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You’ll only need 6 ingredients to make this easy salted caramel sauce. It’s so simple and delicious and it makes for the perfect topping for just about any dessert. From ice cream to brownies to cheesecake, you won’t be able to resist.
Easy Salted Caramel Sauce Recipe
Just hearing the words “salted caramel sauce” makes my mouth water. The rich, sweet flavor of classic caramel with just the right amount of cream marries beautifully with a perfect pop of salt, creating an unforgettable dessert topping. The addicting flavor and the silky smooth, velvety texture of this caramel sauce make it good enough to eat out of the jar, but I suppose you could go a more conventional route and drizzle it over ice cream or a gooey brownie. However you choose to enjoy it, you won’t be sorry. Plus, it’s super easy to make!
This is the perfect recipe for those of you looking to dip your toes into the world of caramel. Other versions, like my Classic Homemade Caramel Sauce, are a little trickier to get right. This recipe, on the other hand, is super user-friendly and will yield fabulous results every time.
Why You’ll Love This Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce
I have been perfecting this salted caramel sauce recipe for years and, I’ll tell you what, it really is something to write home about. Here’s why I love it so much and why I think you will too.
- Surprisingly easy. Making your own sauce might sound complicated but it’s really not. In just a few simple steps (and only 6 ingredients) you’ll have yourself a restaurant-quality salted caramel sauce. You don’t even need a candy thermometer for this one!
- Adjustable. You can make this dessert topping as salty (or unsalty) as you want. Start with 1/2 a teaspoon, give it a taste, and add more if you’d like. Not that into the “salted” part of salted caramel sauce? Add just a pinch of salt to elevate the flavor without overwhelming your taste buds.
- It goes on everything. Ok maybe not chicken, but you can drizzle this caramel sauce over pretty much any dessert you can think of. Check out the section below titled “Ways To Use Salted Caramel Sauce” for inspiration.
What You’ll Need
Here’s a list of ingredients needed to make the best salted caramel sauce ever. Don’t forget to scroll to the recipe card below for precise measurements.
- Granulated sugar – The sugar actually melts and turns into caramel as it cooks. This is where your flavor is coming from.
- Water – This helps the sugar not burn as it sits and boils. The addition of the water is why it’s called “wet-method” caramel sauce.
- Unsalted butter – You really want to be able to control your salt content here, so go for unsalted butter.
- Heavy whipping cream – This is giving the caramel sauce it’s pourable factor. The high fat content in heavy cream also gives it a creamy texture. Don’t swap this out for milk or something else or it’ll thin out your sauce.
- Vanilla extract – For nice flavor.
- Salt – Use as little or as much as you like to achieve your desired saltiness.
How To Make Salted Caramel Sauce
It really is easier than you think. Just follow these simple (and few) steps and you’ll be drizzling homemade caramel sauce over every dessert in sight in no time.
- Dissolve the sugar. Whisk together the granulated sugar and water and cook over medium-low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Add the butter. Add the butter and let it melt.
- Cook. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat and boil until the mixture turns a deep golden copper color.
- Make it creamy. Remove the pan from the heat and slowly pour in the heavy whipping cream, whisking as you go.
- Add some flavor. Whisk in the vanilla extract and half a teaspoon of salt (or more if you’re feeling spunky).
- Cool. Allow the caramel sauce to cool. Note that it will thicken as it cools.
Tips for Success
Striving for the perfect salted caramel sauce? Good. Here are some tips and tricks that will set you on the right track.
- Hands off. Once you bring the caramel sauce to a boil, it’s time to stop whisking. Whisking the sauce is a one-way ticket to crystallization, which you don’t want here. So, leave it be until it’s reached that deep golden copper color you are looking for.
- Keep an eye on it. While you shouldn’t whisk or stir while the caramel sauce is cooking, you do want to keep an eye on it. It’s possible that some parts of the sauce will brown more quickly than others. If needed, you can occasionally tip the pan from side to side to help things cook evenly.
- Stay safe. When you add the heavy cream, the caramel will bubble up quite a bit. So keep any exposed skin (and/or eyes) out of the way.
Ways To Use Salted Caramel Sauce
Gosh. I feel like homemade caramel sauce could go on anything. I’ve picked some of my favorites to set you in the right direction, though. Don’t be afraid to explore my blog for other options. It’s full of dessert recipes that would love the company of this sweet, velvety treat.
- Brownies. Drizzling salted caramel sauce over brownies is one of the best things I have ever encountered in the history of all desserts. Test it out with my Like a Box Brownies, these Ultimate Peanut Butter Fudge Brownies, or The World’s Fudgiest Homemade Brownies.
- Cake. Almost as good as caramel sauce on brownies is caramel sauce on cake. Drizzle some of this glorious confection over a slice of my Chocolate Mousse Cake, this Ultimate Layered Cookie Cake, or my Devil’s Food Cake.
- Cheesecake. Gosh, I love cheesecake. Maybe more than I love salted caramel sauce…but that’s beside the point. Combining the two is utter dessert heaven. Whip up my Chocolate Cheesecake With Cake Bottom, this New York Style Cheesecake, or The Ultimate Tiramisu Cheesecake and drizzle caramel sauce all over your slice.
- Ice cream. Spoon this dessert topping over a scoop of vanilla ice cream or my Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream. You could even add it as a finishing touch to my Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream Pie, Oreo Brookie Ice Cream Cake, or this decadent S’mores Ice Cream Cake.
How Long Will Homemade Caramel Sauce Last?
Once the caramel sauce has cooled completely, seal it in an airtight container and store it in the fridge. It will stay good for up to two weeks.
More Sauce Recipes To Try
Adding a sauce to a dessert really takes it to the next level of deliciousness. It’s that perfect little flare that no one even knew they were missing. I encourage you to experiment with some of these other fabulous dessert sauces once you get this salted caramel one down.
Watch How It’s Made
Print
Easy Salted Caramel Sauce
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: about 1 1/4 cups
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Easy Salted Caramel Sauce is about as simple as caramel sauce gets! It only uses 6 ingredients. Plus, it’s perfect for topping ice cream, brownies, or pretty much any other dessert!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (207g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (120ml) water
- 1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 to 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- In a medium to large sauce pan, combine the granulated sugar and water. Cook over medium-low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the butter and let it melt
- Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Stop whisking and don’t whisk at all during this part to help avoid crystallization. Allow to boil until the mixture turns a deep golden copper color, about 10-15 minutes, maybe longer depending on your stove. Keep an eye on it, but do not stir. If needed, you can occasionally tip the pan from side to side to help things cook evenly.
- Remove the pan from the heat and immediately add in the heavy whipping cream in a slow, steady stream. The caramel will bubbly up quite a bit, so be careful with this step. Whisk quickly and well as you add the cream, whisking until well combined.
- Add the vanilla extract and half a teaspoon of salt and whisk to combine. Add additional salt to your desired saltiness.
- Allow the caramel sauce to cool. It will be fairly thin, but will thicken as it cools. Store it in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: – Full recipe
- Calories: 1604
- Sugar: 203.9 g
- Sodium: 1208.4 mg
- Fat: 89 g
- Carbohydrates: 204.1 g
- Protein: 3.9 g
- Cholesterol: 256.5 mg
Categories
Adapted from Baker by Nature.
hi! i love this caramel recipe! my only problem is that when i refrigerate it, it becomes grainy the next day…i don’t know what i am doing wrong… right after cooking it is so smooth but after a day there’s that grainy texture again….
Hmm, I’m not sure. Have you tried heating it back up to see if that goes away when warm?
Hi, I love the taste, but wasn’t thick like I expected it to be. What did I do wrong?
Have you given it time to cool? It’s quite thin at first, but thickens as it cools.
yip I did Lindsay, but I reboiled it the next day and it became thicker, so I think it was just not on the boil long enough at first…I was too impatient. Thanks for your response
Wow! This is an amazing recipe. I doubled it. It took about 30 mins to get to the right color. Can’t wait to make this one over and over again. I love that I can follow your directions and the recipes come out EVERY time!!
My caramel came out really grainy. This is the second time that’s happened. Why does this happen? Other than the taste is amazing.
Hmm, it really shouldn’t be grainy. It sounds like the sugar might not have melted fully before you moved on to the next step. I’d be sure to check that next time and maybe lower your stove temperature a little bit. Sort of like ovens, I think stoves can run at different temperatures too. It’s best to melt the sugar over a lower heat, rather than heat it too quickly and not allow enough time for the sugar to melt. I hope that helps!
If your caramel is grainy, it normally means the sugar has crystallized. Adding a small amount of corn syrup or cream of tartar at the start can help prevent this. Also, brushing some water down the sides of the pan to dissolve any sugar at the edge, or putting a lid on the pot early on to create condensation on the sides of the pot can also help.
I tripled the recipe so I could use it in a brownie trifle and have leftovers for the fridge. It took about 55 minutes to reach the color needed. I was expecting a looonnngggg cook time since I had so much more water to evaporate. I also threw in about 3 Tbsp of corn syrup to help with the graininess some cooks experienced. Patience and my new LG stove ensured a good even cook without burning. To be safe I placed my pan down in the sink when it came time to whisk in the heavy cream. Protect your hand with a mitt—-the steam that billows up is HOT. Did not triple the salt, just added to taste. Great recipe.
Glad to hear that tripling it worked well for you and that you enjoyed it!
This was my first attempt at making caramel for the turtle cheesecake. I didn’t even know I liked caramel, but this is delicious!! I am already wondering what else I can make that I could put this on!
Awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
If making a large batch (for christmas gifts) do you have any suggestions? Is it ok to attempt a large batch or does the caramel have a tendency to burn in large quantities? I am hoping to make approx 30 jars, 3 oz each, so around 12 cups of caramel. Thank You!
I’ve honestly never made a large batch so it’s hard for me to say. I would think it might be OK but I would keep an eye on it while it’s cooking to make sure that it cooks somewhat evenly.
This sauce is DELIIICCIOUUUSSS!
I just tried it and standing here licking the pan! I did half the recipe as i had just a few ounces of 3% milk and used Amaretto instead of vanilla …cannot wait for the chocolate to finish baking to have with it !🥳🥳🥳🥳
So glad you enjoyed it!
Made this twice now, followed the instructions exact and slowly….within minutes it turned rock hard in my jar (ball jar that I can things in…..Might try it again, but we’ll see.
If you followed the instructions, I really can’t imagine why it’d be rock hard. Caramel does get hard if you don’t add the right amount of butter and cream to it. It also firms up in the fridge and just needs to be reheated. Beyond that, it shouldn’t be hard if made properly. I’m not sure what would’ve gone wrong.
I follow the recipe. But my caramel sauce turns like theres a lil bit chunks of sugar in it. Not that smooth. Its like the caramel sauce surface’s gets harden and turns into some “sugar chunks”. What did I do wrong?
Btw, I apologize for my bad English
I doubled it and turned out fine…. just took longer to make
Can this recipe be doubled?
Should be just fine.
Hi could you use this recipe for a drip cake?
Great recipe!! I once made a Carmel sauce that just didn’t taste good but this stuff was a winner!!
Hello. My caramel sauce using the dry method turned out beautifully (and I am not a baker). I was a little concerned it was not getting thick but I just turned up the heat a smidge while stirring for another minutes and took it off the heat. It did thicken. I could have eaten the whole thing. Thank you. Looking forward to trying other recipes on your site. Love the name of your site. Appreciated how you explained what to look for when making this sauce.
So glad you were happy with it!
Hello
I was wondering can you this caramel sauce to put on top of cheesecake or will it be too thin?
Thank you
Sumayya
Yes, you can. You’ll just want to let it cool a little bit so that it thickens some before adding it.
My sauce is not turning copper colored, should I leave it on the burner to cook longer? Or was it because maybe the heat wasnt high enough?
Yes, I’d let it cook until the color changes.
Just made this recipe, after trying the “dry” version (someone else’s dry recipe). My first attempt, with the dry, made caramel concrete!!! Wow!!!!
Second attempt: your recipe including the water. For me, this was easier, even tho it may have taken a bit longer. Great instructions, easy to follow, and the result was actually pourable caramel!!! I put it into a mason jar to cool. Yay!! Never give up, right??!!
I’m so glad to hear this version worked well for you! Everyone deserves amazing caramel sauce!
Made it.. I usually try the dry method and I am never happy with the results.. this method I will use forever .. it came out perfect! No more store bought caramel for me..
Thank you so much for this recipe.
Awesome! I’m so glad to hear it worked well for you as an alternative to the dry method!
I made this recipe exactly and firstly the colour was very light (amber instead of copper) and it was very runny. The taste was perfect though! Any tips on how to thicken it up please?
Have you let it cool yet? The sauce continues to thicken as it cools.
I never try to do caramel, but looking for recipes, I found this page. And im glad to do. I try this recipe, and came out perfect. Thanks
Hi! This recipe looks amazing and super simple! Would it change the recipe if I used half & half instead of cream?? Thanks so much!
Half-and-half is going to have less fat. The caramel sauce may be a little thinner, but should otherwise be fine.
Thank you for posting this method of caramel making! I was using your other recipe (dry method) and while it came out great, it did have a burnt aftertaste. I will try this method. Would love to see how you do this in a video!
Your sauce looks sublime Lindsay! I’ve never used the wet method, but I’ve used the dry method before in a number of recipes. I adore homemade caramel, whether you pour it over ice cream, layer it in a cake, or eat it right out of the jar! Thanks for another great recipe 🙂
Mmmmmm! I lovvvve making homemade caramel sauce! The recipe I typically use uses the dry method, but I’ve made a recipe using the wet method once before as well. Your sauce looks lovely, Lindsay! 🙂