This Easy Salted Caramel Sauce is a delicious treat to serve over desserts, breakfast and brunch dishes, and to give as gifts to the fave foodies in your life!
There’s something pretty special about desserts that are both sweet and salty.
Salted Caramel Sauce is simply magic. Every bite is a little sweet and a little salty. I love keeping jars of this magic caramel sauce on hand!
- It’s easy to make in less than 10 minutes.
- You can make it with less than 5 ingredients.
- It lasts for up to one month in the refrigerator.
- You can use salted caramel sauce for SO many different dishes!
Ingredients
To make this salted caramel sauce, you only need four ingredients:
- Granulated sugar
- Water
- Salted butter – if you only have unsalted butter, simply add about 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt.
- Heavy cream (not pictured above) – while heavy cream is best, you can also use half and half or your favorite dairy-free cream instead.
Step-by-step instructions
This recipe whips up fairly quickly, in about 10 minutes.
In a heavy 3-quart saucepan, melt the sugar and water over medium-high heat. Whisk constantly until the sugar is dissolved.
Once the sugar mixture reaches a low boil, stop whisking and allow the mixture to continue boiling until it reaches a medium-dark amber color. This step can take a while, but be sure to watch the mixture carefully: if you step away, this is where it could burn. Every once in a while, swirl the pan to ensure even boiling.
As soon as the sugar mixture reaches that dark amber color, take it off the heat and immediately add the butter. Whisk briskly until the butter melts completely.
Slowly and carefully pour in the heavy cream and whisk to combine. The mixture may bubble as you whisk, which is normal.
Keep whisking the mixture until it is a gorgeous, luscious caramel sauce.
Pour the caramel sauce into glass jars to cool, uncovered.
Recipe FAQs
It makes enough to fill approximately four 8-ounce mason jars, with about 1/2 inch left at the top of each jar. The last time I made this, I was able to get three 8-ounce mason jars and two 4-ounce mason jars!
Store salted caramel sauce in an airtight container, like a mason jar, in the refrigerator for up to one month.
No. While the two look and sometimes taste similar, they are two different things. Salted Caramel is made with granulated sugar, butter, sea salt, heavy cream, and vanilla. Butterscotch usually consists of brown sugar and butter.
You can leave the sauce in a mason jar at room temperature for a couple of days, but it’s best to keep salted caramel refrigerated
Ways to use salted caramel sauce
This sauce is so versatile!
- Drizzle salted caramel sauce over Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars, Pinot Noir Brownies, or over Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Ice Cream.
- Keep some caramel sauce in a plastic squeeze bottle to drizzle over espresso drinks or hot cocoa.
- Enjoy as a sweet addition to your breakfast or brunch, poured over Banana Chocolate Chip Waffles.
- Mix into your popcorn for a delicious batch of salted caramel popcorn
Salted Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons water
- 1/4 cup salted butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- In a heavy 3-quart saucepan, melt the sugar and water over medium-high heat. Whisk constantly until the sugar is dissolved.
- Once the sugar mixture reaches a low boil, stop whisking and allow the mixture to continue boiling until it reaches a medium-dark amber color. This step can take a while, but be sure to watch the mixture carefully: if you step away, this is where it could burn. Every once in a while, swirl the pan to ensure even boiling.
- As soon as the sugar mixture reaches that dark amber color, take it off the heat and immediately add the butter. Whisk briskly until the butter melts completely.
- Slowly and carefully pour in the heavy cream and whisk to combine. The mixture may bubble as you whisk, which is normal.
- Keep whisking the mixture until it is a gorgeous, luscious caramel sauce.
- Pour the caramel sauce into glass jars to cool, uncovered.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Liz – I eat it straight up by the spoonful. I’ve heard that if you use a utensil, it dissolves all calories! ;)
Oh my gosh, this is insanely tempting. I like your idea of adding it to everything. Would it be totally wrong if I just poured it into my mouth though?
Oh my yum!! Seriously – this sounds amazing! I can pinning for the future. {Stopping by from The Love Nerds and SITS}
Lynda – it’s REALLY good with popcorn, especially if you like the salty/sweet combo. :) Thanks for stopping by!
OMG, the thought of this drizzled on popcorn is just too much! Looks so yummy. Stopping by from SITS comment love.
Thanks, Meghan!
There is nothing better than salted caramel! Your presentation makes this gift extra special!
Mariah – it’s almost dangerously easy to make…slightly addictive! :) Thanks for stopping by!
Caramel is my weakness, I love that stuff! Although, surprisingly I’ve never made me own…but now I’m inspired. Pinning this to give it a try. Stopping by to say hi from The SITS Girls.
Thanks Renee and Marie!
that looks delicious, and addictive.
Visiting from SITS,
Marie @ In Our Happy Place
Ohhhh, salt + caramel is the best thing ever, right?! Especially with dark chocolate. Yum. Sometime I want to master caramel made with honey, coconut palm sugar, or other natural sweetener!
Maple syrup works well for making caramel, if that is on your list of natural sweeteners.
You are giving me so many great “neighbor gift ideas”! Mr B is a Big Salted Caramel fan, so I guess I will need to make him some too!
Mmm… I LOVE salted caramel anything. I use a recipe from David Lebowitz’ ice cream cookbook, but I am always willing to put it to the test with a new recipe. And your popcorn idea is one I haven’t tried. Thanks for posting!
Yummmmmm. I probably would just eat it right out of the jar. I always have to watch mine like a hawk or I take it a little too far at the browning stage.