This Caramel Sauce Recipe is rich, creamy, buttery, sweet and 1,000X better than any store bought caramel sauce!This easy Caramel Sauce recipe is FOOL PROOF, ready in 5 MINUTES and lick-the-spoon delicious! Homemade caramel sauce makes for a fabulous gift and makes everything better from cakes to brownies, to ice cream to popcorn – and everything in between! Pictures updated 2019 Show
How to Make Caramel Sauce VideoPIN THIS RECIPE TO SAVE FOR LATERCaramel Sauce RecipeIn anticipation of the Toffee Pecan Caramel Pound Cake I am sharing with you this weekend (in time for Easter!) and my Poke Turtle Brownies, I thought I would start with the wonderfully decadent, creamy homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe because this caramel sauce deserves it’s very own post.
Just like this easy Caramel Sauce makes the pound cake better, this Caramel Sauce makes everything better. This homemade Caramel Sauce recipe makes apples, bananas, pretzels and popcorn better. It makes waffles, French toast, crepes and pancakes better. It makes cookies (especially in a skillet!), brownies, cheesecake, and ice cream better. You get the idea. This easy Caramel Sauce recipe pretty much makes everything better. At some point though, it becomes not about making a food taste better but rather just finding new vehicles to douse with caramel so there are more “legitimate” reasons to put caramel in my mouth. Be cautious though, its a creamy, lip smacking, finger licking slippery slope. First its drizzled on ice cream, next its bathing carrots. I am asked for the recipe every time I bring it anywhere! Its rich, creamy, buttery and sweet and 1,000 times better than any store bought Caramel Sauce Recipe. What is caramel sauce made of?Caramel Sauce is traditionally made of granulated sugar that cooks at a certain temperature until it caramelizes. It is combined with heavy cream, butter and vanilla extract. Caramel sauces made with granulated sugar are not fool proof as the sugar can burn easily AND they take longer to make. This Caramel Sauce recipe is unique in that it starts with brown sugar instead of granulated sugar which not only cuts down on cooking time but boasts a richer flavor in way less time! Here is a breakdown of the pantry friendly ingredients
Can I use Heavy Cream Instead of Evaporated Milk?I suggest you always keep evaporated milk on hand so you can always make this caramel any time, which means you can eat this caramel any time, because as previously discussed, you never know when you might need to “make something better…” I use evaporated milk because it incorporates more easily into the caramel so you are left with creamy caramel sauce every time. That being said, if you only have heavy cream on hand, then yes, you can definitely use it instead of evaporated milk. HOW TO MAKE CARAMEL SAUCENow to making this easy Caramel Sauce recipe. I am not going to lie. I have burnt caramel before. But not this caramel. This caramel is FOOL PROOF! If you can boil butter, brown sugar and a smidgen of water then stir in evaporated milk and vanilla, than you can make this caramel in 5 minutes! SO EASY! Here is a step by step breakdown of how to make easy caramel sauce: Step 1: Add butter, brown sugar, water, and salt to medium saucepan and heat over medium-low heat, stirring until butter melts. Step 2: Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer, whisking constantly until thickened, approximately 5-8 minutes. Keep in mind, the caramel sauce will thickens more as it cools. Step 3: Remove from heat and stir in ½ cup evaporated milk (it will bubble a lot) and vanilla. Add additional evaporated milk to reach desired consistency. How to Make Salted Caramel SauceYou can transform this Caramel into Salted Caramel Sauce by simply adding more salt! Follow the recipe as directed then stir in additional salt to taste – I would start with ⅛ teaspoon then add more if desired. For even more gourmet Salted Caramel Sauce, omit the salt in the recipe and stir in ½ teaspoon sea salt (or more to taste). Tips for the Best Caramel Sauce
Can you thicken caramel sauce?You can completely control the consistency of this caramel sauce. For thicker caramel sauce, boil for longer and add less evaporated milk at the end. Why is my caramel sauce grainy?I have never had a problem with grainy caramel using this Caramel Sauce recipe. I believe using brown sugar is the key. Grainy Caramel Sauce is caused by undissolved sugar crystals. This can happen when either 1) the sugar in the caramel sauce has not fully dissolved or 2) some of the crystallized sugar that forms on the sides of the saucepan as the caramel boils have been incorporated into the caramel. How Do I fix Grainy Caramel Sauce?
How Do I reheat Caramel Sauce?Microwave Caramel Sauce for 30-60 seconds, stirring at 30 second intervals, repeat as needed. You may need to stir in additional evaporated milk as the caramel will thicken up on refrigeration. You can also reheat caramel sauce on the stovetop but I find this is more of a hassle to transfer the caramel to the saucepan than it is worth. Does Homemade Caramel Sauce Go Bad?Homemade Caramel Sauce can be kept at room temperature for 3 days or for a longer shelf life, in the refrigerator for up to three weeks or frozen for up to three months (see below). Does Caramel Sauce need to be refrigerated?This Caramel Sauce utilizes evaporated milk which is further stabilized by the sugar and therefore does not have to be refrigerated immediately – just think about caramel apples! That being said, I do suggest refrigerating leftover caramel sauce because it will keep for longer but it is perfectly fine to be left at room temperature on cakes, brownies, etc. or as caramel sauce gift jars. How Do I store homemade caramel sauce?Let Caramel cool completely then transfer it to a jar or airtight container. Refrigerate for up to three weeks. Can I freeze Caramel Sauce?Yes, you can absolutely freeze Caramel Sauce! Freezing Caramel Sauce is fabulous when you make a double/triple batch and store the leftovers for a later use. It also works great when you don’t use all the Caramel Sauce at once or only need part of it for a recipe. How to Freeze Caramel Sauce
What Can I Use Caramel Sauce for?As previously discussed, this homemade Caramel Sauce makes EVERYTHING more delicious. Use this easy caramel sauce for drizzling, dipping, or even filling your favorite desserts. Here are a few options to use it with:
How do you make caramel syrup?This Caramel Sauce recipe can be made into any consistency by adding more or less evaporated milk. To make caramel syrup or runny caramel, follow the recipe then add additional evaporated milk until it reaches desired consistency. Want to Try this Caramel Sauce Recipe?Pin it to your Homemade, Easy or Dessert Board to SAVE for later!Find me on Pinterest for more great recipes! I am always pinning :)!Save This Recipe To Your Recipe BoxYou can now create an account on our site and save your favorite recipes all in one place!
Don’t miss the “how to make” recipe video at the top of the post!
Did You Make This Recipe? Tag @CarlsbadCravings and Use #CarlsbadCravngs Leave a Review, I Always Love Hearing From You! Recipe Source: Food.com Is evaporated milk the same as condensed milk for caramel?Condensed milk is evaporated milk that typically has sweetener added, so much so that the terms 'condensed milk' and 'sweetened condensed milk' are used interchangeably. Sugar is added before canning; condensed milk is very sweet and contains about 40 to 45 percent sugar.
Can I substitute evaporated milk for condensed milk?There's very little legwork needed when cooking or baking with condensed milk. On the other hand, evaporated milk is unsweetened, so you wouldn't want to substitute one for the other, as it can greatly affect how sweet your recipe will taste.
What can I use if I don't have condensed milk?If you run out of sweetened condensed milk, simply substitute the same amount of evaporated milk for a one-to-one alternative. The consistency in the dish will be near the same, but the flavor will not taste as sweet. You can add sugar to the evaporated milk if you prefer to up the sweetness.
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