dairy, so we recommend storing it in the refrigerator. It will harden and solidify in the fridge, but it’s easy to restore the consistency by reheating it in the microwave.

What is caramel made of, butter or cream?

It’s pretty common to use butter in caramel, but we skip it and opt for heavy cream instead. Butter is an emulsion of milk solids, fat and water, so it has to be added at the right time to prevent it from breaking (or separating) when it hits the hot sugar. Heavy cream is more stable, so it’s easier to work with. If you do decide to use butter, be sure to use the best butter you can find. You’ll be able to taste the difference, so splurge on the good stuff.

Should you include corn syrup in caramel sauce?

If you’re worried about making grainy caramel sauce, you can add a little corn syrup to the sugar. Sugar is made from sucrose, which can crystallize under the right conditions. Corn syrup contains glucose (which won’t crystallize). Adding corn syrup to the mix builds in a little insurance to protect against grainy caramel.

How do you clean caramel from the pan?

Caramel should be relatively easy to clean from the pan if you soak the pan in hot water to loosen any crystallized sugar. Then, wash the pan with soap like usual.

The pan can become a sticky mess if you accidentally burn the caramel, though. If that has happened, fill the pot with water and bring it to a boil on the stovetop. Use a wooden spoon or heat-resistant spatula to loosen the bits from the sides and bottom. After all the bits are removed, pour off the water and wash the pot with soapy water.