I forget about caramel until fall comes. But I think we can all agree that there’s something incredible about fresh, honeycrisp apple slices dunked in the most rich, decadent homemade salted caramel sauce.

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small jar of caramel sauce with a spoon drizzling caramel onto the surface. this recipe

Use granulated sugar

I’m currently working on a brown sugar caramel recipe, as well as one that uses RAW sugar. The ratios of butter and cream will be slightly different, just because brown and raw sugar both contain molasses.

Use salted butter

Maybe a given, but when making salted caramel, it’s ideal to get that salty-ness from two places, both the butter that adds richness to the sauce and from a sprinkle of salt at the end. That salty-sweet balance will never NOT be amazing.

Make sure the dairy is at room temp

When the sugar has melted fully and begins to caramelize, it’s extremely hot, of course. And when you add cooler things to it, it will splatter, no matter what. Minimize the splatter and reduce the risk of things clumping up and seizing by making sure both the butter and the heavy cream are at room temperature first.

small jar of caramel sauce with a spoon drizzling caramel onto the surface.
small jar of caramel sauce with salt sprinkles on top

Again, it WILL splatter when you add the butter, and if you aren’t stirring the caramel quickly and constantly, it will separate and clump. If this happens, remove the saucepan from the heat immediately and don’t stop whisking until everything is melted together, smooth and combined.

Before and after you add the heavy cream, allow the sugar to cook for one minute without touching it. Just like when you add the butter, the sugar will splatter when you add the heavy cream.

Finish with a touch of salt

Since we used salted butter for this caramel, we don’t need as much extra salt. 1/2 tsp is what tasted best to me after several tests.

Use & Storage

Allow the finished salted caramel to cool slightly before using. It will thicken as it gets closer to room temperature, and will almost completely harden in the fridge. This caramel recipe is not suitable for candy, it’s a sauce consistency.

small jar of caramel sauce with salt sprinkles on top

If using from refrigerated, warm the caramel to room temperature by microwaving on full power for 30 seconds. Stir as well as you can to distribute the heat, and heat for another 30 seconds before stirring again. Alternatively, you can place the container of caramel in a hot water bath and allow it to warm up before stirring.

Print
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small jar of caramel sauce with a spoon drizzling caramel onto the surface.

Salted Caramel

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  • Author: Megan
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 1 cup (16 Tablespoons) 1x
  • Category: Condiments
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

Rich and smooth, this fall staple is good with apples, but better straight from the spoon.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 cup pure cane granulated sugar
  • 6 TB salted butter, cubed and at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream, room temperature
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

  1. Add the granulated sugar to a medium saucepan with a thick bottom, and stir continuously with a heatproof or wooden spoon until the sugar clumps up. Continue stirring until the sugar has gone from dry clumps to a light golden liquid. 
  2. As soon as the sugar has melted into a golden liquid, add the butter and immediately stir vigorously until the foaming has subsided and the butter has been incorporated. The mixture should be smooth. If the butter separates from the sugar, immediately remove it from the heat and whisk vigorously until everything is incorporated again. It might take close to 5 minutes, but be patient!
  3. After the butter has been added successfully, allow the mixture to cook, untouched, for one minute. 
  4. Slowly stream in the heavy cream while whisking constantly. The caramel will foam up and bubble when you add the cream. This is normal. Allow the caramel to cook untouched again, for one minute. It will bubble up and rise in the saucepan.
  5. Remove the caramel from the heat and add the salt. Stir gently and allow to cool slightly before using as a sauce or dip. Salted caramel will keep in the refrigerator for up to a month. It’s normal for it to harden when cold. Use reheating instructions above to bring caramel back to room temp.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
  • Calories: 99
  • Sugar: 12.6 g
  • Sodium: 74.4 mg
  • Fat: 5.7 g
  • Saturated Fat: 3.6 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 12.6 g
  • Fiber: 0 g
  • Protein: 0.2 g
  • Cholesterol: 15.7 mg

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