Caramel Sauce

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Making caramel sauce can feel a bit nerve-wracking at first. It might take a few tries to get it right.

But once you do, it’s incredibly rewarding. Mastering caramel gives you the confidence to work with it in other recipes, and soon enough, handling molten sugar will feel like second nature.

Recipe Info

This recipe:

• Can be tricky at first. Most people don’t nail caramel sauce on their first try—I certainly didn’t! It took me four attempts to get it right. So don’t be discouraged if it takes you a couple of tries. Read the instructions carefully to give yourself the best shot at success.
• Teaches patience. Caramel isn’t something you can rush. Set aside plenty of time and be prepared to stand by the saucepan for 30 minutes or more. Let the sugar melt fully before adding more, and incorporate the heavy cream gradually.
• Is super versatile. Drizzle it over ice cream, pancakes, cakes, and pastries, or stir it into coffee for a rich caramel twist.
• Is totally worth it. Yes, caramel takes time, but the depth of flavor makes it more than worth the effort. Once you master it, you’ll have a go-to sweet sauce in your recipe arsenal.

Making caramel sauce for the first time? Check out the ingredient notes, step-by-step instructions, and tips. Already familiar? Skip ahead to the recipe card!

Ingredients and Substitutes

• Sugar. Use white sugar in crystal form.
• Heavy cream.
• Unsalted butter.
• Salt. Salt is optional, but I highly recommend it. Salted caramel tastes much more interesting than caramel that’s just super sweet.

Step-by-Step: How to Make Caramel Sauce

This is called the dry caramel method because we’re starting with just sugar—no added water.

1. Prep your ingredients. Measure everything before you begin. Once the sugar starts melting, you’ll need to focus on it. Also, make sure the butter is at room temperature—take it out of the fridge at least an hour ahead.
2. Warm the heavy cream. Heat the cream until tiny bubbles form around the edges, then turn off the heat. Keep it on the stove so you can quickly bring it back to a simmer when needed.

3. Add sugar. Use a saucepan with a wide surface area and sprinkle in a thin layer of sugar—just enough to cover the bottom. Shake the pan gently to distribute it evenly. Keep the rest of the sugar nearby.
4. Heat the sugar. Place the pan over medium heat. Don’t stir. Nothing will seem to happen at first, but soon, the sugar will start melting from the edges.

5. Melt the sugar. Lower the heat to medium-low or low to avoid burning the sugar—it happens fast. Use a wooden spoon, heat-resistant spatula, or whisk (my preference) to gently move unmelted sugar toward the hotter areas. Stir as little as possible. Once melted, gradually add more sugar, ensuring each addition is fully melted before adding the next. Continue until all the sugar is dissolved and the mixture turns deep amber. If it hasn’t darkened yet, keep heating on low.

6. Add heavy cream. Now for the tricky part. Slowly pour in a tiny bit of hot heavy cream (about a teaspoon). It will bubble up aggressively—pause briefly, then stir gently. Continue adding the cream gradually, increasing the amount slightly each time. If the caramel seizes (re-crystallizes), stop adding cream and gently heat while stirring until smooth. If crystals persist, strain the sauce later. Keep going until all the cream is incorporated.

7. Cook to the right temperature. Use a food thermometer and heat the caramel to the right temperature for your desired texture (see table below). Once it reaches the target temperature, remove it from heat immediately. Congrats, you’ve passed the most challenging part!
8. Add butter. Let the caramel cool slightly by stirring it for a minute or so, then stir in the room-temperature butter until fully melted and smooth.

9. Add salt. Sprinkle in a little salt, stir, and taste. Adjust as needed.
10. Strain (optional). Pour the caramel through a fine sieve into a jar or container for a silky texture. This removes any crystallized bits.
11. Cool and store. Let the caramel cool to room temperature before using. If storing, refrigerate in a sealed container. The sauce will thicken as it cools, so don’t worry if it seems too runny at first.

Caramel Sauce Consistency by Temperature

The final temperature of your caramel (after adding heavy cream) determines its texture. Aim for the middle of the given range for the best results.

For caramel sauce, you’ll usually want pourable (great for waffles or pancakes) or soft & spreadable (perfect for baked goods or caramel pastry cream).

Tips

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Preheat the saucepan (optional). When first learning, start with a cold pan. Once you get the hang of it, you can preheat the pan on medium while measuring your ingredients to save a few minutes.
• Minimal stirring when melting sugar. The less you stir, the better. Some people don’t stir at all and instead tilt the pan to move unmelted sugar toward the hot spots. This works but requires patience. I much prefer helping the sugar melt by moving it around a bit.

• Watch the color. Sugar turns from clear to light golden to rich amber—that’s perfectly caramelized sugar. If it darkens too much or smells burnt, it’s overcooked, and you’ll need to start again. Lower the heat once the sugar starts melting to avoid this.
• Temperature control is key. Cooking the caramel and cream to the right temperature is crucial. If it gets too hot after adding all the heavy cream, add a little extra cream to cool it down, then cook to the desired temperature before finishing. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a thicker caramel than intended.

Storage

Store caramel sauce in a sealed container in the fridge for 3–4 days. This prevents it from absorbing other odors.

Similar Recipes to Try

Looking for more? Check out the following recipes:

• Caramel pastry cream. You can easily turn this caramel sauce into a pastry cream using pantry staples.
• Caramel eclairs. Eclairs filled with caramel pastry cream and topped with caramel sauce. If you’re looking for an all-caramel dessert, this one is for you.

Caramel Sauce

Caramel takes practice, but once you nail it, you’ll want to put it on everything.

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Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: French

Keyword: Caramel, Caramel Sauce, Heavy Cream, Powdered Sugar

Servings: 0.75 cup

Author: Marcin Skrzypiec

Equipment

• Whisk
• Food scale
• Food thermometer

Ingredients

• 4 oz white sugar ~112g
• 1/2 cup heavy cream ~120g
• 3 tbsp butter ~ 42g
• 1 pinch salt to taste

Instructions

• Prep ingredients. Measure everything before starting. Ensure the butter is at room temperature.
• Warm cream. Heat heavy cream until bubbles form at the edges, then turn off the heat. Keep warm.
• Start melting sugar. Sprinkle a thin layer of sugar in a wide saucepan over medium heat. Do not stir.
• Melt all sugar. Once the first layer melts, lower the heat and gradually add the rest, melting each addition before adding more. Stir minimally. Make sure the mixture turns a deep amber color before you continue.
  4 oz white sugar
• Incorporate cream. Slowly add hot cream in small amounts, stirring gently. It will bubble vigorously, so be careful.
  1/2 cup heavy cream
• Cook to temperature. Use a thermometer to reach your desired consistency. For a pourable sauce, heat to 223–234°F (106–112°C). For a thicker, spreadable caramel, go up to 234–240°F (112–115°C). Then remove from heat.
• Add butter. Stir in for a minute or two to cool the mixture then stir in room-temperature butter until smooth.
  3 tbsp butter
• Season with salt. Mix in salt to taste.
  1 pinch salt
• Strain for smoothness. Pour through a fine sieve to remove any crystallized bits.
• Cool and store. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for 3 to 4 days. It will thicken as it cools.

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Notes

If caramel seizes (hardened clumps form) after adding heavy cream, keep stirring gently over low heat until they melt. If they’re stubborn, ignore them and continue adding heavy cream. You’ll strain the clumps later.

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