Very Best Salted Caramel Sauce Recipe

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I perfected a Salted Caramel Sauce Recipe that’s quick and easy to make at home and even has a small twist to keep it perfectly pourable over your favourite desserts.

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I never thought a simple sauce could start arguments at the dinner table, but mine does. Using just granulated sugar and unsalted butter, I get this glossy, nearly molten caramel that behaves different every time, even when I think I did nothing new.

Folks online tag it as a Salted Caramel Sauce Recipe or compare it to Caramel Sauce From Caramel Candy, and that always makes me curious why we all taste it so differently. I keep tweaking tiny things, watching the color and thinking maybe this batch will be the one, cant promise I wont taste-test a lot though, its addictive.

Ingredients

Ingredients photo for Very Best Salted Caramel Sauce Recipe

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  • Pure sweetness, mainly carbs, no fiber, fuels the caramel’s deep flavor and glossy texture.
  • Helps sugar melt evenly, adds no calories, just a tiny aid for control.
  • Rich in fat and calories, gives buttery mouthfeel and avoids extra salt, makes it decadent.
  • Loads of fat, adds creaminess and smoothness, boosts calories but mellows the bite.
  • Tiny salt balances sweetness, supplies trace minerals, not about nutrition but flavor contrast.
  • Adds aromatic depth, a little goes far, gives warmth and rounds out sweetness.

Ingredient Quantities

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

  • 2 tablespoons water (optional, helps the sugar melt more evenly)

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus extra flaky sea salt for finishing (optional)

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

How to Make this

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1. Measure everything out first so you arent scrambling: 1 cup sugar, 2 Tbsp water if using, 6 Tbsp unsalted butter cut into pieces, 1/2 cup heavy cream (warmed a bit is helpful), 1 tsp fine sea salt, 1 tsp vanilla, and flaky sea salt for finishing if you want.

2. Put the sugar and the optional 2 Tbsp water in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan and stir just to combine so the sugar is evenly moistened. Heat over medium-high and let it come to a boil. Dont stir after this point or you’ll encourage crystals, instead gently swirl the pan now and then or brush down the sides with a wet pastry brush.

3. Watch the sugar closely as it changes color from clear to light amber then deep amber, about 6 to 10 minutes. When it becomes a deep amber and smells nutty its ready, dont wait too long or it will burn.

4. Remove the pan from the heat and add the butter pieces right away. Whisk or stir until the butter is fully melted and incorporated, careful the mixture will bubble up a lot.

5. Slowly pour in the warmed heavy cream while whisking constantly. It will foam and spit, so pour slowly and stand back a bit, but keep stirring until smooth.

6. Return the pan to low heat for 30 to 60 seconds if needed to dissolve any sugar bits, stirring until completely smooth and silky.

7. Stir in the 1 tsp fine sea salt and 1 tsp vanilla extract, taste and adjust salt if you want it saltier.

8. If the sauce looks grainy, you can heat it gently and whisk, or strain it through a fine mesh strainer to get it perfectly smooth.

9. Let the caramel cool 10 to 15 minutes in the pan so it thickens a bit, then pour into a heatproof jar. Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top if you like. Store in the fridge up to 2 weeks and reheat gently in the microwave or in a warm pan until pourable.

Equipment Needed

1. Medium heavy bottomed saucepan (2 to 3 quart)
2. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
3. Whisk
4. Heatproof spatula or wooden spoon
5. Wet pastry brush
6. Small saucepan or microwave safe bowl to warm the cream
7. Fine mesh strainer
8. Heatproof jar or container with lid for storing
9. Oven mitts or thick kitchen towels

FAQ

A: Yes, you can, but cut back on the extra sea salt. Salted butter varies a lot, so add less at first, taste, then finish with flaky salt if you want more.

A: Put the pan back on low heat and add a tablespoon or two of water or cream, stir gently until smooth. If that fails, start over but make sure you don't stir while the sugar is first melting, swirl the pan instead.

A: Cool, transfer to a jar and refrigerate up to 2 weeks. To use, warm gently in a saucepan or microwave in short bursts. You can freeze it up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the fridge then reheat.

A: Not really, milk is too thin and the sauce may separate or be runny. Use heavy cream for the best texture; half and half is okay if that's all you have. For dairy free try full fat canned coconut milk.

A: Simmer it gently on low, stir often, let water boil off until it thickens. Remember it thickens as it cools so don't over-reduce. If it's too thick, whisk in a little warm cream.

A: Use medium-low heat, be patient, and let the sugar melt evenly. Adding the 2 tbsp water at the start helps. Once it turns a deep amber, take it off the heat before adding butter and cream, then whisk to combine.

Very Best Salted Caramel Sauce Recipe Substitutions and Variations

  • Granulated sugar: swap with light brown sugar 1:1 for a deeper toffee taste and a slightly softer set, or coconut sugar 1:1 for a nuttier flavor and darker color. Don’t use liquid sweeteners they won’t caramelize the same way.
  • Unsalted butter: use salted butter 1:1 and cut back on the added salt, or a stick of plant based/butter-style spread 1:1 for a dairy free version though it may lose a bit of richness.
  • Heavy cream: replace with full fat coconut cream 1:1 for dairy free and extra richness, or evaporated milk 1:1 for a lighter sauce — if using evaporated milk add 1 tbsp butter per 1/2 cup to boost fat.
  • Vanilla extract: swap with vanilla bean paste (about 1/2 bean for 1 tsp extract) for visible specks and stronger vanilla, or use 1/2 tsp bourbon or dark rum for warm, complex notes.

Pro Tips

1) Use a candy thermometer if you got one, it takes the guesswork out of “amber” — aim for about 340 F so you dont overcook, and pull it off heat the instant it hits that color cuz it keeps cooking in the pan.
2) Warm the cream and have the butter already cut up and handy, youll thank me when the sugar starts bubbling wildly, but pour the cream very slowly and stand back a bit to avoid burns.
3) To stop graininess add a teaspoon of light corn syrup or a tiny pinch of cream of tartar when you start melting the sugar, or if it already got grainy heat gently and whisk hard or strain it through a fine sieve to rescue it.
4) If the sauce firms too much in the fridge, reheat gently with a splash of warm cream or water in a saucepan over low heat while stirring, dont blast it in the microwave without stirring or youll get uneven hot spots.

Very Best Salted Caramel Sauce Recipe

Very Best Salted Caramel Sauce Recipe

Recipe by Tina Braven

0.0 from 0 votes

I perfected a Salted Caramel Sauce Recipe that's quick and easy to make at home and even has a small twist to keep it perfectly pourable over your favourite desserts.


Pin

Servings

12

servings

Calories

162

kcal

Equipment: 1. Medium heavy bottomed saucepan (2 to 3 quart)
2. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
3. Whisk
4. Heatproof spatula or wooden spoon
5. Wet pastry brush
6. Small saucepan or microwave safe bowl to warm the cream
7. Fine mesh strainer
8. Heatproof jar or container with lid for storing
9. Oven mitts or thick kitchen towels

Ingredients

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

  • 2 tablespoons water (optional, helps the sugar melt more evenly)

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus extra flaky sea salt for finishing (optional)

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

  • Measure everything out first so you arent scrambling: 1 cup sugar, 2 Tbsp water if using, 6 Tbsp unsalted butter cut into pieces, 1/2 cup heavy cream (warmed a bit is helpful), 1 tsp fine sea salt, 1 tsp vanilla, and flaky sea salt for finishing if you want.
  • Put the sugar and the optional 2 Tbsp water in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan and stir just to combine so the sugar is evenly moistened. Heat over medium-high and let it come to a boil. Dont stir after this point or you'll encourage crystals, instead gently swirl the pan now and then or brush down the sides with a wet pastry brush.
  • Watch the sugar closely as it changes color from clear to light amber then deep amber, about 6 to 10 minutes. When it becomes a deep amber and smells nutty its ready, dont wait too long or it will burn.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and add the butter pieces right away. Whisk or stir until the butter is fully melted and incorporated, careful the mixture will bubble up a lot.
  • Slowly pour in the warmed heavy cream while whisking constantly. It will foam and spit, so pour slowly and stand back a bit, but keep stirring until smooth.
  • Return the pan to low heat for 30 to 60 seconds if needed to dissolve any sugar bits, stirring until completely smooth and silky.
  • Stir in the 1 tsp fine sea salt and 1 tsp vanilla extract, taste and adjust salt if you want it saltier.
  • If the sauce looks grainy, you can heat it gently and whisk, or strain it through a fine mesh strainer to get it perfectly smooth.
  • Let the caramel cool 10 to 15 minutes in the pan so it thickens a bit, then pour into a heatproof jar. Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top if you like. Store in the fridge up to 2 weeks and reheat gently in the microwave or in a warm pan until pourable.

Notes

  • Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.

Nutrition Facts

  • Serving Size: 33.6g
  • Total number of serves: 12
  • Calories: 162kcal
  • Fat: 10.5g
  • Saturated Fat: 6.4g
  • Trans Fat: 0.26g
  • Polyunsaturated: 0.38g
  • Monounsaturated: 3.1g
  • Cholesterol: 26mg
  • Sodium: 192mg
  • Potassium: 7mg
  • Carbohydrates: 16.96g
  • Fiber: 0g
  • Sugar: 16.96g
  • Protein: 0.23g
  • Vitamin A: 180IU
  • Vitamin C: 0mg
  • Calcium: 7mg
  • Iron: 0.02mg

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