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With three basic ingredients and fewer than 20 minutes, you can whip up the most luxurious homemade caramel! Whether it’s used as a dipping sauce for apples or a topping for ice cream, this sweet Brown Sugar Caramel Sauce will steal the stage.
Looking for something more traditional? You’ll love my Classic Caramel Sauce.
My Favorite Homemade Caramel Sauce
In many cases, the condiment makes the meal, and I think the same is true for dessert food. From sauces to dips to spreads, condiments always have me scraping the container with a spoon to savor every last taste. If you’re anything like me, that’s exactly what you’ll be doing with this caramel sauce.
It has a silky-smooth texture and a wonderful caramel flavor thanks to the use of brown sugar. Plus, theres no meed to melt sugar down. And the sweet, caramely goodness is wonderful!
Why I Love This Recipe
Brown sugar caramel sauce doesn’t just taste amazing – it’s a must-make all around. Here are some more key advantages to this particular recipe:
- It’s Super Quick and Simple
- You Only Need 3 Ingredients
- It Doesn’t Burn as Easily as Your Typical Caramel
- You Can Control the Consistency
- It Stays Good in the Fridge for Weeks
- It’s Freezer-Friendly
What You’ll Need
Let’s talk about the trio that makes it all possible. For specific amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.
- Butter: Even if you’re making Salted Caramel Sauce, it’s best to use unsalted butter and add your own.
- Light Brown Sugar: If dark brown sugar is your only option, you can use that instead – just keep in mind that it will intensify the flavor and may affect the texture as well.
- Heavy Cream: This gives the sauce a nice consistency for drizzling.
How to Make Brown Sugar Caramel Sauce
I like to measure out my ingredients before I get started so that everything is ready when I need it. You’ll have to work pretty quickly while the caramel cooks.
- Melt Butter: Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan.
- Add Sugar & Cream: Add the brown sugar and heavy cream, whisking constantly over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved.
- Boil: Bring the mixture to a boil and allow it to boil for no more than 3 minutes.
- Let Cool: Remove your caramel from the heat and allow it to cool. If you’re not serving it right away, transfer the cooled caramel to a covered container and keep it in the fridge.
Tips for Success
Make sure your caramel is up to snuff by reviewing the following tips. You can easily tailor it to suit your preferences!
- Never Touch Hot Caramel: It’s always important to prioritize safety when you’re cooking, and caramel sauce is certainly no exception. This stuff gets hot – even hotter than boiling water. Don’t forget to wear long sleeves and heat-proof gloves while you cook it in case any caramel splatters out of the pan.
- Whisk Only Until the Sugar is Dissolved: You’ll want to whisk your caramel constantly when you add the brown sugar and heavy cream. Once the sugar is dissolved, stop whisking. The caramel must be left undisturbed while it boils.
- Fine-Tune the Consistency: When this caramel sauce is warm, it has the perfect drizzling consistency without being too runny. It becomes a bit firmer at room temperature, but you can always warm it up in the microwave if needed. If you prefer a thinner caramel, you can add some extra cream.
Ways to Use Caramel Sauce
There are tons of tempting ways to serve your brown sugar caramel sauce. Let’s eat!
- Drizzle It Over Brownies
- Make Caramel Apple Cupcakes
- Layer It Into a Trifle
- Use It as a Dip for Pretzels or Fruit
- Drizzle It Over Ice Cream
- Mix It Into Yogurt
- Toss It With Popcorn
Storage and Reheating
Once your caramel has cooled down, transfer it to an airtight jar or container and refrigerate it for up to 3 weeks. It will harden as it chills. Pop it into the microwave for 20-30 seconds at a time to bring it back to a drizzling consistency, stirring after each increment. If you make it too thin, simply let it rest until it creates a nice drizzle.
Can I Freeze This?
Yes, as long as it’s not in a glass container. The freezing process causes the caramel to expand as it solidifies, which would likely break the glass. Instead, keep it in a freezer-safe container made of a more flexible material. Make sure you leave a little extra space in there as well.
Once your caramel has fully cooled, it can be frozen for 2-3 months. Thaw it out in the fridge overnight before you reheat it. If it’s still frozen after sitting in the fridge, let it rest at room temperature until it thaws.
Print
Brown Sugar Caramel Sauce
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 10
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: American
Description
With three basic ingredients and fewer than 10 minutes, you can whip up the most luxurious homemade caramel of your life! Whether it’s used as a dipping sauce for apples or a topping for ice cream, this sweet Brown Sugar Caramel Sauce will steal the stage.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Melt butter in a saucepan.
- Add brown sugar and heavy cream and whisk constantly over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.
- Bring to a boil and allow to boil for 3 minutes, no more.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool. Store in refrigerator.
Notes
- Makes about 1 1/2 cups caramel sauce
- Recipe slightly modified from Pioneer Woman’s Easy Caramel Sauce.
- To Store: Transfer cooled caramel to an airtight jar or container and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks. It will harden as it chills. Microwave it for 20-30 seconds at a time to bring it back to a drizzling consistency, stirring after each increment. If you make it too thin, let it rest until it creates a nice drizzle.
- To Freeze: Transfer cooled caramel to a freezer-safe container (make sure it’s not made of glass). Freeze for 2-3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating. If it’s still frozen after sitting in the fridge, let it rest at room temperature until it thaws.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 TBS
- Calories: 143
- Sugar: 16.3 g
- Sodium: 6.6 mg
- Fat: 8.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 16.4 g
- Protein: 0.2 g
- Cholesterol: 24.1 mg
Categories
More Easy Dessert Sauces to Try
Need more mouthwatering condiments for your favorite sweets? Allow me to assist you.
This actually isn’t caramel – it’s butterscotch. With caramel, you start out with white sugar and a bit of water and slowly “burn” the sugar – sort of like with a roux. It’s much more delicate, time-consuming, and prone to error. But this would be a terrific recipe if it included salt, and especially vanilla.
You aren’t wrong about it technically being butterscotch. But you’ll find recipes all over the internet calling this caramel sauce, so long ago when I first made it, I thought it was caramel sauce (thank you interwebs). Now I know better, but alas, it’s called caramel. Feel free to add salt and vanilla. Also, I have a caramel sauce like that which you speak of! She’s a beaut! Did you know you can also cook/melt the sugar without the water?? Check out that caramel sauce here. Feel free to try them all! Enjoy, friend!
Can u sub whole milk in a pinch?
I mean, I guess. But it’ll be thinner and will thin out your sauce. So it depends on what you want.
L❤️VE this recipe!!! It turned out perfect… although, I didn’t have any heavy cream so I used 2% instead. It was a success 🙌
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
This one is a keeper! I have tried many caramel recipes and so far this is the best and easiest.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I didn’t experience any grainy texture, like others have said. Mine is 100% smooth and tastes amazing.
I used it for adding to a caramel buttercream to use on top of butter tart stuffed cupcakes
I followed the recipe to a “t” Smooth and carmel like after simmering for 3 minutes. But after it cooled down, there was sugar crystals on top. Now the carmel sauce is grainy. Can I save it by turning it back to smooth?
You can try heating it back up again and see if it’ll further melt. You want to be sure to cook it low and slow, to really give it time to melt. Assuming it was fully melted, adding a teaspoon or two of corn syrup to the caramel when you make it can help reduce the grainy-ness.
can i keep this on warm in the crock pot after being refrigerated?
I haven’t tried it, but I think it’d be ok.
Can you please share why my Carmel becomes grainy after cooling, placing in the fridge then reheating
It should not be grainy if all the sugar was fully melted. If it is a consistent issue though, try adding a tablespoon of corn syrup when making it and see if that helps.
my husband enjoys this recipe very much. So far I have used it for “Turtle Cheese Cake” and over Chocolate Zucchini cake with whip cream,,, total success… thank you for sharing this recipe. I can’t eat it because I have an issue with sugar,, but I may try to make it with stevia some day
I’m so glad he enjoys it!
I browned the butter. Took it off heat and added brown sugar and cream, then hit it with emersion blender to make it smooth. Put it back on heat, once the edges started bubbling I started a 3 minute timer. I poured the caramel mixture into another cold pot to stop cooking and added vanilla and about 10 drops of fresh lemon juice. I believe that all caramels need a few drops of acid. Apple cider vinegar works too.
I usually always make the standard white sugar caramel and actually had 3 failed attempts before using this recipe and it is very good.
This caramel will be topping a 3 layer dark chocolate and coconut cake. I would have used it in between the layers but the cake is already in a crumb coat in the fridge.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I know some of the white sugar recipes can be a little tricky, but this caramel sauce is fairly simple if you’d like to give it a try sometime.
This recipe needs water to dissolve the sugar crystals. Otherwise it is gritty. Just a couple tablespoons is enough. It is so good though! I made a double batch, added a little corn syrup and boiled it a few minutes to make perfectly chewy caramel candies. I will cover them in bittersweet chocolate and a couple granules of sea salt.
This is by far the easiest caramel sauce I have ever made and soooo delicious!!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Ok! Did it. Great easy sauce. I halfed it and had a nice amount for dipping my apple slices
So glad you enjoyed it!