Dreaming of warm but easy salted caramel sauce?
Who isn’t? This is the one!
This foolproof recipe has just 5 ingredients and you can make it in 15 minutes.
There are a lot of ways to use this easy salted caramel sauce, but my favorite is on top of vanilla bean ice cream. Hard to resist! Make an extra small jar for friends to take home if you serve this sauce for dessert because everyone loves it (and they will love you!).
Easy salted caramel sauce really is easy!
Caramel can be a little intimidating and some recipes require a candy thermometer. I have written this recipe so you can just use your eyes to determine when it’s ready and skip the thermometer.
Caramel is just sugar, butter, and cream cooked to a silky sauce
5 Ingredients for Homemade Caramel Sauce:
- Sugar
- Butter
- Heavy Cream
- Sea Salt
- Vanilla Extract – we love our easy homemade version
How to make Salted Caramel Sauce:
If you follow this step by step process you can’t go wrong, but each step is important. Read through all the steps and have ingredients ready before you start cooking.
- Step 1 – Add sugar to a deep heavy pot and stir
- Step 2 – Sugar will begin to clump and start to melt – continue stirring
Caramel Sauce Step 1 – Add sugar to heat 
Step 2 -Sugar beginning to clump & melt
- Step 3 – Continue stirring as the sugar starts to turn to an amber color.
- Watch carefully because this is the stage when sugar can quickly burn. If you think the color is getting dark too quickly lower the heat and remove the pan from the heat for about 30 seconds.
Step 3 – Sugar beginning to turn amber
- Step 4 – Lower heat to medium-low and add the butter. Be cautious as the butter may splatter a bit when added to the pan. Stir vigorously to fully combine. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Step 5 – Slowly drizzle in heavy cream and whisk until well combined. Turn heat back to medium and boil gently for 1 minute.
- Step 6 – Remove caramel sauce from heat and add vanilla and sea salt
- Step 7 – Whisk to combine and let cool for 5 minutes. Whisk again and pour in a glass jar
Step 6 – Remove from heat and add vanilla and sea salt 
Step 7 – Let caramel sauce cool for 5 minutes and whisk again
- Step 8 – Pour into a glass jar until ready to use
Storing and keeping Caramel Sauce
- Store in a glass jar with a lid in the refrigerator for up to one month
- You can freeze this caramel for up to 3 months. Just thaw in the refrigerator before using
- If you are making it as a gift or taking this sauce somewhere it will be OK at room temperature for one day
- Warm sauce up in the microwave for 10 seconds or over low heat on the stove for about 2 -3 minutes.
Gifting Caramel Sauce:
It’s hard to imagine a more welcome gift than a jar of homemade caramel sauce! The jars above are 8-ounces each, so one full recipe. Be sure to add a ribbon and a tag to dress up your gift, and let the lucky recipient know that they need to refrigerate the sauce.
Other great sweets and treats:
NOTE: If you aren’t a fan of salty caramel reduce the salt to 1/4 teaspoon, or omit completely.
Easy Salted Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 6 Tbsp butter, room temperature, cut into pieces
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Bring butter to room temperature.
- Heat a large heavy pot over medium heat and add sugar. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula. Sugar will begin to form clumps and then melt into a smooth liquid. Allow to cook, stirring until sugar reaches a medium brown amber color. Watch carefully as sugar can easily burn at this point. Turn heat to medium-low and add the butter. Be cautious as butter can splatter. Whisk constantly until butter is melted and cook for 2 minutes.
- Slowly drizzle in heavy cream, whisking vigorously until well combined. Turn the heat back to medium and boil for exactly one minute, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat and add in sea salt and vanilla. Whisk to combine.
- Allow caramel to cool for about 5 minutes in the pan, off heat. Caramel will thicken as it cools.
- Whisk again and pour caramel into glass mason jars until ready to use.
- Refrigerate for up to 4 weeks, or cool and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat for about 10 seconds in the microwave, or gently on low heat on the stove.
Thank you for the detailed recipe. Will try it this weekend.
I could eat the whole jar full by itself. Really like how easy it is to make.
This sauce was so easy to make! I drizzled it over a cake I had and it was delicious!
I can’t believe how easy this is to make! I need this in my life ASAP! lol It looks sooooo good.
Love the step-by-step instructions. Now I’m not so nervous about making homemade caramel sauce!