Make this simple 4-ingredient sweet salted caramel sauce at home with ease—no candy thermometer required! Ready in just 10 minutes, this rich homemade caramel is perfect for drizzling over cakes, cupcakes, cookies, pound cake, ice cream, cheesecake, scones, salted caramel apple pie, and more!
I originally published this recipe in 2013 and have since added new photos, a video tutorial, and additional success tips. This recipe is such a fan favorite, that it deserved a spot in print! You’ll also find this recipe in my cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101.
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 sauce is one of the easiest. There’s only 4 ingredients required: sugar, butter, heavy cream, and salt.
This salted caramel is a reader favorite recipe, consistently marking its spot in the top 10 most popular recipes on my website and published in 2 of my cookbooks. It’s sweet, 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 wooden spoon. Stir until melted and caramelized. 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.
As always, use caution when cooking over the stove because the hot liquid, butter, and cream may splatter. If needed, kitchen gloves come in handy.
No Candy Thermometer Required
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. If you’d like to be precise and use a candy thermometer, the temperature will rise to about 220°F (104°C), and that’s when the caramel is done on the stove.
The caramel thickens as it cools.
What to Eat With Salted Caramel?
You will love homemade salted caramel with sweets like cinnamon rolls, cheesecake, and apple pie bars. Use it as a 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
- Caramel Coconut Macaroon Thumbprints
- Chocolate Caramel Toffee Icebox Slice & Bake Cookies
- Butterscotch Pudding
- Snickers Caramel Tart
- Apple Cupcakes (pictured above)
- 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)
- Butterscotch Pie & Apple Pie Bars (both pictured below)
What Is the Consistency Like?
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.
Can I Skip the Salt to Make Regular Caramel?
If you’re looking for a sweet caramel, rather than a salted caramel, you can still use this recipe. Do not cut out the salt completely because the caramel’s sweetness will be overpowering. Instead, reduce the salt to 1/2 teaspoon.
No. You can’t really turn this sauce into a homemade wrapped candy. Instead, try my soft caramel candies recipe which is a little different.
This caramel is not thick enough to coat apples for caramel apples. Instead, I recommend my homemade caramel apples recipe.
Yes. When the caramel is done, it’s thin and liquid. As the caramel cools, it thickens. After refrigerating, it thickens even more and must be reheated to thin out and use as a topping or dip.
This caramel isn’t ideal to layer between cake layers because it will just spill out the sides under the weight of top layers. However, it’s great as a filling for cupcakes, such as these chocolate caramel coconut cupcakes. See How To Fill Cupcakes for more info!
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.
Print
Homemade Salted Caramel Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup (290g)
- 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. This recipe is also in my cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar (make sure it’s labeled “pure cane”)*
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into 6 pieces
- 1/2 cup (120g/ml) heavy cream, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a medium heavy-duty stainless steel saucepan (do not use nonstick) over medium heat, cook the sugar, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heat-safe silicone spatula. 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. Stir constantly, especially around the bottom edges, and be careful not to let it burn.
- Once the sugar is completely melted, reduce the heat to low and stir in the butter. Be careful in this step because the caramel will bubble rapidly when the butter is added. (If you’re nervous for splatter, wear kitchen gloves.) Cook and stir constantly until the butter is melted and well combined. If you notice the butter separating or if the sugar clumps up, remove the pan from heat and vigorously whisk to combine it again. 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.
- Very slowly and carefully pour in the heavy cream, stirring constantly. Since the heavy cream is colder than the hot caramel, the mixture will rapidly bubble and steam when added. When all of the heavy cream has been added, stop stirring, increase the heat to medium, and let it 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 should reach 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 and thicken before using. Caramel thickens considerably as it cools.
- Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. 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 | 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 half-and-half or 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 multiple batches instead.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I am not sure what I am doing wrong I am on median heat 1 cup of sugar constantly stirring and keeping everything moving and I am going on 37 minutes of this and it still not melted. I turned the heat up from a 5 to a 6 hoping that will help. I even watched videos and I did it exactly like everyone in the videos so I don’t get what I did wrong or what happened. Also never put water on a weird glob of sugar because it just hardens into a big rock. I think I might have ruined my spoon and pot, boiling it now to see if it’ll help but just a heads up anyone else who thinks to put water on this don’t do it I mean it is a hard rock.
Okay FYI the boiling did dissolve my big hard glob I cannot get it off my wooden spoon but it may take a little bit longer but it completely dissolved into the beautiful amber color I was expecting after whisking for 10 minutes not almost 40. Please help. I just want good Carmel.
Hi! So while normally you would want to do it that way, if you’re watching it super closely you can put it on high for a couple minutes to get the melting process started quicker! You just really need to watch and move it if you do that or it’ll burn super easy! But try starting it at an 8 or 9 for the first couple minutes to give it a little motivation 🙂
Also oh no lol I think everyone who’s played with sugar has made the mistake of adding water at least once. If you’re still stuck with sugar on things boiling hot running water can help you get that off.
I made this to put over my ice cream. I may have burned it because there is a slight bitter taste. Otherwise I think it came out wonderful. I always thought caramel had to be made using brown sugar. My son was mesmerized watching the sugar melt!
Tied this recipe, but cut ingredients in half and it worked perfectly. Served over sliced apples cooked in a waffle iron. Mg grandson (7yrs) old gave his seal of approval.
Thank you for posting this.
This was sooooo easy and soooo delicious. I’m happy to have found you!
Thank goodness I found this recipe. Have tried loads over the years and the same recipes would sometimes turn out correctly and then another time burn terribly. This is fast, easy and what’s most important: it works. Thanks for saving the day!!
What is the purpose of the two one minute cooks without stirring? I tried it and watched it burn thinking “this is not good”. I asked my wife and she uses a recipe from a different blog that has neither of those (add the butter, stir until melted, remove from heat, immediately add the cream, stir, done). My second batch I followed your recipe without the two one minute cooks and it turned out perfectly.
Hi Mark, this time is necessary for most bakers to allow their caramel to thicken. Sounds like your stove may run a bit more warm – feel free to turn your stove down or remove early if that works best for you.
The taste is amazing! But I have one question. After it cooled a bit it turned kinda like jelly/jam. What did I do wrong?
Hi Janelle, This is normal! As the caramel cools, it solidifies into a chewy texture. You can heat it up to bring it back to a liquid consistency. See the above paragraph called “What is the texture of this salted caramel” for details.
I was wondering if I could use a nonstick pan?
Hi Lily! Though we do recommend avoiding non stick if possible, I’ve successfully make this salted caramel with my non stick pans. You want a thick, heavy bottomed pan for best results. Hope you love it!
I’ve made this caramel a billion times and it is always delicious! Totally fool-proof. If I was wanting to make it coconut flavored, would a bit of coconut extract be enough?
Thanks!
Hi Stephanie! We enjoy stirring in 1/2 or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract when you stir in the salt – you could try the same with coconut extract. Also, we haven’t tested it, but some readers have had success using unsweetened canned coconut cream in place of the heavy cream. Let us know what you try!
This turns out great with the right ingredients….. NOTE- PLEASE heed Sally’s note about making sure you use Pure Cane Sugar!!! I made this with sugar that wasn’t labeled as beet sugar, but found out soon enough that Sally is Right – it does NOT work with beet sugar. As far as I can tell -if your granulated sugar doesn’t say PURE CANE SUGAR, then it is probably beet sugar. I don’t know why it doesn’t work with ‘sugar beet’ sugar, but after the sugar melts and you add the butter, the butter wouldn’t mix in and then the sugar turned rock hard (it was Quite the struggle getting it out of the pan…) I went out and bought some Domino’s Pure Cane sugar, and it worked just as she describes. My caramel turned out thick when it cooled. I used it to make caramel buttercream frosting – delicious!
To stop the sugar from clumping add 1/4 tsp of either plain vinegar or lemon juice to the sugar as you are melting it. Keep heat medium to low. No clump quarentee
I love this recipe! Didn’t have heavy cream so I used what my mom always used…..evaporated milk! Tastes incredible!!!
Is it possible to add brown sugar with the white sugar?
Hi Avina, brown sugar won’t caramelize properly. Stick with regular white granulated sugar here.
A different recipe using brown sugar with similar ingredients actually makes a butterscotch sauce. If you wish you can see how it’s made in this post: Brown Sugar Butterscotch Cupcakes.
Tastes amazing although mine came out more like fudge rather than a pouring consistency. Any ideas where I went wrong?
Hi Esther! Cooking for slightly less time will help for next time. Glad you love it!
Can I use sweetened condensed milk for this? Even a watered down version of it? I want to use this recipe to make hot chocolate bombs. Thanks!
Hi Angela! The salted caramel will not come out correctly using sweetened condensed milk. Bets to stick with the recipe!
It does work! Just be careful to follow the steps closely. The best caramel sauce I have ever had. Thank you!
Could you use this recipe to pour over popcorn to make caramel corn?
Hi Tina, We recommend using this caramel corn recipe. Enjoy!
Made the first time last year and I’m back looking for this recipe again. So good.
Had no trouble with the recipe. Have everything ready, you can’t leave it alone, is the key.
Hello! Can I make this recipe with no salt at all? I want to make a sweet caramel
Hi Sandra! We would only stir in a little pinch sea salt at a time, tasting after each little pinch, and stopping until you are happy with the flavor.
Easy recipe. I cut it in half because I don’t need that much sauce.
Don’t know why so many folks struggled. It is pretty easy and straight forward. Suggestions that might help: use a whisk the entire time. Have the ingredients at room temp, use a heavy-stainless steel pot that fits the size of your recipe. Use extra cream if you need to. Take off heat to wisk butter in if your heat has gotten too high, you can put it back after a vigorous whisking.
Died and gone to heaven! Going to use this in a cake if I don’t eat it all before it cools.
My first time making a successful caramel 🙂 It did have some sugar clumps at the end because I was impatient with the butter but I just strained out the clumps and pretended it never happened. I used the caramel to make caramel filled chocolates and the chocolates turned out really good!
This was really difficult for me, but the end result was delicious. When I added the butter, things went south. I tried to whisk it together again, but it was way too hard. So I added the cream and stirred until smooth.
THe butter would not mix with the sugar, when reheated just separated out again, when adding the cream the sugar lumped and set on the bottom, and it is not a sauce! And all this was not resolved and in an hours effort, all it was good for was the bin! I have made litres and liters of caramel sauce and never before a failure! This is the worst recipe ever for me! and will not be using any recipes off here again!!!! Anger wasted christmas dinner desserts, no ingerdients left and shops shut!!!!!!
With this work for making caramel apples
Hi Alan, We suggest this recipe for Caramel Apples. Enjoy!
Tried it today. First time making caramel! Came out great! Put it over cheesecake!
My hint!
If you keep your heat low and work very slowly.. this is great! Add very little at a time!! I also remove from heat completely adding butter, and cream. Return to heat after blended to thicken! Family loves it
There is definitely some problem here that isn’t addressed in the instructions (and I’m a huge Sally’s fan.) I followed the instructions, of course. After adding the butter, it clumped horribly. I removed from the heat, whisked for an eternity, etc. Nothing worked. It’s a huge, oily, crumbly mess that I may never get out of my pan. Others are having this problem, too. Can someone at Sally’s please let us know what’s going on here?
Haven’t tried this yet. My fave is a dark brown butter caramel recipe. I will try this but believe I’d melt the butter in a measuring cup in the microwave and slowly pour into pan while mixing constantly. Otherwise, I see no issue with this and it’s instruction.
I look forward to trying it
I made caramel for the first time and it turned out perfectly. I’ve tried many of Sally’s recipes and the result is always beautiful and delicious. With this caramel, you have to stir continuously while the sugar is melting or it will definitely clump.
This is the WORST caramel recipe I have ever used. Lost a whisk and pot because of how badly the sugar clumped when the butter was added. No matter how hard or long I whisked, it did not come back together. Would give 0 stars if I could.
Followed the very clear instructions and it turned out great. It was my first time ever making caramel and having everything at room temp pre measured helped a lot. Will definitely make this again. People slating this recipe because they messed up is laughable, it’s like complaining that a hollandaise split.
I have seen similar recipes that use whole milk. Will this work here?
I have tried it the way as written and it is fantastic!
It is late and i don’t want to go to the store 🙂
Thanks
Hi Jennifer, We recommend sticking with heavy cream, any lower fat content the caramel may not set up properly.
Very salty, even for salted caramel. Had to make a batch with no salt to rescue it. I would half the salt, maybe more. Or add slowly. Good overall though.
I’ve never made any kind of caramel before. The instructions were very clear and it turned out absolutely fantastic. The butter did separate and it came back together when I kept whisking. Perfect flavor too. I’ll combine it with your lava cakes for Christmas 😀
I’ve made this several times over the past 2 years or so and it always comes out great! I missed the part that said not to double or triple the recipe…. I usually double it and it’s turned out fine. Time to make a bunch for this year’s gifts and now I’m nervous to double it lol.
Thank you for a fantastic, easy to follow recipe!