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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.
So. This was freakin delicious AND easy. Thank you thank you thank you! I haven’t made caramel in a loooong time, just because I’m always anxious I’ll either ruin it or get burned 🙂
I just made it and it is wonderful!!! I’ve made many versions of caramel glaze/sauce, but I really like this one!! It’s less work!!!
I’m so glad you’re happy with it!
Is there a way of substituting the heavy cream to make this dairy free?
Thanks!!
I’m not very familiar with dairy free substitutes, but it’s possible that coconut milk might work.
I’ve made this 5-6 times with flawless results!! Made it today and it was a gloopy sugary mess :/ Maybe I didn’t cook it long enough? I always double the recipe and it works great.
So I’m tried this recipe for the first time for my brothers birthday and everyone loved it! But when I made the caramel sauce it only made about 3/4 cups and not the 1 1/2. I don’t know what happened so next time I’ll just double the ingredients!
Made this and then stored it in the fridge. Tried to heat it up a couple hours later, in the microwave at 30 second intervals, and the oil from the butter separated! I tried mixing it, but it was mostly a trying to mix a hard caramel blob with oil…. 🙁
Hmm, I’ve never had that happen before and I’ve made it quite a few times. Perhaps it didn’t cook long enough?
Same thing happened to me. It looked great at first. Brought it to room temp and about an hour later it started looking super gritty, so I tried reheating and all the oil just separated out.
That’s strange. I don’t why it would separate. I just made it again the other day and it was fine. It can be a little gritty at room temperature. Try putting directly into the fridge to cool, then heat it up when you need it.
Do you stir the sauce during the 3 minute boiling time? Thanks !
Yes, you’ll want to keep whisking it the whole time so it doesn’t burn.
I am looking for a carmel recipe to do for my wedding favor do you think this can be made 2 days in advance n does it have to b kept refrigerated or room temp
Yes, it can be made 2 days in advance. You could leave it at room temperature, but just so you know it can get a little gritty that way. Once it’s heated back up though, it’s fine. The caramel sauce used in this recipe stays smoother at room temperature, if you’d rather try that. Both would be fine, just a preference.
Ha ha! “Harder to ruin” is ALWAYS a selling point with me. And that one picture with a scoop right out of the middle of the jar makes me weak. I’m definitely giving this a bash soon. Thanks!
Lol, thanks Erin! 🙂
This sounds so delicious- I love caramel! I have one question. Is the stick of butter salted or unsalted? Just want to make sure it’s the right one!
Thanks Heather! I use salted butter.
You’re welcome Lindsay, and thank you so much! Off to make some caramel sauce and the caramel apple cookie cups! I must try them!
This looks so good! I am goning to make it for sure. Do you know how long it will keep?
Thanks Carol! It should keep for 2 weeks.
Wow i absolutely love this! it’s amazing
This is brilliant! I’m always so intimidated by caramel, but I’m going to try this this weekend for sure. 😀
Oh my goodness, how delicious this caramel sauce looks! Looking forward to what you have planned for next week… Have a great weekend!
Ooooo brown sugar caramel! That sounds amazing! It is perfect for Fall and I can’t wait to see what you have in store for us with it!!
Mention caramel and you have my full attention! Your photos are great on this post.
Thank you Linda! 🙂
Just made this to serve over pumpkin cobbler and vanilla ice cream! It is perfect! As I needed to eat breakfast while preparing this Thanksgiving potluck dessert, I decided to taste test the caramel sauce over my morning oatmeal. Enough said. Thank you for the simple recipe and Happy Thanksgiving!
YES to homemade caramel. It is SO easy and better than store bought.
I could lie and tell you I am going to smother this on an apple but, really, I am just gonna face-plant straight into it. Pinned!
I couldn’t wait to dig in either, I drizzled it into my coffee-What a treat.????????????????????????????????????????????
Sounds delicious! Glad you enjoyed it!
I am so looking forward to finally meeting you and tailgating with you and your family this weekend!! Can’t wait to see what yummy treat you are bringing!!!
I can’t wait to meet you either Tina! It’ll be a fun day tomorrow for sure! 🙂
I’m super excited by this recipe because caramel is kind of my nemesis. I manage to mess it up all the time! But this seems kind of foolproof, so I can’t wait to give it a shot!
Well then you definitely have to try this one – nice and easy. 🙂
It is easy. Had another recipe with about 3 more ingredients, but this was easy and very good. I’m making a turtle trifle for a neighborhood ladies Christmas get together and didn’t want to use a jarred caramel sauce. This will make it tastier. Loved your scripture for the week.
You’re right Lindsay this is easy. I subbed dark brown sugar for the light and it tasted awesome. Also I had tried previously making it with granulated sugar and half and half and it turned out a thin water like consistency-even after resting at room temp and refrigeration. Thanks for the great recipe.????????????????????????????????
I am too! I will be drizzling it over my vanilla cupcakes. I think I made your vanilla cupcakes, Lindsay! Anyway the caramel looks delightful and my mouth is watering just looking at it! Thanks for such a great recipe, Lindsay! 🙂
I must have done something wrong because my caramel is gritty. What did I do wrong?
This one can be a little tough to get rid of the gritiness. You have to really cook it slowly on low heat at first for the brown sugar to fully melt. I have a couple other caramel sauce recipes that are not as prone to gritiness, if you want to check those out.